SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley MLA said he is deeply concerned to learn that manufacturer Reflex Mouldings in Markethill is to go into administration.
“The first thing to do is establish the facts so I have arranged for the local MLAs to meet with the administrator tomorrow. This company employs 71 people, so its importance to the community in and around Markethill is very considerable. Any threat to these jobs could have a devastating effect.
“Obviously protecting jobs will be top of our agenda tomorrow, but I will also want to know just what gave rise to the crisis for the company. In our discussion paper on coping with the recession in April we made a strong case for the Executive to set up job protection programmes for companies under pressure, as has been done in Scotland and elsewhere.”
SDLP MLA and Party spokesperson on the Irish Language has welcomed the election of Niall Comer of Newry as as President of the Gaelic League in Ulster.
'I congratulate Mr Comer and welcome his election to the prestigious position of President of Comhaltas Uladh. He follows in the footsteps of former Presidents from this area including Pádraig Mac Con Midhe of Forkhill and Aodh Ó Luaois of Camlough.
'Comhaltas Uladh has a long history of successful promotion of the Irish language both in the Gaeltacht and in the Galltacht. Niall will bring tremendous enthusiasm and knowledge to this important post which will be of major benefit to Comhaltas through out the ancient province of Ulster. I wish him well and look forward to working with him during the course of his presidency.
SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley MLA has said more needs to be done to tackle unemployment for young people, particularly those in the 18 to 25 years age bracket. This comes following the publication of a report which showed that the unemployment rate among the under-25s has risen the fastest compared to any other age group.
Mr Bradley said: "Young people are one in five of the population but two in five of the unemployed. Targeted training programmes and specialist funds must be set up to create jobs, especially for those under the age of 25 if we are to rise out of this recession and develop our economy."
SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh and Party Spokesperson on education Dominic Bradley MLA has welcomed Education Minister Caitríona Ruane's decision to undertake an Equality Impact Assessment on her proposed regulations on teacher redundancy.
Mr Bradley, "I am glad that the Minister has finally listened to those among the 77 groups who responded to her consultation and called for an Equality Impact Assessment.'
"The whole issue of changes to teacher redundancy regulations has been badly mismanaged by the Department from the beginning with the attempt to push the regulations through without negotiations with the teachers' unions.'
SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley has called for more to be done for children with special needs. "There are massive gaps in provision for children with special needs right across the North and a lack of a clear strategy to deal with the problems."
Mr Bradley who is also Deputy Chair of the Stormont Education Committee said, "There is evidence that in parts of the North one third of educational psychology positions are vacant while children are awaiting special needs assessment. Many children are not even on the waiting list due to the shortfall. The Education Minister has yet to address the seriousness of the problem.'
SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley MLA has called on the Finance Minister to increase the housing budget in order to meet housing need and help secure maintenance contracts.
Speaking following an Assembly debate on Egan contracts, the Newry and Armagh Assembly Member said the Social Development Minister does not have the power to increase her own allocation and the onus on was the Finance Minister to make good the Executive commitment of making social housing a priority.
"The reality is - the Social Development Minister does not have the money to increase her own budget and the onus is now on the Finance Minister regardless of who it is to ensure that housing is given an adequate budget to meet housing need."
SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh has demanded an explanation of how a PSNI car was used by an alleged member of the infamous Glenanne Gang to spirit him away from Newry Court House on Thursday last. ‘I understand that the individual concerned was referred to in the Oireachtas Joint Committee’s Interim Report on the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings as the member of the UDR who supplied explosives to the infamous Glenanne Gang who are suspected of involvement in the bombings. ‘It beggars belief in this day and age that an individual with an extremely controversial past who was in no danger whatsoever can contact police personally and have a police vehicle placed at his disposal by police officers with the knowledge and authority of senior PSNI personnel.
This incident casts a shadow from the past on the PSNI and requires full investigation.
‘My colleague Dolores Kelly will be raising this matter at Policing Board level and on the basis of the response received we will decide if a complaint should be made to the Police Ombudsman office. The Historical Enquiries Team (HET) which is currently conducting an investigation into the Glenanne Gang will also be made aware of the incident.
Commenting on the Department's failure to present the regulations to the education Committee to date Mr Bradley said,'The whole issue of changes to teacher redundancy regulations has been badly mismanaged by the Department from the beginning with the attempt to push the regulations through without negotiations with the teachers' unions. 'Seventy seven groups have responded to the consultation but still the Department has not told us what changes, if any, it intends to make to the regulations as a result. Many of the groups which responded underlined the need for a full equality impact assessment to be carried out on the regulations.
'The Department should enter into negotiation with the teachers' unions to ensure that agreement is reached on the issue and that any new regulations are introduced over an agreed time frame.
Coláiste Bhlinne, the Camloch Summer Irish Language College, is entering its fourth decade this year. Founded in 1979 Coláiste Bhlinne which provides pupils with a full cultural package including Irish language, music, song, dance and games has not missed a year in the interim.
The popularity of the scheme is attested to by the fact that the summer course is always oversubscribed and that children who have attended want to return year after year.
Application forms are available from Hughes's shop, and the post office in Camlough as well as local primary and post primary schools. For further information contact Seán on 07879413477.
SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley has expressed his deep sympathy with the family of Gerard Mc Parland on the sudden death of Raymund in Barcelona last week.
Speaking after he visited the family home Mr Bradley said,
'The Mc Parland family has been plunged into a deeply tragic situation on the sudden death of Raymund so far from home. Raymund was a fine young man who I knew from my days as a teacher in St. Paul's High School. He was an exceptionally talented student who used his gifts to the full and was employed as a teacher in Barcelona at the time of his death.
