Sinn Féin Minister gets first hand look at local issues

Sinn Féin MLA and Northern Department of Regional Development minister Conor Murphy was taken around North Belfast by local Sinn Féin assembly members Carál Ní Chuilín and Gerry Kelly this week.
The purpose of the visit was to give the minister a better understanding of the traffic, transport and flooding issues affecting residents from the New Lodge, Antrim Road to Ardoyne.

Ardoyne/Antrim Road
The Sinn Féin minister was taken to Flax and Herbert Streets to discuss traffic calming measures with school officials and community workers and also to the Cavehill Antrim Road Regeneration (CARR) group to meet housing campaigners and human rights activists over the need to release car parking sites for new homes.

New Lodge
Conor Murphy and officials from NI Water were also taken to Carlisle Walk in the New Lodge to hear at firsthand from residents their battle against the weather, flooding and raw sewerage.
"He met with residents who have been plagued with raw sewage and constant flooding due to burst waterpipes," said Carál.
"The state of the street is horrendous and the minister was there to talk to his officials and task different representatives to get this remedied."

Rapid Transport
Republican activist Carál Ní Chuilín also said her party stressed the importance of including North Belfast in DRD's plans to bring a rapid transport system to the city.
"We are pushing for DSD to include North Belfast in that pilot and we have another meeting with officials scheduled shortly to discuss this in more detail.
"I think Conor's visit this week was positive. I'm confident that some of the issues will be addressed, albeit in the long term but I hope it was very empowering for residents
"For long enough, officialdom has kept people at arms length and this is slowly turning around.

Girdwood
"We also went to Girdwood and talked about opening up the roads around there. We talked about the importance of linking North Belfast into the city and how crucial it is that any plans need to be joined up.
"A lot of ideas and plans are on paper, seeing them at first hand makes it a lot clearer.
"The Department of Social Development has five masterplans for North Belfast, we're worried that equality is going to fall between the stools because there are so many. There should be one big masterplan," she added.

School arson a sickening sectarian attack - Sinn Féin Councillor

Sinn Féin Councillor Tierna Cunningham today described the early morning attempt to burn classrooms at St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School on the Shore Road as a "sickening sectarian attack".

"This is the second time the school has been targeted by arsonists in a month," she said.

"It is a sickening sectarian attack on a place which should be a safe haven for children.

"The staff of St Mary's has worked hard to give local children the best possible start to life through a good education and it beggars belief that anyone could target a school to vent their hatred.

"The recent spate of attacks on schools is robbing all our children of the best opportunities that education can provide as much-needed resources are being diverted to deal with this wanton destruction.

"These attacks should stop now and I appeal to anyone who has any information on those behind the attacks to contact the police."

Sinn Féin councillor wants vandalised playpark reopened for summer

Playpark vandalism doesn't make sense - Sinn Féin councillor

Sinn Féin councillor Margaret McClenaghan said she is disgusted that a much-used playpark for toddlers off the Oldpark Road has been so badly vandalised the council has had to close it.
The playpark in the Marrowbone Millennium Park, at the Bone Hills, has had the surface damaged so extensively that officials feared for the safety of any children playing.
The identity of those responsible is known Margaret McClenaghan said, and letters to their parents from Belfast City Council are on the way.
"They closed the playpark earlier on this week and I am really disappointed. This is one of the best used parts of the park and we want it repaired right away.
"It can't remain closed for two months because the need for the playpark is the greatest now with the summer holidays upon us.
"The toddlers will be the ones that will suffer here, not the older kids that did this."
The decision to close the park comes as fresh figures from Belfast City Council show North Belfast's parks are the worst for anti-social behaviour across the whole city.
The names of those responsible has been passed onto the council Margaret McClenaghan added.
"The identity of the children responsible are known and have been passed to the council, for them to broach the subject with their parents. I understand letters will be going through their doors anytime soon."
Meanwhile political representatives, community and youth workers are working to bring the annual George Best Cup to the park instead of hosting the July 10-14 football tournament on Holy Cross Boys Primary School pitch.
"We're all working hard on bringing this together at one end of the park and then you have kids destroying the park at the other end, it just doesn't make sense."

Loyalist gang on rampage in nationalist street

Sinn Feín councillor Conor Maskey said it is lucky no nationalist residents were killed or injured when a mob from Tigers Bay went on the rampage attacking cars and houses at the weekend.
The mob of around 15 youths smashed eight car windscreens and wing mirrors in Atlantic Avenue in the early hours of Saturday morning. They then smashed the front windows of a house in Newington Avenue before fleeing back to Tigers Bay.
"The fact that a group of people from a loyalist area felt that it would be ok to come into Atlantic Avenue and vandalise cars and property is a disgrace," he said.
"It is ironic that one of the co chairs of the residents' association who is trying his best to do positive work for the district had his car attacked.
"One thing that is missing here is leadership from unionist political representatives on this matter. It has been stated before that there is great work going on in an inter-community level by community workers but political leadership is needed."

Vandals deface republican mural

Vandals who daubed a mural dedicated to the father of republicanism with dissident slogans have been described have insulted the cause they claim to support said North Belfast Sinn Féin councillor Conor Maskey.
The mural dedicated to Wolfe Tone, Winifred Carney and Bobby Sands on the gable wall of the Antrim Road Sinn Féin office was defaced with the slogan ‘CIRA’ at the weekend.
The slogan is just part of a spate of graffiti supporting dissident republicanism which has gone up in the Newington area over the past number of days.
"These are so-called republicans defacing a mural that includes Bobby Sands, Patrick Pearse and Winifred Carney and defacing a quote by the founder of republicanism Wolfe Tone," said Conor Maskey.
"Frankly I am surprised they can spell CIRA right and it says more about the organisation they support than it does about anything else.
"We will be moving quickly to remove all the graffiti that has gone up in Newington at the weekend. There is no support for this type of behaviour within the community."

Sinn Féin backs New Lodge residents campaign for better housing

North Belfast Sinn Feín MLAs Carál Ní Chuilín and Gerry Kelly joined New Lodge residents from the Upper Long Streets as they held a protest on the steps of Stormont and handed in a petition to the social development minister calling for their unfit housing to be redeveloped.
Residents from the streets, who have been waiting ten years for their 100 year old homes to be redeveloped, gathered at Stormont to tell Margaret Ritchie they will not stop fighting until their housing problems are solved.
The residents also held a protest outside Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum when they were visited by the minister on Wednesday.
They then handed in a petition with 500 signatures to a representative of the SDLP minister and stood with banners proclaiming 'No to Slums".
Earlier this year Margaret Ritchie told the Stormont Assembly she wanted to see a mixture of demolition and refurbishment of the houses. However residents say the homes have already been refurbished in the past and to refurbish again would leave them unfit for purpose in the future.
They are campaigning for complete redevelopment of the houses.
Liam Wiggins from the Upper Long Streets Residents Committee (ULSRC) said residents feel like their campaign is no longer a priority for the Department of Social Development.
"There has been no movement on a decision about what can happen here and we feel like she has put us on the back burner,” said Liam.
“We want to make it clear by the petition and the protest that all the residents are behind the campaign 100 per cent and we won't stop until we get it. This is just the start of a big campaign for us."

An Fhirinne welcome move by loyalists

An Fhirinne, the group representing families of citizens who died as a result of British state violence and collusion, have given their reaction to the claim by loyalist death squads that they have decommissioned their weapons.

An Fhirinne spokesperson Robert McClenaghan said:

“We welcome the claim by loyalists that they have decommissioned their weapons.

“We await verification of that claim by the decommissioning body.

“Loyalist death squads have been used to murder hundreds upon hundreds of nationalists on Britain’s behalf.

“This policy of collusion was forged at the cabinet table in Downing Street and was carried out with the full knowledge and support of the British government.

“The British government still has serious questions to answer about the role of its army in providing weapons to loyalists, providing intelligence to loyalists and directing loyalist activity.

“An Fhirinne and the families of citizens who died at the hands of British state controlled loyalist gangs will continue to battle for the British government to admit the truth about state murder and collusion.”

Gerry Kelly welcomes loyalist decommissioning

Sinn Féin north Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly this afternoon said he ‘welcomed’ the statement from both the UVF and Red Hand Commando, that they had decommissioned all of their weapons.

“Firstly I want to welcome this statement from both the UVF and Red Hand Commando. If this announcement is verified by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning then it is a substantial move forward,” said Kelly.

“I also welcome the statement from the UDA saying that they have begun the process of decommissioning; however people will want to know when the process of full decommissioning will be completed.

“The IRA dealt with the issue of arms four years ago and today’s announcement, if verified, clearly moves the whole process forward. It would mean a substantial amount of guns off our streets and nationalists communities would rest much easier as a result of that.

It is a further indication that politics is working and that the peace process is very strongly embedded.”

FINAL TRANSFER 2010 GUIDANCE PUBLISHED

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has published the final Transfer 2010 Guidance for admissions to post-primary schools in September 2010.

Speaking after making a statement to the Assembly the Minister said: “Following a period of extensive meetings with key partners across the education sector, I published Transfer 2010 Guidance for consultation on 2 February. We received 3,195 responses during the consultation, the overwhelming majority of which were positive. Some of the responses contained useful and practical suggestions for improving the Guidance and these have been incorporated into the final version. In addition we received 29 responses to the consultation on the Equality Impact Assessment on the Transfer 2010 guidance.

“I sent the final Transfer 2010 Guidance to the Executive last week and notified my intention to publish immediately so schools can consider them. Boards of Governors need to make important decisions in the light of this Guidance early in the next school year. Parents and the children too have a need to know the Department’s policy for Transfer 2010.

“The Guidance states that it is not the policy of the Department of Education to include academic admissions criteria in its recommended admissions criteria. The Department does not consider academic selection to be consistent with the objective of treating children fairly and letting them access the education to which they are entitled. Equality will be the cornerstone of our new education system.

“There is a widespread view across the education sector that academic selection is not in the best interests of all children. I have just completed a series of five conferences attended by hundreds of primary school principals. The majority agreed with the removal of testing of 10 year olds and were unhappy with the breakaway tests proposed by some schools.

“I have always been clear that if schools follow the Transfer 2010 Guidance there is no need whatsoever to subject children to traumatic tests.”

Hunger Striker's families issue statement condemning false allegations about their loved ones

Families of those IRA and INLA Volunteers who died during the 1981 hunger strike have issued a statement condemning those who have relentlessly hurt them by making false allegations that their loved ones died needlessly.

The families privately met with Sinn Fein and a representative of the Bobby Sands Trust last Wednesday, 17th June, at the invitation of the party's president Gerry Adams.

Those present included relatives of Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O'Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kieran Doherty, Tom McElwee and Mickey Devine (his nieces and his son Mickey óg).
Bridie Lynch, sister of Kevin Lynch, was unable to attend but sent Gerry Adams a note expressing her support.

The Hughes' family were represented by two nephews of Francis. Francis's brother, Oliver, who was unable to attend, sent a letter to be read out. The meeting took place in Gulladuff, South Derry.

Representatives of all the families, including two nieces of Mickey Devine, participated in the discussion, as did Gerry Adams, Brendan McFarlane and Danny Morrison. All family members who spoke, except for Tony O'Hara, were united in their anger at the relentless campaign alleging that the hunger strikers died needlessly.

The families were clear that the British had made no deal with the hunger strikers or their representatives in 1981. Some suggested that a statement should go out appealing to people such as Richard O'Rawe, who instigated the campaign with the serialising of his book in the 'Sunday Times', to stop hurting them, but other family members doubted if he would listen.

After the meeting, an offensive and false account of what was said was issued by Willie Gallagher of the IRSP, who was not present. One of the more outrageous things he claimed was that "Mickey Og walked out of the meeting after being shouted down, said he felt he was being bullied". This angered the families so much that the following day they then decided to go ahead and put out a statement. Whilst Tony O'Hara agreed that Gallagher's report was false he declined to join with the other families.

In their statement the families repudiated the Gallagher version of the meeting and rejected any suggestion that Michael óg Devine, who remained silent throughout, was 'shouted down' or 'bullied'. Michael óg Devine did not in fact speak during the meeting.

The families said: "Wednesday evening's meeting was a very emotional and difficult occasion for all of us, particularly in light of the allegations coming from Richard O'Rawe and the IRSP. All of the family members, who spoke, with the exception of Tony O'Hara, expressed deep anger and frustration at the ongoing allegations created by O'Rawe.

"Tony O'Hara's suggestion that we should meet with Richard O'Rawe and Willie Gallagher got no support and we asked Tony to express to Richard O'Rawe and Willie Gallagher our wish for them to stop what they are doing and to give us peace of mind.

"The account of the meeting published by Willie Gallagher is inaccurate and offensive.

"Our loved ones made the supreme sacrifice on hunger strike for their comrades. They were not dupes. They were dedicated and committed republicans. We are clear that it was the British government which refused to negotiate and refused to concede their just demands."

The letter read from Oliver Hughes to Wednesday night's meeting was met with widespread applause. It said: "I would like to thank Gerry Adams for the invitation to this meeting but unfortunately I cannot make it as I have a prior engagement. However, the Hughes family will be represented.

"I don't believe there is a need for such a meeting and I find it scandalous what people have been saying about the hunger strike. They have no consideration for what it is doing to families like ours. It was twenty-eight years ago and we thought we could have some closure, some rest, even though we will never forget what our Francis and his comrades went through, not just in 1981 but from the time the British withdrew political status. I am referring to the blanket protest, the beatings, the dirty protest, the solitary confinement, all that.

"Margaret Thatcher and her government killed those men, it is as simple as that.
"Our Francis was a soldier and he went on hunger strike for five just demands. That decision was his and we admire his courage and are proud of him and stand by his memory and will not let it and the hunger strike period be sullied by the likes of Liam Clarke and the Sunday Times and others.

"Those who are now trying to say that Mrs Thatcher was interested in giving in to the prisoners demands are talking rubbish. The British pretended they were going to do a deal in Christmas 1980 and we all know what happened there.

"From all that I witnessed and heard the prisoners comrades on the outside always followed the men's wishes and worked day and night to defend them and help them win their demands.

"It is disgraceful what is going on from people none of whom I ever met or heard of before, people like Richard O'Rawe who publishes a book which the Sunday Times serialises. The Sunday Times which called Francis Hughes and Thomas McElwee and the other hunger strikers 'criminals' and 'terrorists'.

"I'll not be listening to their propaganda.'' Signed, Oliver Hughes.