NI In 'Dire Financial Situation' – Alliance

Northern Ireland has been placed in a "dire financial Situation" due to the DUP's "selfish actions", Allaince Finance Spokesperson Andrew Muir.

Mr Muir was speaking after it was confirmed £300 million allocated to the Executive will now remain in limbo, due to the DUP's decision to pull Paul Givan as First Minister. Departments will only be able to spend 45% of last years budget delivering real uncertainty.

He continued: "The DUP must now explain why they have decided party politics comes ahead of the welfare of the general public.

"This also begs the question of how much other money Departments will be forced to surrender due to the DUP's addiction to destruction.

"This simply isn't good enough. Our health service is in crisis, the cost of living continues to rise and we urgently need to tackle the escalating climate crisis. This move will also starve policing and justice of vital funding to keep people safe and fight crime. Departments should be able to plan, recruit staff and re-build services with certainty of a three-year budget not starved of funding only able to spend less than 50% of last year's funding settlement

"Everyone is suffering, we should be working together to deliver solutions, not focused on personal political gains.

"I'm calling on the DUP to immediately explain how they stand over inflicting such distress on our community. Northern Ireland should not be made to suffer because of internal DUP infighting in a desperate attempt to claw back votes lost because of their own incompetence."

SDLP Urge Hargey To 'Explore Every Option' To Develop Stadia Programme

The SDLP has urged Communities Minister Deidre Hargey to explore every option available to deliver the Sub-Regional Stadia Programme for Soccer.

Minister Hargey told the Assembly that she could not deliver the £36m investment in the absence of Executive approval.

Making the call, SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan said in the absence of an Executive, other Ministers were exploring ways to progress important projects and Minister Hargey should do the same.

Mr Durkan said: "In the absence of an Executive we are seeing efforts from other Ministers to progress important projects and this stadium funding programme should be no different. Health Minister Robin Swann has secured agreement to lift Covid-19 restrictions with the backing of all parties and Minister Hargey should similarly leave no stone unturned to deliver this money to our football clubs.

"This programme is a flagship Executive project and was included in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, it cannot simply be tossed aside and left for some future Executive to revive. Given the political uncertainty we must use every minute that remains of the current Assembly mandate to deliver important projects for our communities.

"This is not an issue that has cropped up in the last few weeks or months, this investment was first discussed in 2011 and funding allocated in 2015. Our clubs and their fans have been waiting for this funding for over a decade, they have been left in limbo unable to proceed with much needed improvement and safety works. I’d urge Minister Hargey to ask the other Ministers, including her party colleague the Finance Minister Conor Murphy for backing to issue this funding."

NI Water Begin Work On New Long Sea Outfall

NI Water has begun construction of a new long sea outfall at Ballyferris, as part of an ongoing programme of work to deliver water quality improvements along the Ards Peninsula.

The 550m-long pipe, which will be buried on the beach and installed three metres below the seabed, forms part of the £18m Ards North Wastewater Improvement Project, a major programme of work ongoing by NI Water to rationalise and upgrade the wastewater collection, treatment and transfer systems serving the villages of Carrowdore, Ballywhiskin and Ballywalter.

At the centre of the project is the construction of a new wastewater treatment works (WwTW) off the Ganaway Road in Ballywalter. This state-of-the art facility, which is being undertaken by contractor BSG, will treat the wastewater to strict environmental standards before discharging the clean effluent out to sea via the new long sea outfall which will be constructed off the coast at Ballyferris by local company Farrans, in association with Wexford-based Marine Specialists.

Damien McKeown, Project Manager for NI Water added: "NI Water and our appointed local contractors are making huge strides on the Ards North Wastewater Improvement Project, with great progress being made on the construction of the new wastewater treatment works, pumping stations and pipelines.

"The new outfall pipe forms a critical part of the overall project and we are pleased that installation work is now underway with completion expected in summer 2022.

"We appreciate the support of local caravan park owners and other stakeholders in planning the installation of this essential infrastructure and will strive to keep any disruption to a minimum.

"I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our project managers, TetraTech and contractors, BSG and Farrans to thank the council, residents, businesses, holidaymakers and landowners affected by the wider project for their support to date and for their patience and cooperation as we progress this essential £18m wastewater improvement project."

Once fully complete in 2023, the new wastewater infrastructure will support long-term economic growth in local development and tourism and will benefit all those living, working, visiting or investing in this scenic part of the Ards Peninsula.