Other News In Brief

Alliance Highlight Importance Of Restoring NI Institutions

The presence of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in Belfast to talk with local parties shows the importance of restoring the institutions, Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP has said.

The North Down MP was speaking after meeting with Mr Varadkar and Mr Starmer in meetings at Stormont to discuss matters relating to the Protocol and other issues.

"These were useful and constructive meetings, and shows the importance of the issues being discussed," said Dr Farry.

"The presence of the Taoiseach and Labour leader in Belfast today, as well as Tánaiste Micheál Martin in Hillsborough, also shows the urgency of finding a resolution to them. We need to find not only a resolution but a resolution which works for Northern Ireland and particularly the business community to allow our economy to function with as little friction as possible, while taking advantage of the opportunities available under the Protocol.

"I hope the progress seen this week is built upon and the Assembly and Executive are restored as soon as possible. People are suffering and no matter what arguments are made by those boycotting, they need to realise the citizens of Northern Ireland need the institutions to return and take the day-to-day decisions taken, so MLAs can do the job they were elected to do."

Colum Eastwood Elected Vice-Chair Of The BBC All-Party Parliamentary Group

Colum Eastwood, the SDLP Leader and Foyle MP, has been elected Vice-Chair of the BBC All-Party Parliamentary Group in Westminster and has vowed to continue the fight against the planned cuts to BBC Radio Foyle.

Colum Eastwood MP said: "I am proud to be elected to this APPG to serve as vice-chair. We all know that at the end of last year BBC Northern Ireland announced cuts to flagship programming and jobs at BBC Radio Foyle. In my view, these targeted cuts are designed to make the station unsustainable and pave the way for a shutdown of the service.

"Since this announcement by the BBC, I have spoken to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and received his commitment to raise it with the BBC. I also recently attended a packed community event in the Guildhall to counter the closure by stealth of our local station. If the BBC does not give up on its plan to gut Radio Foyle, given new information that more than 50 BBC staff have expressed interest in a voluntary redundancy scheme, it will confirm that its intent all along has been to close the station down.

"As vice-chair of the BBC APPG, I will be making urgent representations to the Director General demanding that the axe hanging over young public interest news journalists and researchers is removed immediately. These people, who serve Derry and the northwest, deserve far better than the way the BBC has treated them and we won't be giving up this fight.

"The BBC charter places a duty on the organisation to ensure that audiences can engage fully with local and regional issues, and this decision is an obvious breach of that obligation. The move to decimate Radio Foyle must be opposed at every level, and I will continue to oppose these proposals in my new role as vice-chair."

Executive Needed To Save NI Health Service – SF

Sinn Féin has called for the urgent restoration of an Executive to progress investment in health and social services to address the growing crisis.

Speaking after meeting GP organisations, the party's health spokesperson, Colm Gildernew, said: "GP practices are facing huge challenges through closures and staff shortages, resulting in people struggling to access appointments with their doctor and putting more pressure on A&Es.

"I met with GP organisations and representatives today to discuss how we can work together to address the issues affecting both patients and GPs.

"Local communities depend on GP practices and they need certainty they will be able to access a doctor when they need one.

"We need an Executive up and running now, and a health minister in place, to invest in our health and social care services, and to hire more doctors and nurses.

"I would urge the DUP to end its blockade of the Executive and work together with the rest of us to fix the problems facing our health service."