21/07/2022

Other News In Brief

SF Calls For Action On Health Workers Pay

Barriers to achieving fair pay for health and social care workers need to be overcome urgently, Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said.

Speaking after the publication of recommendations by the Pay Review Body, Mr Gildernew said: "Health workers deserve, and are entitled to, fair pay and conditions and the realisation of that is vital if we are to keep the workforce we have, recruit more staff and protect frontline services.

"The British government needs to step up and start taking decisive action in response to the cost of living crisis which is seeing record breaking inflation impacting workers and families, in the north and beyond.

"They must adopt a fair approach to public sector pay - including NHS pay -which values the vital role of workers as called for by Sinn Féin Finance Minister Conor Murphy and his counterparts in Wales and Scotland in their letter to the British Chancellor earlier this week.

"Sinn Féin are ready to form an Executive today to help fix the health service, to tackle waiting lists, hire more doctors and nurses and support cancer and mental health services.

"This should also be the focus of DUP and they should stop holding people in the north of Ireland to ransom by keeping the Executive down.

"Reports today that a one off recognition payment will be made to health workers in August are welcome, however, this should have been in place months ago and it is no substitute for proper pay and conditions."

Major Coleraine Roadworks To Get Underway On 25 July

A major roadworks scheme in Coleraine will get underway on Monday 25 July, the Department for Infrastructure has announced.

The £500,000 carriageway resurfacing scheme on the A26 Newbridge Road will extend approximately 110m west from Wattstown Roundabout towards the Causeway Hospital and east from Wattstown Roundabout to Windyhall. The resurfacing works will deliver significant improvements to both the structural integrity and surface quality of this busy trunk road for many years to come.

The scheme is expected to be completed by 12 August 2022. 

New NI Policing Board Recruitment Competition Launched

Justice Minister Naomi Long has launched a new recruitment competition to appoint six independent members to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Three members will be appointed from 1 December 2022; and three members from 1 April 2023. The terms are for four years.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board, which includes ten political members and nine independent members, is responsible for ensuring the provision of an effective, efficient, impartial and accountable police service in Northern Ireland, and for holding the Chief Constable to account for the exercise of his functions and those of the police.

Board members will be required to commit to a minimum of four days per month to Policing Board business and be required to perform a representative role on behalf of the Board at a variety of events. Remuneration is £15k per annum.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 12:00 noon on Thursday, 18 August 2022.


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