Astonishment that £220,000 spent to upgrade Strabane Benefits Office earmarked for downgrade

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Michaela Boyle has described as ‘astonishing’ information she has obtained that £220,000 was spent on the recent refurbishment of the Social Security Offices in Strabane and says that the revelation raises further questions about the rationale of plans to downgrade the facility to a front office only service as and from September.

The local MLA who obtained  information in response to a series of questions she has been submitting to DSD Minister Nelson Mc Causland on the issue said,

“It is astonishing that while £220,000 has been spent on this refurbishment, Social Security Agency (SSA) management where undoubtedly engaged, and most likely at an advanced stage, in a parallel process of planning to downgrade the Strabane Office to a front office only service.  

“The Minister states that the spend was necessary because a survey of the offices completed by the Department of Finance and Personnel in 2010/ 11 identified a number of health and safety, Disability Discrimination Act and maintenance requirements that required urgent attention. However, the nature of the refurbishment went far beyond what one would expect from such essential remedial works to include the provision of things like new carpets and plush new chairs in the canteen etc.  

“Mindful of the upgrade that has been made, the accumulated expertise of staff at the Strabane office; and the already disproportionately low number of civil service and public sector jobs in the district, I also asked the Minister to detail what consideration SSA management has given to locating at least one of the new telephony service functions at the Strabane Social Security Office. 

“However, apart from general commitments from him that Officials would work with staff and the Trade Union side to consider measures which may militate against any adverse impact such as reasonable daily travelling distances- it is clear that Management is not, at this point, prepared to consider such a practical proposition.  However, there is absolutely no reason why such an arrangement still cannot be achieved and I would call on senior management to consider all available options.” 

Disgust at attack on bus carrying visiting GAA Under-21 team

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Jay Mc Cauley said that there is utter disgust in the community that a bus carrying Letterkenney St Eunan’s Under 21s Gaelic Football team players from a friendly match at Sigerson’s Park last Wednesday night found itself under ‘missile attack’ from a small number of youths gathered in the vicinity of the Ballycolman shops .

He said,

“The bus carrying the team was extensively damaged and it was just by sheer luck that that none of the young passengers on board was seriously injured.  People are absolutely seething about what has happened and concerned that the reckless and cowardly actions of the small and unrepresentative group of youths involved paints an entirely misleading picture for people travelling to Sigerson’s Park.  

“The actions of this small group, who are behind most of the anti-community activity being inflicted upon residents of the area in recent months, stand in stark contrast to the unstinting and sterling work that Sigerson’s GAA undertake day and daily to steer the energies of the town’s youth in a positive, healthy and productive manner.  

“Those involved in this and other recent serious incidents need to think long and hard about the hurt, damage and destruction they are inflicting upon the people of their own community and join with the so many groups and individuals who are striving to improve the quality of life for everyone in the community, including their very own families."

Declan Mc Aleer selected to replace Pat Doherty MP as MLA for West Tyrone

Sinn Féin has selected dedicated Omagh District Councillor Declan Mc Aleer to replace Pat Doherty MP in the Assembly in line with the parties move to end MP/MLA dual mandates. 

After receiving the endorsement of Sinn Féin members from throughout West Tyrone at a selection convention held at the Mellon Country Inn on Monday night Declan Mc Aleer said,

“I am deeply humbled by the vote of confidence given to me by party members here tonight and deeply honoured by the faith that has been placed in me to take on such a major mantle of responsibility in replacing Pat in his role as MLA for the people of this constituency. 

“It will be a privilege to join with Barry Mc Elduff and Michaela Boyle in working for and representing the people of this constituency at Assembly level.

“Pat’s being freed up from Assembly duties will not only allow for a strengthened dynamic to be brought to our work as a team in this constituency but will also allow Pat, and our other MPs, to increase lobbying activity in both Britain and elsewhere with respect to policy areas that are particularly relevant to constituents here and also, of course, with respect to the promotion of the case for Irish unity.

Congratulating Declan Mc Aleer on his selection Pat Doherty MP said,

“Declan has been a key driver in progressing projects of strategic importance for the West Tyrone as well as having a long track-record in dealing with the vast array of bread and butter issues on which constituents seek representation on a day and daily basis.

 “Declan is one of the most able, dedicated and hardworking people you will ever come across and I have no doubt that he will bring the same qualities to his role as an MLA, as he has done with every other role that he has taken on in his life.

Comhghairdeas Declan!”

Brief Bio:

v     Declan was elected to Omagh District council in 2005. 

v     Has held position of Council Chair

v     Declan is a Lecturer in Psychology and has taught in Omagh College and at Dean Maguirc College. 

v     He sits on the board of Governors of three local schools and re-appointed as member of the Western Education and Library Board.

v     Was among Sinn Féin West Tyrone panel of candidates in last year’s Assembly Election and came close to securing 4^th seat for party in constituency

Statement from Sinn Féin president after party's ard comhairle today

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD speaking today after the party’s Ard Comhairle meeting said:

Mar is eol daoibh uilig, fuair Martin Mc Guinness cuireadh ó Co-operation Ireland a bheith i láthair ag ócáid i mBéal Feirste an tseachtain seo chugainn chun na healaíonn agus an cultúr ar fud na hÉireann a cheiliúradh.

As you all know Martin McGuinness has received an invitation from Co-operation Ireland to attend an event in Belfast next week to celebrate the arts and culture across Ireland.

The Co-operation Ireland event will also be attended by the President of Ireland, the Queen of England and by First Minister Peter Robinson.

It is unconnected with the Jubilee.

Mar go gciallaíonn seo go gcasfaí Martin Mc Guinness le banríon na Breataine beidh seo iontach deacair ag Poblachtaigh agus ar Náisiúnaithe a d’fhulaing faoi lámha fhórsaí na Breataine in Éirinn thar na blianta.

Because this involves Martin meeting the British monarch this will cause difficulty for Republicans and nationalists who have suffered at the hands of British forces in Ireland over many decades.

However, in the context of conflict resolution and national reconciliation, as well as our own republican national objectives, the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle agreed that Martin should accept the invitation.

This is a significant initiative involving major political and symbolic challenges for Irish republicans.

As the record of the peace process demonstrates Irish republicans have frequently been prepared to take bold and historic initiatives and risks for peace to break stalemates and find agreements.

Is Sinn Féin páirtí Poblachtach Éireannach agus is Ath aontú na hÉireann agus neamhspleachas na hÉireann ár príomh chuspóir polaitiúil.

Sinn Fein is an Irish republican party whose primary political objective is the re-unification and independence of Ireland.

We have a coherent and viable strategy for the achievement of these democratic objectives, including the end of partition and unifying the people of this island through a genuine process of national reconciliation and transformation.

So, Sinn Féin is about nation building.

Sinn Féin is for an Ireland of Equals in which there is space for everyone and for all identities.

An Ireland in which all our citizens can live comfortably and in harmony and mutual respect.

Sinn Féin is for a new dispensation in which a citizen can be Irish and unionist.

Where one can also claim Britishness and be comfortable on this island.

Poblacht Nua ina bhfuil Glas agus Oraiste aontaithe - Sin í an fís atá againne.

Our vision of a new Republic is one in which the Orange and Green unite in a cordial union.

Today’s decision reflects a confident, dynamic, forward looking Sinn Féin demonstrating our genuine desire to embrace our unionist neighbours.

It reflects the equality and parity of esteem arrangements which are now in place.

Tuigim go mbeidh an cinneadh seo crua agus an-deacair ag daoine, go háirithe ag íobartaigh fhorasaí na Breataine in Éirinn.

I accept that this decision will cause genuine and understandable difficulties for some people, not least some of the victims of the British crown forces in Ireland.

It is clear that legacy issues have to be dealt with and Sinn Féin will continue to engage in that work.

Today’s decision is the right thing to do at the right time and for the right reasons.

I ask all Sinn Féin members and all republicans to support this initiative.

I would urge everyone, everywhere on this island to take ownership of our future.

The people of this island deserve the very best society that can be created.

I believe this initiative it will contribute in a symbolic yet significant way to this necessary work.

Sinn Féin welcome Marian Price move

Sinn Féin MLA Jennifer McCann has welcomed the decision to move Marian Price from Hydebank Prison to a hospital in Belfast.

The West Belfast MLA, who is a member of the Justice Committee at the Assembly said:

“This is a welcome move. Marian Price should of course be released as her continued imprisonment is an affront to natural justice.

“Along with party colleagues Raymond McCartney and Sean Lynch I have pressed the Justice Minister to, in the absence of her release, move Marian Price to an outside hospital.

“We welcome this move which will see Marian Price get the care she needs and Sinn Féin will continue to press for her immediate release.”

Mc Cauley gives qualified welcome to planned Roads Service remedial works at Melmount

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Jay Mc Cauley has welcomed confirmation from Roads Service that it is to extend the 30mph speed limit beyond the new Invest NI Business Park site on the Melmount Road in the town as well as installing a traffic island to facilitate pedestrians

Cllr Mc Cauley had been raising the issue with Roads Service following representations he has received about motorist and pedestrian safety on this stretch of road.

He said,

“The extending of the 30mph speed limit to beyond the new Invest NI Business Park site in conjunction with plans to install a pedestrian safety island on the road fronting the site will go some way to  improving pedestrian and motorist safety at this stretch.

“I am still concerned that a right hand turning lane to provide safer access to homes opposite the new Invest NI Business Park is not included in these plans for this stretch but I will keep raising this issue in out liaison meetings with Roads Service officials."

Boyle criticises Minister for refusing request for full EQIA on plans to downgrade Strabane Social Security Office

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Michaela Boyle has criticised the negative response of  DSD Minister Nelson Mc Causland to her request for the roll out of the Social Security Agency’s Customer First plans in the Western District, of which plans to downgrade its Strabane office is part, to be suspended until an Equality Impact Assessment had been carried out on its effect upon staff and customers alike.

Speaking about the request which had been made in the form of a Priority Written Question the local MLA said,

“The Customer First plans for Strabane will involve the transfer of up to 37 posts from the Urney Road Office to Derry or Omagh and given that it will be a disproportionate number of   female staff who will be impacted by these transfer plans, there is a clear need for a full Equality Impact Assessment, particularly given the fact that many of these low paid staff will be out as much as £200 extra a month due to working Tax Credit changes and additional child care and travel costs.

“In rejecting my request, the Minister has alluded to the outcome of an evaluation of the Social Security Agency’s Customer First Pilot in what was formally known as the North District which he says concluded that from an Equality perspective, there were no differential impacts for any of the Section 75 groupings for either customers or staff as a result of the new customer service delivery arrangements.

“My understanding is that no full Equality Impact Assessment was carried out as part of the Evaluation of the North District Pilot but rather an Equality Screening Exercise which is a lot less comprehensive.  The Minister’s contention, based on the Evaluation findings’ that the new model of provision had “proven to deliver significant service improvements” is also open to question especially given the fact that under this Model it is planned to only provide a skeleton front office only service in Strabane-one of the areas of highest multi-deprivation in the six counties.

“So I will be continuing to press the case for a full Equality Impact Assessment as it is clear that there is an effort to steam-roll this Model through without due consideration being given to the range of negative impacts it will have. 

Sinn Féin urge public to help in locating two children’s ‘Flicker Scooters’

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Karina Carlin has appealed for help from the public in an effort to re-unite two young children from Castletown Court in the town with their ‘Flicker Scooters’ which are believed to have been stolen from the front of their home on Wednesday night.

In making the appeal she said,

“I would like to appeal for help from the public in an effort to re-unite two young children from Castletown Court with their flicker scooters which are believed to have been stolen from the front of their home on Wednesday night.  Both scooters are pink and white, one large and one small-with a name etched into the frame of one of them.

“Another family in Castletown Court also had a Flicker Scooter and bicycle stolen around the same time but thankfully, after putting the ‘feelers out,’ were told that they had been seen beside the water wall at lower Main Street and were able to recover them.

“So it is highly likely that the two missing Flicker Scooters were also left abandoned somewhere far away from Castletown Court and given that it would cost around £90 and £70 respectively, to replace these two young children’s treasured possessions, I would ask everyone to keep a look out in the hope that they can be found and returned to their rightful owners. 

“I would ask anyone who knows of the whereabouts of the scooters to either contact me on 07553388151 or to contact the Sinn Féin Office on 71886464.     

Industrial Estate Fire has placed health of Ballycolman community at risk

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Brian Mc Mahon says that the actions of a small element of young people who set fire to the disused factory premises in the Ballycolman Industrial Estate this afternoon have placed the health of the surrounding community in the Ballycolman area at risk given the materials contained in the building.

Speaking from the scene he said,

“The potential health risk to the surrounding community of this arson attack, as well as the potential endangerment to adjoining businesses at the Ballycolman Industrial Estate, is evidenced by the fact that 8 fire-fighting appliances and have had to be tasked to the scene.

“The fire is now well under-control but it appears the disused factory premises have been extensively damaged.  I will be speaking to the Council’s Environment Health Department shortly to see what measures be taken to secure the site in the short-term given the major danger it now presents, particularly to any young person attempting to enter the unstable buildings.

“Unfortunately, there is a small element of young people who have been making life a misery for residents in the wider Ballycolman area and today’s arson attack is but the latest incident in a long line of such anti-community activities.”

‘Alert’ call as many fall victim to ATM Skimming fraud in Strabane

Saturday 16 June   
Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Brian Mc Mahon has urged anyone in the Strabane area who may have used an ATM in the last week to check their bank account balance immediately as it is still unclear just how many people have fallen victim to a major skimming device fraud operation by what he describes as heartless criminals.    

He said,
“I am aware of a large number of people including a number of work colleagues and close friends who have had their savings completely cleaned out in what was clearly a major skimming device operation targeting a number of different ATM’s in the town area during the week. 
 “Families already struggling to make ends meet are now facing severe financial hardship at the hands of these heartless criminals.
 “The total number of people who have fallen victim on this occasion is still unclear so I would encourage anyone who has used an ATM in the Strabane area within the last week to check your account balance immediately and to contact your bank and have your card cancelled if you suspect any money has been withdrawn with your knowledge.
 “The gangs involved in this type of crime are becoming more and more sophisticated in disguising the card reading equipment they are using but the standard advice to always use your hand to shield your pin when using it still appears to be the best means of thwarting these unscrupulous criminals.

Invitation to an Autism Information Morning

The NI Autistic Society

Invite you to

An

 Autism

Information Morning

On

 Monday 18th June

10am-1pm 

@

Sure Start, Melmount Rd

There will be an opportunity to hear from a young woman who has lived her life through Autism.

ALL WELCOME

The purpose of this information morning is to create a Support group within the Strabane District, for those families supporting an Autistic child. There will be Support workers available to offer advice.  

Limited Crèche facilities available,

Call Surestart on 02871 886875

Refreshments available

For additional information please contact

Cllr Michelle Mc Mackin @ 07889971425

This event is being supported by Strabane District Council in conjunction with Surestart Strabane

Michaela Boyle MLA Tabled Questions To DSD Minister

Michaela Boyle MLA has tabled a series of questions to DSD Minister Nelson Mc Causland challenging plans to downgrade Strabane Social Security office to front office only service. We are still awaiting answers to these questions.

Ref No Member Question Tabled Answered

AQW 12717/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development, in relation to the planned roll-out of Customer First in the Western District, to detail what consideration Social Security Agency management has given to locating at least one of the new telephony service functions at the Strabane Social Security Office.



08/06/2012 Awaiting Answer
AQW 12716/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development, given that Strabane District Council already has a disproportionately low number of civil service and public sector jobs, for his assessment of whether the planned transfer of up to 37 additional posts, from the Social Security Office to Derry, will compound this inequality even further.



08/06/2012 Awaiting Answer
AQW 12715/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development whether the criteria, used by Social Security Agency management, to determine the location of Customer First functions throughout its office network in the Western District area, included any consideration of the existing levels of Civil Service posts in each District Council area.



08/06/2012 Awaiting Answer
AQW 12714/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development to provide an estimate of the cost of bringing the Social Security Agency Office in Foyle up to a ‘fit for purpose’ standard, to accommodate the planned centralisation of Customer First functions within the Western District.



08/06/2012 Awaiting Answer
AQW 12713/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development to outline the purpose of the recently completed refurbishment of the Social Security Agency offices in Strabane, given that it has been earmarked as a front-office only service from September 2012, and to detail the total costs involved in the refurbishment.



08/06/2012 Awaiting Answer
AQW 12637/11-15 Ms Michaela Boyle
(SF - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister for Social Development, in light of the concerns raised that the Customer First Model will have a detrimental impact on vulnerable user groups in the West District, whether he would suspend the planned roll-out of the Model, in that area, until an equality impact assessment has been carried out on its effect upon staff and customers. [Priority Written]

New DUP Chair Witholds Handshake From New Vice Chair

Why did newly elected DUP Chair of Strabane District Council withold handshake from newly elected Sinn Féin Vice-Chair Dan Kelly after Council AGM on Wednesday night?

Such actions are governed by the same apartheid mindset which underpinned the policy of exclusion against Sinn Féin Councillors on Strabane District Council throughout the 1980s/90s. In those years Unionist parties where aided and abetted in this policy by the collaboration of some so-called nationalist councillors who were duly rewarded with crumbs from the table.

Sinn Féin’s emergence as the largest party on Council heralded a new era of equality whereby Council positions were filled on the basis of proportionality.

While Unionist parties on Strabane District Council can no longer manoeuvre to withhold positions from Sinn Féin, the withholding of the ‘handshake’ by the DUP is merely a symbolic remnant of the same apartheid mindset which still refuses to accept Sinn Féin’s democratic mandate, and in turn the many thousands who support our party within the district, as being equal.

Sinn Féin will continue to challenge PSNI over Castlederg station decision

Sinn Féin says it will continue to challenge the PSNI over its decision to keep Castlederg barracks open. Last week, a Sinn Féin delegation which included Michaela Boyle MLA and Derg Councillors Ruairí Mc Hugh and Maolíosa Mc Hugh met with PSNI G District Commander C\Supt Stephen Martin and a number of the areas other senior officers to highlight the flawed nature of the decision and to press for demilitarisation pending final closure.

A post-meeting statement issued by the delegation said,
“Given that this heavily fortified structure in the centre of Castlederg serves little or no practical purpose we strongly put the view that this so-called ‘operational decision’ was based more on political expediency rather than anything else.

“While the senior PSNI officers present agreed that the station was not ‘fit for purpose’ in terms of providing a normal community policing service they cited security and financial considerations as reasons why they could not begin a process of demilitarization.

“We totally rejected these excuses and as well as demanding that a beginning now be made to demilitarise the station we also made known our intention to continue to campaign for the stations final closure.