Mc Mahon welcomes completion of work to fill in pot holes in back lanes of old Ballycolman

Sinn Féin Councillor Brian Mc Mahon has welcomed the completion of work to fill in the large number of potholes in the back lanes of homes of the Old Ballycolman.

Cllr Mc Mahon said : “I would like to commend the Housing Executive for acting upon this issue which was flagged up as a major area of concern by local residents in their responses to a door to door survey carried out by local Jim Mc Ginn Sinn Féin Cumann members throughout the area at the end of February.

“The surface of some areas of the back lanes had disintegrated to such an extent that some of the potholes had developed into craters.

“The fact the damaged areas have now been repaired with good quality tar surfaces and not just temporary patch ups has been warmly welcomed by local residents and I would also like to applaud the appointed contractor for the high quality of the work that has been undertaken.

Mc Guire welcome rewiring and refurbishment scheme for Gamble Park

Derg Sinn Féin Councillor Kieran Mc Guire has welcomed confirmation that Housing Executive homes at Gamble Park in Spamount are now scheduled to undergo a kitchen refurbishment and complete house rewiring scheme this November.

The local councillor said,
“I have been lobbying for much needed remedial works to be undertaken on these Housing Executive homes at Gamble Park for some considerable time, particularly given that these homes have not been rewired or have had any  improvement or maintenance works carried out on them since the early 1980s.

“I asked Pat Doherty to raise the issue with DSD Minister Nelson Mc Causland and it has now been confirmed in the Minister’s response to questions Pat submitted that the complete rewiring and kitchen refurbishment to these homes is now programmed for these properties in November 2012

Mc Cauley welcomes wheelchair ramp access for residents at Springhill Park

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Jay Mc Cauley says the construction of disability ramp at bungalows at the bottom of Springhill Park will make a major difference in the quality of life of residents and particularly two residents who are wheelchair bound.

Cllr Mc Cauley who has been working on the issue on behalf of local residents was speaking today as construction of the ramp got under way said.

“Many of the residents in the bungalows are elderly and have mobility problems not least two residents who are wheelchair bound and the absence of a disability ramp with lowered kerb access has made mobility particularly problematic for them.

“I would like to commend Road’s Service for the speed with which they have acted on the representations I have made to them on the issue and, with work now well under way, the finished disability ramp provision will make a major positive difference to the quality of life of residents living in these bungalows

Flanagan to Question Finance Minister on Ulster Bank Crisis

Sinn Féin MLA Phil Flanagan has received permission from the Speaker of the Assembly Willie Hay to ask the Minister for Finance & Personnel a Question for Urgent Oral Answer on the ongoing crisis at Ulster Bank.

Phil Flanagan said:
“The crisis at Ulster Bank is continuing unabated and it is important that the Executive and the Assembly plays a full part in putting pressure on the Ulster Bank and its parent company, RBS, to resolve this debacle in a satisfactory manner as a matter of urgency.
“I will be seeking answers from Finance Minister Sammy Wilson when he appears before the Assembly this afternoon. I received permission from the Speaker to put an Urgen Oral Question to the Minister on the issue and I expect that he will give us an update on any discussions he has held with Senior Management of Ulster Bank.

“I have heard some harrowing stories from my constituents, as I'm sure all other members have, of people being placed in impossible situations due to problems accessing their own money and paying bills. This crisis is having an unacceptable impact on peoples lives, those who are reliant on social welfare, pensioners, workers and those trying to operate businesses.

“It is imperative that a resolution is found as soon as possible and that customers are not only provided with a satisfactory level of clear advice in the meantime but that they receive full cooperation from the Bank in resolving any problems with third parties that will inevitably arise once the system returns to normalty.”CRÍOCH/ENDS

NOTE:

Mr Flanagan will put the question to the Finance & Personnel Minister Sammy Wilson at 3.30pm this afternoon.
Tuesday 3rd July 2012
QUESTION FOR URGENT ORAL ANSWER
To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel for an update on his discussions with senior management of the Ulster Bank about the ongoing crisis within that organisation.
[Mr P Flanagan]

Mc Hugh welcomes commitment from Roads Service on Castlefin Park Footways

Following a meeting with D.O.E. roads service officials last week Derg Sinn Féin councillor Ruairí Mc Hugh has given a cautious welcome to a commitment given to him by roads service to replace the remaining flagged foot paths in the park with tarred footpaths. Following the meeting he said,

' I raised this issue with roads service after residents raised concerns with me primarily for two reasons, the first being that the flagged footpaths have over time become a hazard to pedestrians as the uneven nature of the flag stones have led to people being injured as the result of tripping and falling and secondly, after periods of heavy rainfall some areas of the footways pool water and this makes it difficult for residents to get in and out of their houses '

' Roads service officials have assured me that they will undertake this work if the funding is available and I intend to continue to lobby them to ensure the funding is put aside for this work to be carried out'

Councillor Mc Hugh also expressed his disappointment that following a request by him for traffic calming measures to be implemented on the Cavan Road area of the town, Roads officials have said the road does not at present meet the necessary criteria and was not a priority in the district at the moment, he said,

' The Cavan Road area has seen increased housing development in recent years and residents with young families have expressed their concerns to me over speeding cars which pose an obvious risk to children in the area that cross the road between the different estates. Having agreed to my request for a survey to be carried out, Roads service have told me that the average speed of traffic on the road over the period of time was 20 mph'.

'While I accept the result of the survey it only takes one or two speeding drivers who do not fall with in the average speed to cause a serious injury or accident to children. The safety of children in the area which is paramount and I just hope that it does not take an accident or much worse a fatality for roads service to implement the appropriate measures and I intend to continue to make representations on the concerned residents behalf to roads service on this matter'

Increased car-parking fines last thing our town centres need.

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty says that increased car-parking fines is the last thing our town centres need.  He was speaking after he and other Sinn Féin MLAs voted to oppose DRD proposals to hike fines from £60-£90.  However, the measure is still likely to be introduced after it was voted through with the combined support of the DUP and UUP.

Saying that traffic parking management cannot be linked to a revenue stream for the DRD Pat Doherty said,

"Parking management especially in town and city centres should be used to maximise trade and allow access to the area for as many people as possible. The proposed increase in the fine for illegal parking from is not designed to enhance that strategy but it seems that the Minister has decided to use it as a revenue stream.

"While I recognise that the cost of delivering a cost effective management system it is important that this is not skewed to raising money at the detriment of local traders and residents. Towns like Strabane and Omagh have a very high instance of penalty notices compared to towns of a comparative size across the North and people are finding it hard to park and shop without receiving a penalty notice. Our town centre businesses already have their backs to the wall and this will be yet another blow in their efforts to survive.

"I am calling on the Department of Regional Development to carry out a major review to ensure that the proper traffic management is cost effective in delivering a service that allows the free flow of traffic while also accommodating the local business community."

Elderly Strabane woman lay cowering in fear as home under attack

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Michaela Boyle says that an elderly Strabane woman lay cowering in fear in her bed last night as a group of young people set about destroying the front wall and security gate of her bungalow home in the Bridgend area of the town.

 Relaying the traumatic ordeal endured by the pensioner the local MLA said,

“I was contacted by the victim of this sickening attack this morning and immediately called to see her in her home.  She is still visibly shaken and upon witnessing the extent of the damage that has been done to the front wall and security gate of her bungalow, I can only begin to imagine the absolute state of fear she must have been in as those involved were engaged in their frenzy of destruction.

“She recounted how she cowering in her bed as she thought that, at one stage, the banging and crashing was coming from the roof of her home and was so frozen in fear that she could not even make it to the phone to contact the PSNI.  She lives alone and has been so traumatised by the ordeal that she doesn’t want to stay in her home tonight.

“Local people are asking where the police were last night given that the bungalow is in the direct line of sight of cameras mounted on the barracks. More generally, the PSNI is fully aware of the constant stream of complaints from residents in the Bridgend area about the various incidents of anti-community activity spilling over from two notorious under-age drinking hotspots and given other reported attacks on homes and property in Waterside Street and Bridge Street earlier this week, the community is right in its expectation that the PSNI should be doing more to address this long-standing problem.
 
“The scourge of underage drinking and the associated problems that go with it require a collective community and multi-agency response but the PSNI owe it to the unfortunate victim of last night’s attack and the wider community in the Bridgend to act now in an effort to bring an end the weekly cycle of destruction that they are being forced to endure.”