Rural Projects Helping To Revitalise Local Economy

Rural businesses are playing a major part in maintaining the social fabric of our rural communities and revitalising local economies, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle O’Neill has said.
Speaking during a visit to the Balmoral Show, the Minister revealed that more than 380 projects have been supported by the NI Rural Development Programme (NIRDP) creating new business and new employment opportunities in rural areas.

The Minister said: “The NI Rural Development Programme is revitalising our local economy with financial support, encouraging and inspiring new projects. The Balmoral Show has been an excellent opportunity to showcase many of these successful businesses which demonstrate what can be achieved through the Programme.

“Over £41million has been committed to 1,100 projects under Axis 3, £12.5million to projects under the Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme and over £10million paid out to help farmers to help farmers modernising their farms, and it is clear to see at Balmoral the tangible benefits of what funding can achieve.”

Roads Service Reports On £5.8m Schemes In Omagh

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has congratulated Roads Service and its contractors for the successful completion of a record number of road resurfacing schemes in 2011/2012 which accounted for £5.8million expenditure in Omagh. 
Speaking ahead of this evening's meeting between Roads Service and Omagh District Council, the Minister said: "Last year’s budget for structural maintenance and local transport and safety measures allowed a good range of such schemes to be successfully delivered by Roads Service.

“Roads Service’s budgets for road maintenance and improvement schemes are greatly reduced this year, in line with the four year budget agreed by the Executive. However, Roads Service is using its available resources effectively and continuing to deliver quality public services.”

The Minister welcomed the Executive’s agreement on the 14 February 2012 to take forward two sections of the A5 dual carriageway between Londonderry and Strabane and Omagh and Ballygawley. He said: “Construction work will start later this year, subject to the outcome of the public enquiries held last year.”

'One Size Fits All' Approach To Welfare Reform Won't Work

SDLP Welfare spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA has said the British Government must recognise that the housing environment and access to affordable childcare is very different in Northern Ireland in comparison to London in their enforcement of welfare reform.

Commenting following the visit to Belfast by the Minister for Welfare Reform Lord Freud, the Foyle MLA said:

“The SDLP met Lord Freud in London a number of weeks ago and at that time we argued that much of the character of welfare reform was wrong in principle and would do harm to many people and communities in the North. We hope that through his visit, Lord Freud fully begins to recognise this argument.

“Last night my party colleague, Alex Attwood, met Lord Freud and I understand that full and challenging exchanges occurred.

“There are a range of critical issues which must be acknowledged by the Department of Work and Pensions and Lord Freud.

"Firstly the housing environment here is radically different from Britain. History has led to our people living in segregated communities. Housing benefit changes, rent reductions where there is under-occupancy and the moving of tenants when there is a lack of single persons accommodation are just some examples of proposals that don’t work here.

"These have been elements at the core of the SDLP’s meetings with the Minister for Welfare Reform. Models that Lord Freud thinks will work in London will not work in Derry. The Department of Work and Pensions cannot willfully go on with changes to housing finance and tenancy models if the certain consequence is hardship for many people.

"I welcome that in more recent times the DUP and other parties have begun moving onto the SDLP’s ground of not giving any sort of soft landing to the British Government’s welfare reform proposals. But we need to dig in, negotiate hard, prove our case and protect our people."

(CD)