Green party Raise Concern Over Potential Closure Of Ards Minor Injuries

Green Party Councillor for Bangor West, Barry McKee, has raised concerns with the consultation and plan by the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust to bring an end to the Minor Injuries services at Ards Community Hospital.

Cllr McKee said: "At a time when GP services are under extreme pressure and struggling to maintain this service, curtailing of a complimentary service locally will compound this problem. We need to see investment in both Bangor & Ards hospitals to improve minor injuries, not the over-reliance on services provided at the Ulster Hospital.

"A flawed and exclusionary consultation process like the one entered into by the South Eastern Trust will only increase the scepticism held by the residents around the intentions and outcomes of this change to health services in the Borough.

"With health service workers already under paid and under resourced, the South Eastern Trust must think of the potential damage to worker-employer relations that could come as a result of moving this service out of Ards Community Hospital. Increasing the strain on the health service workers will only force more to seek employment outside the NHS."

New Software Alliance To Represent £1.7bn Software Industry

The Software Alliance, a new 'industry-led, representative voice', has been established to represent the £1.7 billion software industry in Northern Ireland.

Established by a group of independent companies in the industry, the alliance held an official launch event at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast where it set out its mission to over 110 representatives from industry, government, and education.

Founding members of the alliance include Allstate NI, Civica NI, GCD Technologies, Instil Software, Liberty IT and Kainos. As a whole, the software engineering industry employs an estimated 23,000 people across 2,200 companies in Northern Ireland and contributes an estimated £1.7 billion to the economy each year.

Addressing the launch event, Chairperson of The Software Alliance John Healy OBE set out the alliance's mission to lobby and support strategy and policy development to ensure that Northern Ireland becomes the world leading region for innovative software businesses.

The group seeks to identify and address the problems the industry faces, including labour shortages and skills issues. As a result of increasing demands for jobs, local estimates have shown that in 2021, there were 7,700 vacancies in the sector in Northern Ireland.

The Software Alliance launch event was addressed by Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady and CBI Northern Ireland Director Angela McGowan, who set out the strength of potential in the sector and need for a collective voice going forward.

Director at Technology Ireland Una Fitzpatrick and Head of Nations and Regions at techUK Matt Robinson also attended and endorsed the launch of The Software Alliance, while Deputy Chairperson Tom Gray, Chief Technology Officer at Kainos, chaired a panel discussion with alliance members.

As a growing organisation, it will seek to appoint a Chief Executive to lead its activities in the coming weeks.

Alliance Welcomes News Of Energy Support For Those Initially Ineligible

Alliance North Down MLA Andrew Muir has welcomed the news that more than 28,000 households not initially eligible for the £600 energy support payment can now apply.

Mr Muir said: "I am delighted that Park Home residents of Seahaven in Groomsport can now finally apply for their well overdue £600 energy support payment. While most of us have been able to avail of the support, the residents in Seahaven have been paying out of their pocket this winter.

"I know many constituents who would have been lost without the energy support payment, so to think that some of our more senior community members have been left in the lurch for so long is unconscionable.

"Seahaven Residential Park offers retirement home living for those over 55 at their parkland between Groomsport and Orlock. Park home facilities are different from caravan parks; for most residents, these are their permanent homes. Seahaven is the largest park home site in Northern Ireland.

"In Seahaven, residents pay for their electricity directly to the site owners rather than having an individual connection to an electricity supplier. However, many have separate gas connections.