SAOIRSE32

Appears that Blogsome is having some issues this evening, so please read the posts for today at the alternate site. Thanks:

>>SAOIRSE32

Sinn Féin

Published: 22 September, 2005

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún is today participating in a European Conference highlighting the issue of asbestos in Brussels. The event entitled ‘European Asbestos Conference: Policy, Status and Human Rights’ involves a political panel discussion where Ms de Brún will present a report on the current situation regarding asbestos in Ireland.

The conference has been organized by the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament and will be attended by representatives from the medical and legal fields, local campaigners and MEPs amongst others.

Speaking today the former Assembly Health Minister said:

“Today’s keynote European Conference has brought together a wide range of experts from medical and legal experts to factory inspectors, those responsible for asbestos removal, politicians and local campaigners. They have come together from 25 different countries and all are united in saying that asbestos is a problem for the present and future - not just the past.

“It is clear that we need strong implementation of the European ban on the use of asbestos and EU wide monitoring of where asbestos material is present in homes, on farms and public buildings. Continued monitoring of the health of workers in such buildings and EU wide action to deal with environmental and work related asbestos exposure is also required.

“In regards to the Irish experience, the eradication of asbestos materials in domestic and commercial properties should be a priority for both the Irish and British governments. Furthermore, safety and transparency must be at the core of dealing with asbestos once it has been removed. Given Ireland’s experience with the effects of asbestos related illness, it is no surprise that local people have concerns about asbestos storage facilities.

“Buildings such as schools and other public amenities must be an immediate priority. It is clear that much work still needs to be done if we are to tackle the issue of asbestos effectively and safely. Whilst new cases continue to emerge, we must work to dispel the myth that asbestos associated illness is a ‘disease of the past’. There is an onus upon government and the business sector to support those who have suffered as a result of asbestos related illness, for sufferers, carers and families of the bereaved.

“I want to take this opportunity to praise the work of those in Ireland and throughout Europe who have campaigned tirelessly to keep this issue in the public spotlight, and ensured that those affected have a voice.” ENDS

Full Text of speech: ‘Asbestos’ in Ireland

Bairbre de Brún MEP

I should like to concentrate this morning on two broad themes in relation to asbestos in Ireland, North and South. The first is the tragic damage inflicted on workers, their families and other citizens through the use of asbestos in the past and the second is the urgent need for action to avoid further needless death and suffering.

The first broad theme - dealing with the tragic effects incurred to date - includes the need for our health services and our insurance and social security systems to plan for the projected explosion of asbestos related illness in the years ahead as symptoms come to light, as well as the many workers or their families who still seek support and compensation for illness contracted at work.

The city of Belfast owes much to its industrial past. Shipyards, mills and factories dominated the city skyline throughout the 20th century. Indeed, the great Titanic ship was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard, but behind this feat of engineering genius lay the scourge of asbestos, which affected thousands of people and ensured that many died prematurely.

It is believed that up to 3000 former workers in the shipyard could still be affected. According to figures from Queens University Belfast’s Health and Social Care Unit, published in the Journal of Public Heath Medicine, 527 asbestos related deaths were recorded in the North of Ireland between the years 1985-1994; 88% of these were men and the deaths were clustered around the Belfast estuary, the site of the city’s shipbuilding industry. According to recent research in Britain, mesothelioma (a cancerous tumour in the lung caused by asbestos) will reach epidemic proportions by 2015, with more than 8,000 people expected to die each year in Europe from 2015 onwards.

Asbestos was commonly used in building materials for purposes of heat insulation, sound insulation or fire proofing and workers in the construction industry rank alongside shipyard workers, plumbers, and some who worked in the chemical industry as those commonly affected in Ireland.

Families bereaved through asbestos related illnesses have fought long and hard to ensure employers and government admitted their responsibilities. A landmark ruling in 2002 meant that thousands of workers were able to claim compensation for cancer contracted as a result of exposure to asbestos and a number of trade unions have brought several successful cases against companies whose workers developed the disease. It is clear that many more families continue to fight and will have to fight future battles to secure compensation against certain businesses.

The second broad theme I want to deal with is about prevention of future unnecessary death by ensuring implementation of a proper ban on the use of asbestos and the correct regulations and procedures for its safe removal. Furthermore, safety and transparency must be at the core of dealing with asbestos once it has been removed.

Legal position:

The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (NI) 2003 ensures that there is an explicit duty upon those responsible for the maintenance and repair of non-domestic premises to manage asbestos and compliance with the legislation rests with the employer. However, the law does not deal with the likes of self-employed construction workers who come into contact with asbestos in their work.

In terms of domestic dwellings, the public housing authority, the Housing Executive, will deal with the safe removal of asbestos from homes with Housing Executive tenants. However, those who were public housing tenants but who have since bought their homes from the Housing Executive in a widely promoted scheme have been told that they must take care of the asbestos problem themselves. Similar difficulties have arisen in South County Dublin with asbestos sheeting used as the main material in the roofs of all outhouses built between the late 1970s and mid 1980s by Dublin Corporation and County Council. While there are plans to train workers in the public housing sector to safely remove this material, little account is being taken of the potential risks to uninformed individuals carrying out DIY on their homes. Some may independently undertake work to dismantle these sheds and outhouses and become exposed to the asbestos material.

With regard to the proper handling of asbestos once removed, local communities such as those in Crumlin, and West Belfast face a lack of openness and transparency about planning applications for asbestos storage facilities and those in Crumlin have had to go to court in a bid to have the potential risks dealt with seriously.

The original application for Crosshill in Crumlin, for example, was for ‘pre-bagged asbestos containing materials that would arrive on site contained within sealed lorry containers. The containers would not be opened during storage.’ The planning application was then amended to say ‘Asbestos will be double-bagged in plastic containers at source and will arrive on site where smaller loads will be transferred from the vehicles to the containers on site.’

Residents complain of a series of difficulties in relation to transparency and to the assessment of risk from the proposed facility. A group has been set up to oppose and challenge the establishment of the asbestos site and they were recently given leave to take a judicial review of the decision by the planning authorities to grant permission for the facility.

A planning application has also been made to develop an asbestos storage facility at the Kennedy Way industrial complex in Belfast. The application is currently being considered by the Belfast City Council Town Planning Committee. This matter has caused considerable concern locally and residents want them to refrain from a decision at least until the outcome of the Crumlin Judicial Review is known.

We can see from the number of campaigns and the variety of ways in which people continue to be affected and are likely to be affected well into the future that this is an extremely serious issue in Ireland and across Europe. Today’s international conference is of crucial importance in dealing not only with the cold, hard statistics relating to asbestos, but with the experience of those whose lives have been devastated and those who campaign to prevent others facing similar experiences in the future.

Sinn Féin

Published: 22 September, 2005

Sinn Féin Economic spokesperson, Mitchel McLaughlin MLA, has called today’s announcement of a 30% price increase in natural gas a devastating blow for fuel poor gas consumers and has called for an urgent response from Government Ministers to address the impact that the increase will have on fuel poverty.

Mr McLaughlin said:

“Already in the north there are crippling levels of fuel poverty, and many low income and vulnerable households have been connected to Phoenix Natural Gas in recent years. Gas was brought in as a subsidised industry to help tackle the high levels of fuel poverty.

“I am calling for urgent action by the Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to deliver immediate financial assistance to fuel poor households who will be deeply concerned by this increase.

“Sinn Féin will not tolerate vulnerable members of our community such as older people, people with disabilities and children going cold during winter months. These Ministers must take action now to reassure and support the fuel poor.”

“I will be writing to Ministers requesting an urgent meeting to ensure action is taken on a package of support. I am also disappointed at the failure of Phoenix Gas to protect its most vulnerable customers - those who pay by pre-paid metering - by skewing the increase towards customers who are more able to pay, as they had done with previous price increases.

“I would also call for a commitment from Phoenix Gas that there would be a reduction in domestic gas prices when international prices have stabilised. This increase underlines the need to ensure an ongoing development of sustaining renewable energy supply as an alternative to fossil fuels.” ENDS

Irelandclick.com

How can loyalist rioters claim to come from deprived areas when they are able to throw hundreds of petrol bombs every night?

I can hardly afford to put a litre into my car at present!

~Jealous~

Irelandclick.com

The Ulidia Housing Association this week announced a £5 million scheme to provide 50 new homes for rent in West Belfast.

The development will be completed in three phases on the site at Devonshire Way adjacent to the Westlink.

The scheme, which has just recently started, has been designed by the Housing Executive’s Design and Property Services Belfast Team and will be managed by Ulidia Housing Association.

The first phase will include 18 detached and semi-detached houses and bungalows and the finished development will provide high quality affordable homes for over 50 families in the West.

Commenting on the commencement of building work at the Devonshire site, John Gartland, Chief Executive of Ulidia Housing Association, said, “I am delighted that Ulidia Housing Association is in a position to make such a positive contribution to the new build social housing programme.

“We are not only providing a high level of quality housing in West Belfast but also actively working towards reducing housing stress.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the main contractors on the project, Bann Ltd, who have provided both a friendly and highly professional service, the Department for Social Development and the Housing Executive for their help and assistance. This latest project clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing affordable accommodation and goes a long way to ensuring that our residents continue to access quality properties in the west of the city.”

The scheme is being undertaken as part of the Housing Executive’s Greater West Belfast Housing Strategy and Strategy Manager Malachy McKinney said, “The Housing Executive recently transferred the land at Devonshire to Ulidia Housing Association for new social housing and I’m delighted to see the development getting under way.

“The provision of new social housing is one of the three key themes of the Greater West Belfast Housing Strategy and I would like to thank Ulidia Housing Association for their support in helping to achieve this.

“This new development will no doubt make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the overall area.”

Ulida Housing Association has established an excellent working relationship with local community groups and has carried out in-depth consultation to ensure local support for the scheme.

Local Councillor Fra McCann said, “I am delighted to see the new houses under construction, and commend the Housing Executive and Ulidia for working in partnership to sustain this community with good quality housing for local families.”

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

Irelandclick.com

SDLP Assembly Member Patricia Lewsley and Cllr Tim Attwood joined their party leader Mark Durkan and deputy Alasdair McDonnell at the launch of the party’s ‘North South Makes Sense’ campaign in Belfast.

Cllr Lewsley said, “The case for working together stands on its own and does not require political justification. Our economies, North and South, face common challenges, so it makes sense to find common solutions. That is what the North South agenda is all about.

“Over the next ten years alone, between 90 and 100 billion euros could be spent on the island’s infrastructure. That is an unprecedented opportunity. We need to plan together if we are going to make the most of it.

“We are in serious danger that the biggest infrastructural spending ever undertaken on this island will be done back-to-back with billions being spent without co-ordination. We can do more together to get more together in terms of both more strategic outcomes and procurement and delivery gains.

“Other obstacles too between North and South must be tackled – some irritating, some damaging, but all affecting people in their daily lives, from roaming charges to banking charges, from education to taxation.”

Echoing Ms Lewsley’s comments, West Belfast Cllr Tim Attwood said, “We have proposals for new all-Ireland actions and cross-border delivery, including a new transport and infrastructure body, an all-Ireland research alliance, marketing and investment co-operation, a public safety body and a joined-up anti-poverty strategy.

“When it comes to such proposals, the real question has to be ‘why not?’ more than ‘why?’ But North South can answer both questions and should no longer have to work so hard to justify itself or get a political start.

“In the next few weeks we will travel far and wide throughout this island to promote our vision. We will have high-powered meetings with government ministers, but we will also talk with political leaders, academics, social partners, community representatives and ordinary people. We want to convince ordinary people of the benefits to be gained by co-operation, and we want to hear their ideas for new areas in which we can work together.

“We can – and should – have a shared economy, joined-up plans for shared infrastructure, cohesive and coherent planning for sensible public service delivery. We can act positively to create more favourable conditions for new businesses to start up and existing ones to prosper. But underlying all of these opportunities is our biggest challenge – to build a shared society in the North.”

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

Irelandclick.com

Former Former SDLP Lord Mayor of Belfast, Martin Morgan, told a public meeting in Belfast this week that the British Government’s ban on recruitment advertising in Daily Ireland was unjustifiable.

“When you consider equality legislation which is in practice in the North of Ireland, I find it hard to see how the government can justify its decision to exclude Daily Ireland in its advertising budget,” Mr Morgan told the audience at the Culturlánn on the Falls Road.

“I personally know of a lot of people who only read Daily Ireland,” Mr Morgan said. “Are they to be excluded from the standard recruitment process?
“If you don’t read one of the other dailies you are automatically excluded; that is the situation people now find themselves in.

“Daily Ireland has rapidly established itself as a widely-read nationalist paper all over the island of Ireland and I believe the government has taken up a political position by deciding not to place statutory advertisements when what is needed is a level playing field for readers of all papers.”

Una Gillespie, a member of the Equality Commission and director of the West Belfast Economic Forum, welcomed Equality Commission support for a legal challenge to the ads ban.

“It’s up to the public to complain at every turn when they see tenders which aren’t published in Daily Ireland, when they see a planning notice which doesn’t appear in Daily Ireland or when they see a job ad which doesn’t appear in the paper,” she said. “The public needs to make its anger over this discrimination known.”

Sinn Féin equality spokesperson Caitríona Ruane said Daily Ireland was a boon to nationalists across the country. “

When you see the quality of the newspapers that are out there and the lack of investigative reporting, you realise how badly we need Daily Ireland.
That’s why its battle against this ad ban must be won.”

Among those attending the meeting was a representative of a PR agency acting for a rival newspaper.

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

Irelandclick.com

The employment crisis in West Belfast is improving, an audience of leading figures in West Belfast business community were told yesterday.

The Millennium Community Outreach Centre on the Springfield Road was the venue for the West Belfast & Greater Shankill Employment Services Board’s (ESB) presentation of their first Progress Update Report on the new structures and initiatives established to help those most distant from the labour market in these areas.

A previous report issued by the ESB in 2002 highlighted the severe underlying problems of educational underachievement, skills shortages, social deprivation, under investment and poor health and found that for every one person on the official unemployment register, there were almost two more who could be considered unemployed.

However, since its establishment in May 2001, the Board has worked to encourage the long term economically inactive move towards employment, renewed self confidence and economic independence, and they believe they are enjoying a measure of success.

The Chairperson of the ESB, Padraic White, told the audience, which included senior management from some of Belfast’s top companies, that the decision by both communities to come together and form a single Employment Services Board covering both West Belfast and Greater Shankill was of special significance, before commenting on the key successes to date of the overall approach.

“It is a sign of the achievement of this initiative that seven Job Assist Centres have in the space of a year established their credibility in the community as demonstrated by the record of almost 1,000 people being formally registered and being actively helped. The Centres introduced their clients to 1235 educational or training interventions, resulting in 205 measurable progressions towards employability. As the clients of the Job Assist Centres become employable, this report shows that over 90 people have already moved into employment as a result of the assistance received.”

The central objective of the Job Assist Centres and the Transitional Employment Programme is to use a new approach to assist those who most need help to overcome the barriers to employability and to assist them to move into gainful employment.

The ESB’s Director, Tom Mervyn, recognised that much of the success to date has been due to the unique partnership approach which included the participation in the Board’s six specialised sub-groups designed to focus on the special barriers facing different groups of unemployed people, including political ex-prisoners, persons with disabilities, lone parents and the educationally disadvantaged.

“On behalf of the Board , I acknowledge the co-operation of the public servants from the government departments and agencies who have assisted us during the year including those who attend our meetings and otherwise support our work, particularly the Department of Employment and Learning,” said Tom Mervyn.

Other guest speakers at the launch included Gerry Adams, MP for West Belfast, Dianne Dodds, MLA for West Belfast, and Christine McCurry Job Assist Centre participant.

Journalist:: Damien McCarney

BreakingNews.ie

22/09/2005 - 10:23:33

Police in the North are investigating an overnight petrol bomb attack on a family home in a nationalist area of north Belfast.

One device was thrown at the rear of the house on Longlands Road just before 7pm last night.

A mother and her four children were inside at the time, but nobody was injured.

The family said they did not know why their home had been targeted.

BBC s

IMC report lists the murders it said had been part of the feud

The Independent Monitoring Commission has blamed the UVF for five murders and 17 attempted murders as part of its feud with the LVF.

A special report said the LVF carried out two murder bids, but their violence was mainly a response to UVF attacks.

Its report on the loyalist feud led NI Secretary Peter Hain to declare the UVF ceasefire had broken down.

The commission said it believed the UVF leadership had decided that “now was the time to finish off their rivals”.

The IMC noted statements by the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) indicating that they could not stop the feud, but said the PUP could not have it both ways.

They must disassociate themselves from the UVF or accept the consequences, it said.

The PUP is linked to the UVF and Red Hand Commando.

‘Remained active’

The IMC report lists the murders it said had been part of the feud.

However it also said it had no reason to believe that either the murder of Bangor woman Lisa Dorrian in February 2005 or the murder of teenager Thomas Devlin last month were carried out on behalf of a paramilitary organisation.

In July, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said he intended to withhold the PUP’s assembly allowances for another year.

The decision followed the previous report from the Independent Monitoring Commission, which said the UVF and Red Hand Commando remained active, violent and involved in organised crime.

The Independent Monitoring Commission was set up by the British and Irish governments in January 2004.

It is a crucial element in the two governments’ plans for restoring devolution, which was suspended in October 2002 amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering at the Northern Ireland Office.

BBC ON THIS DAY

22 September 1989

The explosion destroyed all three floors of the recreation building

A devastating explosion at an army barracks in Kent has killed 10 soldiers.

The republican group IRA has said it planted the bomb which blew apart the recreation centre at the Royal Marine School of Music in Deal.

Twenty-two men were also injured in the blast just before 0830 GMT - eight seriously - and two are still missing, feared buried under the rubble. Most of the victims were teenagers.

>>Play VIDEO

Opposition MPs have expressed concern over the level of security at the base, which was partly guarded by a private security firm.

The device, planted in the recreation centre changing room, destroyed all three floors of the building and severely damaged dozens of nearby houses.

The blast was powerful enough to be clearly heard in the centre of Deal two miles (3.2 km) away.

“It was frightening - it was one of the loudest explosions I’ve ever heard,” said one woman who lives close to the barracks.

Rescuers and other marines from the music school attempted to clear away the rubble of the building with their bare hands in the search for survivors before heavy lifting equipment arrived.

Kent ambulance workers, who were on strike at the time, voluntarily abandoned their industrial action to ferry the casualties to hospitals in Deal and Canterbury.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher - who was told of the attack during a flight from Tokyo to Moscow - said she was “shocked and extremely sad”.

The opposition leader, Neil Kinnock, condemned the murder of the unarmed bandsmen as an “awful atrocity”.

“Even the people who say they support what the IRA calls its cause must be sickened by the way in which such death and injury is mercilessly inflicted,” he said.

In Context

One more soldier died a month later of injuries he suffered in the blast.

The Deal bombing was part of a concerted campaign by the IRA against the British armed forces during the 20th year of the deployment of UK troops in Northern Ireland.

A north London barracks was bombed in August 1988 and three explosions wrecked the headquarters of the Parachute Regiment in Shropshire seven months later.

There were also five attacks on UK soldiers stationed in West Germany.

The death of the bandsmen provoked a full review of security at UK military bases.

No-one has ever been convicted of the attack.

The Royal Marines School of Music was moved from Deal in the 1990s and some of the barracks were turned into flats.

ON THIS DAY

22 September 1975

The attacks appear to signal the end of a 7 month IRA ceasefire

A day of IRA bombings across Northern Ireland has placed the ceasefire it declared seven months ago in serious doubt.

No one was injured in the first two attacks at 0900 BST on Great Victoria Street in central Belfast.

But a further 15 blasts during the next few hours - including the blowing up of a hijacked train - injured 12 people, two seriously.

>>Play VIDEO

The Belfast division of the Provisional IRA issued a statement saying it was behind all the attacks.

‘Organised torture’

Officially the Republican faction is still bound by its ceasefire, but yesterday a spokesman for the organisation said members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary would be considered legitimate targets.

The IRA said this was in response to increased security activity, the “organised torture” of suspects and a number of army and police raids on known Republican strongholds.

The statement - issued by the Republican Press Centre - protested about the “attempted murders of innocent citizens” by members of the army and the police.

“Those who think that the Belfast brigade will allow this harassment to continue should be warned by past events - we consider it alright to take retaliatory action,” it said.

Two of today’s attacks targeted the security forces - one on a police post in Dungannon, which seriously injured two RUC officers, and another on an army border post near Newry.

A spokesman for Stormont Castle said there would be no security clampdown in the wake of the bombings.

But Northern Ireland Secretary Merlyn Rees said the attacks made a “mockery and travesty” of the ceasefire.

In Context

The IRA ceasefire was active throughout most of 1975, but by the official end of the truce in January 1976 it had been severely damaged by Republican attacks.

In September the group also renewed its mainland bombing campaign with the bombing of the London Hilton on 5 September.

On 17 July 2002 the IRA issued an apology for all civilians and “non-combatants” killed and injured during its campaign of violence.