Doherty seeks clarification on A5 upgrade plans

West Tyrone Sinn Fein MP MLA Pat Doherty has written to An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, British Secretary of State Peter Hain and to the relevant Ministerial and Departmental heads of transport both in Dublin and in Belfast to seek clarification as to the level of upgrade that is proposed for the A5 road between Derry and Aughnacloy as part of the overall upgrade of the main strategic transport corridor between the north west and Dublin.

The local MP said,
“At the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the weekend Bertie Ahern said that a financial package agreement with the British Government included a major road serving the North West. He continued to state that ‘this will remove the single greatest impediment to the future development of the North West and the border counties and ‘will help undo the damage of decades of division and underinvestment.’

”I welcome the fact that by saying this Bertie Ahern is explicitly concurring with Sinn Fein’s analysis about the disastrous effects of partition including the decades of under-investment. However, given that the British government’s limited contribution to financial package thus far and given that Bertie Ahern has not specifically spelt out what standard of road upgrade is being proposed for the North West including the A5, I would be concerned that what both administrations are envisaging at the moment would fall far short of what is required. An adopted two by one road or even a purpose built 2 by 1 road will leave this region lagging far behind in terms of the transport infrastructure developments that have already taken place or in the pipe line in every other region of Ireland.

”Sinn Féin has spearheaded the campaign for this upgrade to be of motorway standard so as to bring transport infrastructure development in this region into line with that in all other regions of Ireland so as to create a level playing field in terms of engendering the socio-economic regeneration of the region.

“I have now written to An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, British Secretary of State Peter Hain and to the relevant Ministerial and Departmental Heads in Belfast and Dublin seeking clarification as to the level of upgrade that is proposed for the A5 road between Derry and Aughnacloy as part of the overall upgrade of the main strategic transport corridor between the north west and Dublin.

“A motorway is what is needed and in the time remaining before the institutions are scheduled to be up and running on May 8th, Sinn Fein is seeking clarification from both administrations that this is what is being planned and striving to ensure that the necessary funding for this essential infrastructure development is ring fenced within an improved Peace Dividend.

Appeal for children to stay clear of Adria site

Strabane Sinn Fein Councillor Brian Mc Mahon says that young people who are entering the now derelict Adria factory site, either as a shortcut to and from school, or after school hours are putting themselves in the line of danger.

Cllr Mc Mahon said,
“There is growing concern in the area about how the Adria factory site is being increasingly used by young people, either as a shortcut to and from school, or as some kind of “recreational facility” after school hours and at weekends.

“With heavy plant machinery on the move within the site during the day work has had to be called to an abrupt halt on several occasions due to children passing close to moving vehicles. Furthermore, young people are putting life and limb in jepordy by entering the buildings which are now in a hazardess state.

“This is particularly the case because of the presence of asbestos in the disused buildings of Adria. Given that the removal of this asbestos has to be carried out by a specialized team employed by the contractor and in conjunction with the Environment& Heritage Service, it could have potentially serious consequences if young people come into contact with any asbestos that has beendisturbed or dispersed through vandalism

So I would there made an appeal for children and young people to stay well clear of the Adria site.

Cancer Screening and Diagnostic Services from Altnagelvin to Belfast

West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA Claire Mc Gill has called upon elected representatives and the general public to unite in opposition to proposals by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) to transfer Cancer Screening and Diagnostic Services from Altnagelvin to Belfast. The newly elected MLA said,

“The DHSSPS is recommending that pathology work on tissue abnormality, used to diagnose cancers and other diseases be moved from Altnagelvin to Belfast in a recent review of pathology service provision in the six counties. It is also recommending the transfer of pathology services from other local and enhanced local hospitals right across the six counties to Belfast

“If this proposal is not stopped in its tracks it will have devastating and far reaching consequences. Not only will it result in delays in the return of cancer screening tests, which in turn will place undue stress and strain on people awaiting these results and their families, but it could potentially compromise the ability to ensure effective treatment intervention at an earlier stage.

“While the pathology review group has proposed that only histopathology and cytopathology services are to be moved from Altnagelvin to a single laboratory in Belfast, while other pathology work will remain, bitter experience tells us that once some services are removed it undermines the sustainability of other related services which are subsequently removed by the DHSSPS on an incremental basis.

The impact that these proposals will have west of the Bann, particularly, on the sustainability of Services at Omagh Hospital is immeasurable. The removal of these services of would severely undermine the ability of Tyrone County to maintain the current levels of diagnostic provision. As a result this would serve to undermine service provision right across west of the Bann and perhaps this is the intention.

“There is also a suspicion that these proposals are a pre-emptive strike by the DHSSPS to undermine the growing case for a Regional Cancer Diagnostic and Treatment Centre to be development at either Altnagelvin or Letterkenny to cover the entire catchments area in the north west region of Ireland

“It is ironic that this is even being considered given that NIO Health Minister Paul Goggins turned up in a blaze of publicity just last Wednesday to officially launch the new £18m Pathology Laboratory and Pharmacy Services Centre at Altnagelvin while at the same time the DHSSPS are recommending the removal of vital cancer screening and diagnosis services..

“This is an issue which elected representatives and the general public across the north west region of Ireland must be alert to and be prepared to unite to vigorously oppose these proposals. Sinn Féin representatives have met with consultants and medical staff on this issue and who concur with the analysis about the potentially far reaching and damaging consequences of these proposals. Sinn Féin, in our submission to the Departments Consultation on these proposals has argued for the augmenting of pathology services in all our hospitals as these diagnostic services are the bedrock on which the vast bulk of our health service provision, including community health provision, is built. These proposals must be fought tooth and nail!

Doherty demanding review of Coroner Office service following Mc Ginley family case meeting

West Tyrone Sinn Féin MP MLA Pat Doherty, today accompanied family members of deceased Strabane woman Maureen Mc Ginley on the delegation that meet with officials from Altnagelvin Hospitals to discuss how she sustained 32 rib fractures after her death.

Following the meeting the West Tyrone MP said,
“I accompanied members of the Mc Ginley family to this meeting today in support of their reasonable demand for a full explanation to be given into how their mother sustained these injuries following her death.

“These revelations have caused immense additional trauma to a family already trying to come terms with the loss of their mother, and apart from seeking answers in their own case, the family have also pursued this issue so as to ensure that no other family would have to go through the same heartache and trauma that they have had to go through.

“During the three hour long meeting, family members and members of the delegation probed every aspect of the case in an attempt to get to the bottom of what happened.

“Unfortunately, the result of this in-house enquiry carried out by officials from Altnagelvin did not provide any conclusive explanations as to how these multiple fractures were sustained and apart from securing an apology from the officials about the breakdown in communications with the family and sympathy about the ordeal that they have been put through, the Mc Ginley family are still left with so many questions remaining unanswered.

“To this end, I will be following up on today’s meeting by writing to the Department of Health and the NIO, who are in charge of the day to day running of the Coroners Office, demanding that they jointly undertake a review into the all the procedures that are currently in place and which have been shown, through the efforts of the Mc Ginley family, to be totally inadequate to command public confidence.

“As part of such a review, I will be calling for the formulation and introduction of clearly defined guidelines and measures to provide assurance to relatives of the deceased that the bodies of their loved ones are treated with the utmost care, dignity and respect throughout the coronary service process as part of a wider review into how the centralization of Coronary Services in Belfast which has served to exacerbate the grieving of so many families through delays in the return of their loved ones bodies and particularly because of the unsatisfactory weekend arrangements.”

Anger at weekend trail of destruction in Sion Mills

Sinn Féin Councillor Danny Breslin says that people in Sion Mills are justifiably angry at the rampage of destruction carried out by a group of underage drinkers in the village over the weekend- a rampage which included: the breaking of windows at the Parochial Hall; at the security hut at Herdsman’s Mill; at the telephone kiosk on Main Street, tyres on vehicles being slashed also on Main Street; and damage to other private property in the village.

He said,
“Before this unprecedented weekend rampage, residents in Sion were already angry about the major upsurge in vandalism and other anti-social behaviour in the village.

“The upsurge in this anti-community activity is directly related to the upsurge in the problem of under-age drinking in the village and local people who witnessed what transpired at the weekend say that this was clearly evident.

“Local community activists have being trying their best to talk to young people who have been identified as being involved in this activity and impress upon the damage that they are not only doing to their own community but to themselves.

“This approach has met with some success but it is obvious that there are still some unscrupulous adults who are facilitating youngsters in their ability to access alcohol and I would appeal to anyone who is doing this to stop now.

“Likewise, I would appeal to all parents to make sure that their under-age children are not accessing alcohol and if they find out that that are, they should make strong representations to the person or establishment from which this alcohol was sourced.

Barr heralds opening of Strabane Arts Theatre as milestone event in town’s regeneration

Sinn Féin Councillor Ivan Barr, Chairperson of Strabane District Council’s Cultural Arts and Leisure Committee, has described the opening of the doors of Alley Arts Theatre and Conference Centre to the public tonight as a significant milestone in the regeneration of the town centre.

He said,
“The doors of this state of the art facility open to the public tonight with the Ulster Orchestra in performance and represents, both symbolically and in practical terms, a significant milestone in the regeneration of the town centre.

“At a cost of approximately £3m, the 270-seater venue will undoubtedly become a central focal point for the cultural and social life of the local community. The venue combines intimate atmospheric surroundings with the latest technology like electronically retractable seating and with these unique features I am in no doubt that the venue will become as popular as the “Tinney’s Sculptures” are for local people and for people further afield.

“Combined with the state of the art facilities of the adjoining library complex, the major environmental improvements that have been made to the town centre, the first class sporting facilities that we now have at Melvin, which are the envy of other districts, this exciting new development will further serve to enrich the quality of life for people in the district as we continue on this positive regeneration journey.

Dromore Hunger Strike memorial -Council has acted properly says Sinn Fein Chair

Councillor Seán Begley, the Sinn Fein Chair of Omagh Council says that the local district authority has acted in a proper manner in relation to the complaint received about the republican memorial on council ground at the Old Church in Dromore.

He said,
“Bobby Sands was the MP for the area, when the Dromore area was part of the old Fermanagh/South Tyrone Constituency and to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of his death local people decided to erect a small memorial stone and plant ten trees at this site in memory of the Hunger Strikers and three local people who had been killed by Crown Forces.

“The erection of this memorial pre-dated the adoption by Omagh District Council of its Equality Policy. When Council received a complaint in relation to the memorial it got legal advice and did an investigation into who erected the memorial.

“The organisers of the memorial, the Dromore Commemoration Committee, subsequently made a request to buy the small plot of land on which the memorial is located as a way of amicably resolving the issue.
“At that time the council did not have a policy on disposing of land in graveyards for memorials and on foot of further legal advice agreed to an Equality Screening Exercise and an equality impact assessment. These steps were unanimously agreed to in Council. While the Screening Exercise was carried out the complaint was made to the Equality Commission in the interim and Omagh District Council has been since awaiting the Commission’s findings. The Commission, like Council has recommended the carrying out of a full Equality Impact Assessment and this will now proceed and Council will continue to act in an above board and proper manner.

“Speaking in my capacity as a Sinn Féin Councillor, I would like to point out that the community in Dromore is overwhelmingly republican and nationalist and a place where there is a deep affinity with the sacrifice of Bobby Sands and the other Hunger Strikers. Just as republicans acknowledge the importance and sanctity of war memorials and cenotaphs to so many with the unionist community, I would therefore call on unionist representatives, and particularly the DUP who are clearly behind this campaign, to begin to display the same sensitivity and respect for the memorials which so many people within our community hold dear and cherish.

a vótóirí Shinn Féin

Ba mhaith linn ómós a thabhairt do na 18, 437 daoine a chaith vóta do Shinn Féin in Iarthar Thír Eoghain ar an 7 Márta. Leis an sainordú iomráiteach seo agus trí bhainisteoireacht vótála diansmachta, rinne sibh deimhin de go dtoghadh an trúir iarthóir Shinn Fein sa dáilcheantar ar bharr an liosta. Bainfidh muid úsáid as an sainordú seo chun ár seirbhísí dáilcheantair a fhorbairt ar bhur son, chun a dheanamh cinnte go mbeidh an pholaitíocht ag obair, chun athrú bunúsach dearfach a dhéanamh ar chursaí sóisialta agus eacnamaíochta agus chun Éire Aontaithe a bhaint amach.

We would like to pay tribute to the 18,437 people across West Tyrone who voted for Sinn Féin on March 7th. By giving this resounding mandate and through disciplined vote management you ensured the election of the three Sinn Féin candidates in the constituency with poll topping performances. We will use this mandate to continue to build our constituency services on your behalf, to make politics work, to deliver radical positive social and economic change and to bring about Irish Unity.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh uilig go léir.

Is sinne le meas,
Pat Doherty MP MLA, Barry Mc Elduff MLA, Claire Mc Gill MLA