Sinn Fein Demands No Cuts To Supporting People Programme

Sinn Féin has written to the Department of Communities demanding that there will be no cuts to the Supporting People programme.

The programme helps some of the most vulnerable people in society to live independently, including those who are disabled, elderly, and victims of domestic violence.

MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said: "Helping people to live in their own home and to remain part of the community is better for the health and well-being of the person involved.

"It is also better for the taxpayer because it reduces pressure on other public services, including the health service.

"Cuts to the Supporting People programme would have serious implications for people's well-being and will create more pressure on public finances in the long-term."

SDLP Regrets DUP Call In On Bonfire Motion

SDLP Group Leader on Belfast City Council, Cllr Tim Attwood has said that it is regrettable that the DUP have called in the decision by Council to tackle dangerous bonfires.

SDLP Group Leader on Belfast City Council, Cllr Tim Attwood, said: "It is regrettable that the DUP have called in the decision by Council to tackle dangerous bonfires. The reality is that there are a number of dangerous sites that threaten homes, property and the environment. It is essential that Council and other agencies act decisively in these circumstances. It was a positive move that, in July 2017, all parties agreed, in principle, that Council could remove materials from sites that were dangerous and use legal means, including injunctions, to prevent further material being delivered to such sites.

"The silence from unionist political representatives about this reasonable decision and the threat to property from the bonfire in Sandy Row was deafening. Now that they have found their voice again they want to prevent Council from tackling dangerous bonfires. After Grenfell, all councils and statutory agencies have an even greater health and safety responsibility to ensure we do everything possible to protect homes, property and life from the risk of fire."

Local Women Are Being Excluded From International Treaty - Alliance

Local women are being excluded from an international treaty designed to improve the representation of females in public life due to the lack of an Executive, an Alliance Councillor has said.

Councillor Kate Nicholl described the current deadlock at Stormont effectively meant Northern Ireland women continue to be omitted from the UK's response to a consultation on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Councillor Nicholl, Convener of Alliance's Women's Group, has now written to Women and Equalities Minister Justine Greening to call on the involvement of all regions of the UK in the response.

"The CEDAW Committee has previously recommended further engagement with women in Northern Ireland. As it stands, no consultation was held in Northern Ireland and therefore local women's voices will be excluded from the UK submission to the Committee, which is extremely disappointing.

"Then Foreign Secretary William Hague stated in 2010 "No lasting peace can be achieved after conflict unless the needs of women are met". Women here are not having an active involvement in having their needs articulated and therefore our voices are not being heard in a wider context.

"Alliance Women's Group wants to make sure the issue of women, peace and security is a priority, with an action plan to ensure women across the whole of the UK are included, as well as ensuring women's contributions to the peace are recognised and their needs met."

(CD)