Other News In Brief

Belfast Road Users Warned Of Delays Amid Apprentice Boys Parades

The PSNI have warned road users to expect traffic disruption across Belfast on Saturday 7th December, due to a number of Apprentice Boys of Derry parades.

The parades are expected to cause delays between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM, and again from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Parades will take place in north, south, and east Belfast, with routes including Shankill Road, Donegall Road, and Newtownards Road.

Motorists are advised to plan their journeys in advance and consider alternative routes if possible. Real-time traffic updates can be found on traffic apps and radio stations.

SDLP Welcomes New Bill On School Uniform Costs

The SDLP has welcomed the Assembly support of a new Bill to address the cost of school uniforms, which West Belfast councillor Paul Doherty said "must deliver real change for families".

Councillor Doherty, who operates a pre-loved school uniform scheme at his community solidarity hub on the Andersonstown Road, said: "It is welcome that the eye-watering costs of school uniforms and the strain this causes for many families in our city and across the North is finally getting the attention it deserves. However, we must make sure that any legislation brought forward actually deals with the issue at hand - the unaffordable nature of school uniforms for many families.

"The cost of a uniform should never be a barrier to any child's education, and I've seen firsthand the hardship and stress brought upon parents and families every year as a result of these costs. By September this year close to 900 children were kitted out at our pre-loved uniform hub at Foodstock.

"Tinkering around the edges of this problem won't please anybody, certainly not parents or schools. I am concerned by the Minister's talk of 'guidance' and the indication that much of these policies will still be left in the hands of individual schools. That will provide little comfort to the parents I deal with on a regular basis who are left lying awake at night worried about how they are going to afford a uniform for their child. "This legislation provides us with a real opportunity to address this issue, but it's important we get it right. I will be using my years of experience dealing with this issue, parents and schools to work with my SDLP colleagues in the Assembly to ensure that this legislation reflects the experience of parents who have been in this position and helps schools to deliver affordable uniforms for all."

Alliance Welcomes Extension Of Welfare Mitigations

The Alliance Party has welcomed the confirmed extension of Northern Ireland's welfare mitigations.

Whilst welcoming the extension, Alliance Communities spokesperson Sian Mulholland MLA has outlined the action still needing to be taken by the Communities Minister in order to help those in our society experiencing poverty – including removal of the two-child limit.

The North Antrim MLA said: "We, alongside incredible advocacy organisations like the Cliff Edge Coalition, have been calling for clarity on this situation for months now as this cliff edge loomed closer, and the announcement of these mitigations will be a welcome reprieve for those 38,000 welfare recipients impacted.

"However, we cannot slow down or let this be the ceiling of our ambition in helping lift some of the most vulnerable in our society out of poverty.

"Now, we need to see the Communities Minister look to the other changes outlined in the Independent Advisory Report on Welfare Mitigations that, if implemented, could further help those experiencing poverty, and those who are most at risk of falling into it.

"The most pressing is the removal of the two-child limit, with this action alone expected to dramatically reduce the number of children in Northern Ireland living in poverty. It also, however, includes addressing the callous five week wait faced by Universal Credit claimants, as detailed in Alliance’s policy document ‘No More Time to Wait’, and the introduction of Carers’ Recognition payments.

"If we are truly serious about reducing the appalling levels of poverty here, the Minister must consider every option and be willing to take decisive action. The extension of the mitigations package is the welcome first step in that process, but there is still a job of work to do."