Other News In Brief

Infrastructure Minister Expresses Opposition To Retained EU Law Bill

Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has expressed his opposition to Retained EU Law (Revocation & Reform) Bill.

The Minister was speaking after meeting a number of environmental organisations including the RSPB, Ulster Wildlife and Friends of the Earth.

John O'Dowd said: "I support and share the concerns that were highlighted to me today around the possible reversal and diminution of vital environmental protections and rights across the North that the introduction of this REUL Bill will have.

"Our conversation today centred on the essential protections that are currently in place for the natural environment and public health and the importance of maintaining these protections as well as the impact this Bill may have on the services provided by my own Department.

"I am also deeply concerned that the Bill cuts across the devolution settlement and Sewel Convention and that any interaction between the Bill and the Protocol is not fully understood."

UUP Urge Parties Not To Ignore Chief Constable Warning

The UUP has said that no political leader can ignore a warning from PSNI Chief Constable that up to 1,000 fewer officers will be available over the next three years.

UUP Policing Board Representative, Mike Nesbitt said: "I welcome the Chief Constable's letter as the latest step in a staged response to what can only be described as a Police budget crisis.

"The letter to the Party Leaders obviously includes the Justice Minister Naomi Long. Surely she can no longer hide behind the excuse that this is an operational matter, given how the Prison Service made it clear that she has engaged in debate on operational decisions regarding staffing levels in the Prison Service.

"Once again people need to understand that if the Police don't recruit, they don't stand still they go backwards, because hundreds of officers leave every year for very justifiable reasons including retirement.

"Furthermore, the Director General of the Prison Service recently stated there was a headcount figure below which the Service is unable to keep people safe. This must inevitably also apply to the Police Service.

"My primary concern is that senior officers and staff at the PSNI are now looking actively at cutting services. It is no longer a question of reducing a team of ten officers down to nine or even eight, but redeploying all ten to cover gaps elsewhere and no longer delivering the original service at all.

"When the Chief Constable talks of the prospect of having up to 1,000 fewer officers available over the next three years 'taking officer headcount closer to 6,000 than the 7,500 commitment made in the New Decade New Approach Agreement' then this is a warning that no political leader can ignore. It is a matter of public safety."

Green Party Leader Calls For Immediate General Election

Green Party Leader Mal O'Hara has called for an immediate General Election.

"We have all watched with growing frustration and anger as this Tory Government has lurched from shambles to disaster via repeated crises," Mr O'Hara said.

"In her short tenure, Liz Truss and her ideologically driven far right cabinet tanked the pound, tried to give tax breaks to their wealthy friends and raised the spectre of one hundred new fracking licenses across the UK. As people face escalating energy bills and the most difficult winter in a generation it is time for a Government that will meet the needs of people rather than the super wealthy, big energy and bankers.

"These political, social and economic crises require a fresh government with a democratic mandate. It would be adding insult to injury to again allow just over 140,000 Tory Party members choose the next Prime Minister. This Tory party is exhausted after 12 years of Government. They drove through austerity, mismanaged a global pandemic, widened inequality, damaged democracy and failed to address the climate crises. It should be over to the people of the UK to choose the next Prime Minister. It is time for a General Election.”