SAOIRSE32

Indymedia.ie

Thursday May 18, 2006 18:24 by Martin & kevin (imc éire)

The family of Terence Wheelock were attacked by gardai last night. Terence died from injuries he received in garda custody last year. His family have highlighted his case and are calling for an independent public inquiry.

Last night gardai attacked the family of Terence Wheelock, the young man who died as a result of the injuries he received in garda custody last year.

Terence’s mother, father, two brothers and two sisters were assaulted by gardai. One of his sisters is 6 months pregnant and received a baton blow in the stomach.

Terence’s younger brother was delivering leaflets advertising the upcoming protest vigil at Store Street garda station on the 3rd June. The same garda who had originally arrested Terence on the day he received his injuries, approached him and tore up the leaflets. He then attempted to arrest Terence’s brother. When members of the family questioned the reason for his arrest they were attacked by over 30 garda. During the attack a 10 year old girl received a baton blow on the legs and members of the family were assaulted. A gang of gardai ran into the house assaulting Mrs. Wheelock, her pregnant daughter and another female friend. A two year old child in the house was left terrified.

At least 10 garda officers remained outside the house and in the street until 6:30am. How many times do we hear the garda complaining about lack of manpower and resources yet they can afford to have 10 garda standing around intimidating the Wheelock family while the area is flooded with drugs and open drug dealing.

The family intend making an official complaint about the incident.

Robert Wheelock, Terence’s brother, who has been involved in the campaign for an independent inquiry into Terence’s death in Garda custody, talked about what happened last night in Summerhill.

“My youngest brother was handing out leaflets for the protest outside Store St Garda Station on the 3rd of June. He’s been getting hassle all the time from the Garda. A Garda saw him handing out leaflets and told him to get out of the area - but it was right across from the family house [just off Summerhill Parade]. My brother said to the Garda “I’m delivering these leaflets”, and then the Garda jumped on him. All of a sudden a rake of police cars arrived in. The Garda assaulted my mother, father, and my pregnant sister. They hit her in the stomach with a baton. She was up in the Rotunda Hospital all night, with pains in her side. I dont know how she is at the moment to tell you the truth.”

“They didnt charge or arrest anyone, they just came in and bashed everyone up. Its unbelievable. Hundreds of people saw it happening, there were crowds outside on the street. They burst down the door of the house just from this little incident with the leafets. They just charged in, I have no idea why.”

“Its the same police that were involved with Terence. Its the same ones that arrested Terence, the ones that struck their names off the custody records so they supposedly never arrested him. They’re just hassling my brother way too much. He isn’t doing anything. Tomorrow our solicitors are going around to Store St with a few TDs, to try and put a stop to the harassment. We’ll be putting in complaints against the Gardaí as well. Hopefully it’ll all get sorted out tomorrow.”

This comes in the same week as Pat Rossiter, the father of 14 year old Brian who died in police custody in 2002, was found not guilty of a Public Order charge. The judge castigated the gardai involved in this case.

It looks like the garda are under serious pressure and are determined to try and intimidate anybody who stands up for themselves or their families.

The Wheelock family need your support now more than ever. There will be a protest outside Store Street Garda Station on the 3rd of June. Please Support the Family’s Campaign for Justice. People will be meeting up at the church on Sean McDermott Street at midday. For more information please check the event on the Indymedia event calendar. The Moloney Family, who have been working together with the Wheelocks, will be holding a protest outside Bertie Ahern’s constituency office “St Luke’s” on the Drumcondra Road this Saturday at 11am, for more info click >>here.

IAIS

05/18/06 12:25 EST

The US House of Representatives called on Britain today to start a full investigation of the 1989 murder of Belfast attorney Pat Finucane.

The House voted 390-5 for a resolution urging Britain to establish a full “independent public judicial” inquiry into the murder of Mr Finucane who was shot dead in his home in Belfast in front of his wife and three children.

Since the murder, it has emerged that British intelligence agents were involved in the planning and carrying out the shooting.

It also emerged that the man who supplied the weapon used in the shooting was a British Intelligence agent.

The case one of hundreds of cases in Northern Ireland where British Security forces have been accused of collusion in the murder of nationalists.

In 2001, the British and Irish governments jointly appointed Peter Cory, a retired justice of Canada’s Supreme Court, to determine whether independent commissions should investigate possible state-sponsored collusion in six murders, including Mr Finucane’s.

Judge Cory made his recommendation for an inquiry commission, but the British government instead said it would conduct a more limited probe of Mr Finucane’s death including deciding on what information would be disclosed publically and what would be restricted “for state security purposes”.

New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, who sponsored the measure, said he hoped “our combined efforts here and in the Republic of Ireland will move the British government to finally live up to their agreement … and help secure public and international confidence in the Northern Ireland peace process.”

Daily Ireland

“It is not to be allowed or countenanced that any politician shall use our brave young volunteer Raymond to shore up their colonial political ambitions.” – Sarah Murphy, Republican Sinn Féin

by Mick Hall
17/05/2006

Republican Sinn Féin president Ruairí Ó Brádaigh will give an oration at the graveside of hunger striker Raymond McCreesh on the 25th anniversary of his death this Sunday.
Mr Ó Brádaigh gave the original oration at the IRA volunteer’s funeral. He will be joined by party members and supporters in the south Armagh village of Camlough to commemorate Raymond McCreesh’s death.
Raymond McCreesh was the third hunger striker to die in Long Kesh prison in 1981 in an attempt to win political status from the British government. He died on May 21 that year, 61 days into his protest.
He had had been jailed in 1976 after being captured trying to attack a covert British army post near the Mountain House Inn on the main road between Newry and Newtownhamilton, along with volunteers Paddy Quinn and Danny McGuinness.
Another volunteer escaped after a gun battle with paratroopers.
Republican Sinn Féin’s Sarah Murphy, who was secretary of the South Armagh Hunger Strike Committee in 1981, said Raymond McCreesh had died rather than accept British rule in Ireland and that his memory needed to be protected.
“It must be clear to everyone who is not brainwashed that Republican Sinn Féin and the extended republican movement is the only organisation which can be identified as following in the footsteps of Raymond and his comrades.
“It is not to be allowed or countenanced that any politician shall use our brave young volunteer Raymond to shore up their colonial political ambitions.
“We cannot allow them to slander Raymond by saying he died on hunger strike to give authority to them to accept English occupation, English rule and to join with colonial warlords to administer power at Stormont,” she said.

Newry Democrat

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

THE presidents of both Sinn Fein and Republican Sinn Fein will be in Camlough this weekend to commemorate the 25th anniversary of hunger striker Raymond McCreesh.

Gerry Adams and Ruairi O’Bradaigh will visit the village on Sunday to remember Mr McCreesh, who died on May 21, 1981, after 61 days on hunger strike.

Newry and Camlough will host a wide range of exhibitions and lectures over the weekend of May 18 to May 21, culminating in a parade from Newry to Camlough.

The parade will start from Edward Street in Newry and follow a three-mile route to Mr McCreesh’s birthplace. An anniversary mass will take place at Carrickcruppen Church at 3pm, after which Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams will give an oration at Mr McCreesh’s graveside.

Mr O’Bradaigh, who gave the oration at Mr McCreesh’s funeral 25 years ago, will also speak at the graveside.

On Thursday (May 18) an exhibition will open in Shane O’Neill’s GAA clubrooms and will run until Sunday evening.

The unveiling of a plaque and mural at Raymond McCreesh House on Friday (May 19) at 7pm will start a weekend of commemorative events in Camlough. This will be followed by a lecture by former prisoners and DVD launch at a marquee ion Shane O’Neill’s GAC. The marquee will then host a social night on Saturday with the Bik McFarlane and Cruncher O’Neill band.

Meanwhile, over 60 people gathered in The Square at Rostrevor on Friday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of hunger striker Francis Hughes.

Speaking after the event, Sinn Fein councillor Mick Murphy said: “The large turnout of Republicans determined to commemorate the death of Francis Hughes and his comrades highlights the significance of the 1981 Hunger Strike and the prison protests of that time.”

Belfast Telegraph

By Noel McAdam
18 May 2006

More than £60bn could be spent on cross-border infrastructure in the next 10 years, the Irish Government has pledged.

And the completion of “inter-urban” road links in the north-west is among the key priorities.

Government departments, agencies and other organisations have been asked to submit proposals for new projects.

With the countdown to the Government’s devolution underway, the work of the North-South bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement will be back in the spotlight.

In the Assembly on Tuesday the DUP said the creation of the North-South bodies was an important issue.

Yet in the event of failure to reach agreement on a power-sharing administration by November 24, the British and Irish Governments have signalled closer co-operation to implement the Agreement.

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said, there was an “unprecedented opportunity” now for North-South co-operation.

“It is estimated that over the next ten years a total of 100 billion euros (£62.5m) could be spent on infrastructure on the island.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to work together, North and South, to develop an integrated, all-island infrastructure that will benefit everyone throughout the island.”

Belfast Telegraph

By Brian Rowan
18 May 2006

The UDA will not declare its decision on the future of the Shoukri brothers until after a leadership meeting, which has now been delayed until next week.

An ‘investigation’ into the alleged criminal activities of paramilitary leaders in north Belfast - including Andre and Ihab Shoukri - ended several days ago.

Meetings linked to that so-called investigation were held at Fernhill House in west Belfast - the venue for the loyalist ceasefire announcement in 1994.

According to one source, the police knew where the meetings were taking place.

It is believed that the Shoukris and their closest associates expected to know the outcome by now, but the UDA Inner Council - its “brigadier” leadership - has so far said nothing.

One source suggested that there was now some “panic” in the Shoukri camp, “as if the silence is driving them mad,” he added.

Ihab Shoukri, who replaced his jailed brother Andre as “brigadier” in north Belfast, has been excluded from meetings of that leadership for many weeks.

He is alleged to have headbutted a “witness” at an earlier “investigation” meeting in Ballymoney and to have threatened another UDA leader.

Ihab Shoukri is also blamed for the planned paramilitary show-of-strength which was so publicly disrupted by the police in north Belfast in March.

Senior figures on the UDA Inner Council - and in the linked Ulster Political Research Group - want to expel the Shoukris and their associates, but a final decision will not be made until next week’s leadership meeting.

The police and politicians are watching, and so too are others within the loyalist paramilitary world.

This is seen as the biggest test of the UDA’s authority since it expelled its Shankill leader Johnny Adair and his associate John White.

The question now is can the Inner Council remove the Shoukris and avoid a split.

The UDA’s final decision will be measured against claims that the organisation is determined to end crime and to re-involve itself in the peace process.

Daily Ireland

BY DAVID LYNCH
18/05/2006

Irish government plans to give the Independent Monitoring Commission €1.5 million (£1 million) were branded “grotesque” yesterday.
It was claimed the grant was triple that given to national women’s organisations for the same period.
The Dáil justice committee is currently dealing with the justice estimates for 2006.
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said there were much more deserving recipients of the funding than the IMC.
“Have the government learned nothing from the negative role this politically motivated body has already played?” he said.
“The Irish government with the British government created this out-of-control monster.
“Rather than continue to feed it, they should immediately starve it of funding.
“It has not and cannot play any useful role whatsoever.
“Its reports are based on nothing more than the so-called intelligence reports of one of the main protagonists in the conflict.
“It is a grotesque abuse of taxpayers’ money.
“So rather than fund a body that plays a negative and harmful role in the peace process, the government should be looking at supporting those bodies that were set up as part of the [Good Friday] Agreement.
“The Human Rights Commission is one such body.”

Daily Ireland

Cold reception for Attwood’s parade group appointment proposal

by Eamonn Houston
18/05/2006

Residents living in the North’s most notorious marching season flash point have dismissed an SDLP proposal to appoint a residents’ group member to the Parades Commission.
The Garvaghy Road Resident’s Coalition (GRRC) yesterday poured cold water on a suggestion by the SDLP’s Alex Attwood that a residents’ appointment would help strike a balance within a body that has been rocked by controversy this week.
The British government-appointed body to rule on flash point parades in the North was earlier this week branded ‘untenable’ by the GRRC.
The Parades Commission has found itself at the centre of controversy over the appointments of members of the Orange Order who had cited referees without getting their permission.
Orangeman Don Mackay resigned from the commission in the wake of revelations that he had used two referees on an application form without their consent.
He had used the names of Upper Bann DUP MP David Simpson and SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly.
Former Portadown district Orange Lodge Grandmaster, David Burrows, is also known to have used the name of Methodist minister, the Reverend James Rea, without permission.
The Parades Commission is currently involved in a legal challenge launched by a Portadown Garvaghy Road resident who is questioning recent appointments to the body.
Alex Attwood yesterday suggested that the appointment of a member of a residents’ group might restore balance to the commission.
However, a spokesman for the GRRC said: “The suggestion that the secretary of state should appoint a person associated with nationalist residents groups to the Parades Commission as a counterbalance to the remaining Orangeman on the Commission will not resolve the ongoing controversy surrounding appointments.”
The spokesman said that Mr Attwood had failed to grasp the reasons why nationalist residents in Portadown had sought a judicial review of the appointments against direct-rule secretary Peter Hain.
Mr Hain and the Northern Ireland Office oversee appointments to the commission.
The GRRC spokesman said: “The Parades Commission was, last year, reclassified as a tribunal by the NIO.
“As a tribunal, therefore, it is essential that its members are seen to be totally independent, impartial and without personal bias of any kind.”

Daily Ireland

Daily Ireland Editorial
Editor: Colin O’Carroll
18/05/2006

The funeral yesterday of murdered Catholic teenager Michael McIlveen was a stirring example of the potential for reconciliation and forward thinking among the young people of the North. Unfortunately it was also a depressing example of how the dead hand of a sorry past still holds us by the throat.
There can be very few who were not impressed and moved in equal measure by the emotional scenes of Protestant and Catholic youths standing side by side in solidarity with the dead youth’s family in the large funeral cortege in Ballymena.
A completely different hate-filled message that sectarianism was alive and well in Ballymena and undeterred by the revulsion at Michael’s murder was sent out by the moronic thugs who attacked mourners on their way to the funeral Mass.
Conspicuous by his absence was the local MP, DUP leader Ian Paisley, who visited the family on Monday but opted to be in Westminster when young Michael was being laid to rest. What a hugely powerful message it would have sent out if the leader of Ulster unionism had taken his place in that cortege. Instead, the message of unity and hope was sent out by the young and the powerless of the borough who turned out, while the message of stasis and pessimism was sent out by the powerful and the old who stayed away.
The arcane theological arguments that fundamentalist Protestants put forward in defence of their furious denunciation of the Church of Rome and its adherents are little-known and matter less to those young Protestants who yesterday donned their Rangers shirts with Michael McIlveen’s name on the back and ventured forth to bury him. But the fiery rhetoric of the corrugated iron gospel halls of the north Antrim Bible Belt, where brotherly love is eschewed in favour of threats of hellfire and damnation, has its grim apotheosis on the streets of north Antrim and north Belfast where four young people have been beaten to death by loyalist gangs in the past four years of supposed peace. We do ourselves and our neighbours no good by pretending that the spectre of sectarian violence which continues to stalk the North is a cross-community wraith.
Do Catholics carry out attacks on Protestants? Of course they do, the evidence of that is there for all to see, but also there for all who want to see are the statistics which prove beyond doubt that religious violence in the North remains to this day an overwhelmingly Protestant phenomenon. The fact is that carloads of heavily armed Protestants routinely cruise the streets in search of Catholic victims. The same sectarian animus which drove the killers of Michael McIlveen is unleashed on Catholics with ferocious regularity, and rather than abating as the peace process continues, it seems to be increasing as time goes by. That is the simple, undeniable truth, even if it is one that many refuse to admit, but until that truth is acknowledged it can never begin to be meaningfully addressed, and until it is meaningfully addressed the funerals will continue.

RTÉ

18 May 2006 12:49

The Spanish Civil War veteran and chairman of the Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O’Riordan, has died in Dublin at the age of 88.

He was one of only two remaining Irishmen who fought against General Franco’s fascist forces and was shot and injured in Spain.

On returning to Ireland, Mr O’Riordan was interned by Eamonn de Valera’s government during the 1940s.

____________

Sinn Féin

Gerry Adams expresses condolences to family and friends of Micheal O’Riordan

Published: 18 May, 2006
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP has expressed his deep condolences to the family and friends of Micheal O’Riordan who died this morning. Mr. Adams said Michael was an inspiration to all those who knew him and will be sadly missed.

Mr. Adams said:

“Born in the West Cork Gaeltacht, Michael O’Riordan was politically active his entire life and an inspiration to all those who knew him. He was an active republican, internationalist and communist and a committed Gaelgeoir. A member of the IRA in his youth, he was interned in the Curragh Internment Camp in the 1940s. But he will be remembered best by many for joining the International Bridage and risking his life in the fight against facism in Spain. He lost close comrades there and worked diligently to ensure that the story of their struggle is widely known today and their memory cherished. As a leader of the Communist Party of Ireland he continued to fight against injustice and for social change until very late in his life.

“On behalf of Sinn Féin, I want to extend condolences to Michael’s family and friends. I measc laochra na nGael go raibh sé.”ENDS

:::u.tv:::

THURSDAY 18/05/2006 08:40:28

**See also Dozens dead in Afghan violence

The United Nations has intervened in a hunger strike by more than 40 Afghan asylum-seekers who have occupied a church in Dublin since the weekend.

Last night, a representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) began negotiating with representatives of the men who are into the fourth day of their protest at St Patrick`s Cathedral.

The asylum-seekers, who include six teenagers, claim they will be tortured if returned to Afghanistan because of their links to the deposed Taliban regime.

The 13th-century landmark building, which is the largest church in Ireland, remains closed to worshippers and tourists.

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins, who visited the men this afternoon, said: “I am very worried for their welfare at this stage because they obviously are very desperate.”

Representatives of the Irish Justice Department met some of the men yesterday but their asylum status was not discussed.

Some of the asylum-seekers later ended their thirst strike and began to take water.

A number of the men were taken to hospital for dehydration treatment over the last two days.

Irish Premier Bertie Ahern told the Dail that the Government had a very fair asylum system and he would not respond to threats by any one of the 100 nationalities that use the process.

Labour Party TD Joe Costello also raised the issue in the Dail and called on the Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell to take urgent measures to resolve the hunger strike.

“The situation is totally unsatisfactory and worsening by the hour,” said Mr Costello.

“The minister should seize the opportunity offered by the UNHCR immediately and initiate communication with the hunger strikers in St Patrick`s Cathedral with a view to finding a solution to their grievances and resolving the hunger strike.”

Thirty-three men occupied St Patrick`s Cathedral on Sunday afternoon and were joined by eight others on Monday.

Belfast Telegraph

By Debra Douglas
18 May 2006

Schoolboy Michael McIlveen was murdered by people whose lives have been scarred by growing up in an atmosphere polluted by sectarian hatred, mourners at his funeral were told.

Addressing around 1,000 mourners at the popular teenager’s funeral in Ballymena yesterday, Bishop of Down and Connor, the Most Reverend Patrick Walsh, said Michael joined the “long, sad litany of those murdered by sectarian hatred”.

He said: “Over my years as Bishop in this diocese, I have presided at the funerals of so many victims of murder, many of them, like Michael, young people - murdered by people, often young people, whose own lives have been scarred by growing up in an atmosphere polluted by sectarian hatred.”

Bishop Walsh said it was vital that those who had condemned the brutal murder of the Catholic teenager join together as one.

“There must be a united voice, a united voice which does not stop short with condemnation of murder, which is, of course, the ultimate depravity, but a united voice which must be heard on issues of justice, of equality, of rights - issues which must be, which are, the concern of the entire community,” he said.

“There must be a united voice condemning all manifestations of sectarianism: graffiti; murals; the painting of kerbs to mark out territory; proclaiming this is a ‘no go’ area for the other side; the flaunting of flags, including the disrespectful flaunting of national flags; provocative marches - one could go on and on.”

His sentiments were echoed by Father Paul Symonds who said Michael’s brutal murder won’t have been in vain if it leads to a new vision for Ballymena and for Northern Ireland.

Describing his death as “wanton murder”, he said it was important not to cling to the past.

“The challenge now is to open ourselves to the influence of his death,” he said.

“Even in the past week there have been signs of new relationships, dialogue between those who formerly would not speak to each other, a reaching out of love across the divide.

“The McIlveen family have been deeply touched by the wave of sympathy and compassion which has come to them from Protestants, not only from neighbours near and far, but also from the Protestant churches.

“We must grasp this opportunity of a new beginning, aware that cynical and negative voices will try to stifle the good that God can bring from the evil of Michael’s death.”

Irelandclick

Twelve knives and an axe recovered on West Belfast’s streets as ‘Murph feud tensions continue to simmer

by Damian McCarney

Community workers are calling for an end to the knife culture in the Whiterock after a haul of 12 knives and one axe was recovered around the area over the last month – six since Friday.

It is believed that some of the knives were used by feuding gangs from the Whiterock-Westrock, Beechmount and St James’ areas.

Many of the knives, including a machete and a hatchet, were recovered by the Upper Springfield Safer Neighbourhood Project responding to reports from residents about youths, some as young as 11-years-old, roaming the streets with blades.

Secretary of the Whiterock and Westrock Residents’ Association, Pat Gregory, described the violent rivalry between the different estates as a “tradition”, particularly between Beechmount and Whiterock. It is believed that gangs of youths from St James’ are now also becoming involved in the fighting, and blades have become an integral part of each of the gangs’ weaponry.

“It is part of the knife culture. Young people do not fight with their fists any more,” said Pat.

The tension between youths in the area has been reflected in an upsurge in the number of attacks by gangs from outside the Whiterock area in recent weeks.

“Last week, a gang came into the area and assaulted two teenage boys and a girl, simply for being from the Whiterock. Two of them received black eyes, and a screwdriver was pulled on one of the boys. That happened during three separate incidents by the one crowd,” said Pat.

The SNP, along with the residents’ association, are leading the campaign to remove the knives from the streets, and to notify the parents of the teenagers responsible. However when they approach youths, they often discard the knives and run off.

“We are trying to notify parents of what is going on. Youths are taking these knives from their homes, and people are bound to notice they are missing. We are calling on them to contact the residents’ association if they can identify one that belongs to them.”

According to Damien Donnelly of the Safer Neighbourhood Project, self-defence is one of the reasons behind the trend.

“Last weekend we were called to deal with four knife-related incidents concerning young people.

“The worrying thing is that the majority of young people we have spoken to have said they were for self-defence.”

Pat says that underage drinking is endemic in the area, and the combination of drink and knives is potentially fatal.

“In recent weeks gangs of young ones are out on the streets drinking, especially in the good weather. The SNP are going around and approaching them to take the drink off them. We hope to continue this work because it is when they have drink in them that they show a little bravado with the knives, and what will that lead to?”

Local Sinn Féin Councillor Marie Cush has expressed her alarm at the increase in knife culture. “Over the last number of weeks the community have had to deal with an increased number of knife-related incidents.

“It is totally unacceptable for young people to brandish knives and I am calling on parents to be pro-active with their children in explaining the dangers and consequences of such activity and to ensure that their children are not carrying knives.”

Journalist:: Damien McCarney

Belfast Telegraph

By Michael McHugh
18 May 2006

The Billy Wright Inquiry was a “golden opportunity” for the Government to give its controversial Inquiries Act a soft landing, a courtroom heard yesterday.

The assertion was made by legal counsel for Billy Wright’s father, who is taking a judicial review of then-Secretary of State Paul Murphy’s November 2004 decision to change the rules governing the inquiry.

David Wright is spearheading an appeal of the decision.

The hearing into the murdered Portadown LVF leader’s 1997 murder in the Maze prison by INLA gunmen is being chaired by Lord MacLean, who is probing the actions of the Prison Service and other authorities.

Mr Wright’s barrister, Seamus Tracey, said the circumstances surrounding the announcement that the Inquiry would be governed by the 2005 Act after a request from Lord MacLean were suspicious.

“Certainly the suspicion is that it gave the Secretary of State and the Government a wonderful opportunity to give the 2005 Act a soft landing and blame it not on the Government but blame it on the chairman,” he said.

“Once that request was made it was a golden opportunity for the Secretary of State and the Government.”

BBC

Plans for a new parliamentary constituency called Antrim Coast and Glens have been dropped.

The Boundary Commission said there was no support for the idea.

This is the major change in revised recommendations which have been published following public inquiries in Belfast, Newcastle and Ballymena.

New boundaries are being proposed in 12 of Northern Ireland’s 18 Westminster constituencies, but the changes are not as sweeping as earlier proposals.

Belfast’s four constituencies are being extended outwards to incorporate Carryduff, Dundonald, Dunmurry, Lagmore and Glengormley

With the Antrim Coast and Glens plans dropped, East Antrim survives and is being given three wards from the massive North Antrim constituency.

Some changes will also be made to Strangford, South Down, Lagan Valley, Foyle and East Derry.

Despite earlier proposals to the contrary, the constituencies of Newry and Armagh and Upper Bann are both unchanged.