The death occurred on Friday last of highly respected and lifelong republican, Joe McElhaw, from Camloch.

Just weeks short of his 87th birthday, Joe led an active and fulfilling life, attending daily Mass and enjoying a great passion for swimming, walking and exercising.  Up until a short time ago, he could be found out in the fresh waters of Camloch Lake taking his daily dip, whatever the weather.

As a young man, Joe emigrated to America in 1956 where he served with distinction in the US Marine Corps.  He later returned to Ireland and took up the mantle of the family-owned public house in Camloch village.

From a strongly proud Republican background, he was interned and, like many others from the area, suffered daily harassment at the hands of the British Army and the RUC. Joe was always willing to lend support when needed and had a great love and respect for those who were imprisoned as a result of the conflict, and with whom he was a frequent and welcome visitor.  A poignant but fitting memory was his role as Chief Marshal at the funeral of Hunger Striker Raymond McCreesh.

Delivering the graveside oration at Joe’s funeral on Sunday, south Armagh republican Sean Hughes paid tribute to his leadership and example over the past decades in the struggle for Irish freedom.  He recalled how McElhaw’s public house was a nightly scene of social gathering where politics, ideologies and analysis about, not only the Irish situation, but those of the world were openly discussed and debated.   All were welcome in Joe’s, irrespective of their views.

A friend to many, Joe McElhaw was an amiable and popular man and was considered a gentleman of integrity in all his affairs.  Indeed this was reflective in the huge attendance at his funeral Mass in St Malachy’s Church, following which he was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.

Joe is survived by his wife, Judy and wide family circle to whom deepest sympathy is extended.  Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

A judge has ruled that a Warrenpoint man and his co-accused should stand trial on dissident republican charges.

Carl Reilly, with an address in Belfast and Paul Crawford, from Carrickree Mews in Warrenpoint, are both accused of belonging to a proscribed organisation, namely the Irish Republican Army, with Reilly – who is chairman of the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) – also accused of directing terrorism.

The men, both aged 41, are alleged to have committed the offences between January 2014 and October 2015.  They are said to involve conversations covertly recorded during a meeting in the Carrickdale Hotel, as part of a surveillance operation mounted by gardai.

The defendants had challenged the strength of their prosecution based on an alleged meeting at the Carrickdale in 2015,  with defence lawyers claiming the charges are based on police supposition and opinion, inconsistent Garda statements and poor quality CCTV images.

Following a lengthy preliminary inquiry process a judge ruled on Friday that the pair are to be returned for Crown Court trial on a date to be fixed.

As many as 27 witnesses were set to be called during the hearing at Belfast Magistrates’ Court to decide whether a prima facie case exists against the men.

Garda surveillance officers remained anonymous during their testimony at the preliminary inquiry, after being granted applications to give evidence behind screens, amid claims by a senior detective that any identification of garda officers would put future operations and lives at risk.

But despite defence attempts to have the charges thrown out, Judge Amanda Brady committed both accused for future trial.

Reilly remains in custody while Crawford is on bail under conditions including a night-time curfew and electronic monitoring.

He is also banned from any attempt to contact his co-accused.

An announcement by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust outlining plans to temporarily close Daisy Hill Hospital’s Emergency Department at short notice, during periods where there is a lack of senior medical staff available, has caused public outcry across the district, with political representatives and unions vowing to fight to maintain the essential service.

At a public meeting on Thursday, Southern Health Trust bosses admitted the local Emergency Department was under severe threat due to ongoing recruitment issues and warned that staffing concerns made the possibility of continued 24 hour cover unlikely.

The news comes amid ongoing speculation about the future of the facility and has shocked the entire community, with fears growing that further services at the hospital could be affected.

In a statement released after Thursday’s meeting, the Trust said it remained committed to maintaining the Emergency Department and that all recruitment possibilities were being explored to try to maintain 24/7 cover at Daisy Hill but admitted that “the service currently remains vulnerable to the short notice withdrawal of senior medical cover, particularly during the summer months when there is a less secure supply of locum consultants.”

“Therefore, if there is any risk to patient safety due to lack of senior medical cover at night, the ED will temporarily suspend the service until suitable medical cover becomes available. This would be a last resort, and the Trust is making every effort to avoid any reduction in hours in the short term.”

Reacting to the worrying development, Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy said he had requested a meeting with the acting Chief Executive of the Southern Health & Social Care Trust on the matter.

“The Trust have employed enough senior staff in recent times to ensure that there is adequate cover in both Daisy Hill and Craigavon, it is their responsibility to deliver 24-hour cover in the Emergency Departments, and the loss of services is not the answer,” said Mr Murphy, stressing that the proposal “is already promoting real concerns that the Emergency Department could be further downgraded, increasing the chances that other services will be whittled away in turn. This must not be an option for consideration.”

Party colleague Mickey Ruane also revealed that he and his colleagues intend to bring an emergency motion before Council at tonight’s meeting (Monday April 3rd) confirming its opposition to the Southern Trust proposals to suspend emergency services.  Mr Ruane also confirmed that an urgent meeting with senior Trust officials is also demanded.

The Sinn Féin Council Group Leader called on the Council to suspend Standing Orders at tonight’s meeting in order to get the motion tabled – which needs 80% of Councillors present to agree – something he said would not be an issue.

“This motion is a very public portrayal of what is needed at present, a united, cohesive and forceful campaign to protect and maintain this essential service at Daisy Hill. I am appealing to all elected representatives to show leadership and join with us, the workforce and the community to stand up for Daisy Hill and clearly state to the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, enough is enough,” said Mr Ruane.

SDLP Assembly Member Justin McNulty has also revealed he is due to meet the Acting Chief Executive of the Trust this week to discuss the future of the Emergency Department.

Mr McNulty said the staffing crisis facing the Trust is “nothing new”, as they have been relying exclusively on locum cover since the end of January.  The SDLP MLA applauded the Southern Trust for their recruitment efforts to try and secure a permanent solution to the problem but added, “it now seems that politics has once again got in the way.  No Minister, no leadership in the department, and now no emergency cover in Daisy Hill.”

“Those currently working to find political agreement must not lose touch with reality, “ he said, urging all parties to show that “the protection of people’s health and public services is their top priority.”

“They must put their shoulder to the wheel and form an Executive sooner rather than later to provide leadership on this issue. The public will not accept any more failure.”

Meanwhile local union organisations have also expressed their concern over the Trust’s proposals, with Unite the union warning against what it described as “a sleight-of-hand attempt to close the facility” without proper public consultation

Demanding the retention of the local Emergency Department, Kevin McAdam, Unite Regional Officer, confirmed that Unite stood opposed to any diminution of facilities at Daisy Hill hospital and said the Trust’s statement had sent “a shudder of fear into the local community” who he said will be concerned that it is the precursor to a decision to close the Emergency Department permanently.

“HSC trusts justify decisions to close facilities on the basis of an inability to recruit the requisite staff but there is a strong sense that these are manufactured crises which enable the Trusts to make decisions that are known to be strongly opposed locally,” said Mr McAdam who claimed that the move was more to do with “implementing austerity budgets than either objective medical needs or the difficulty in recruiting consultants.”

“Unite would be very concerned that a decision to close this facility could be taken forward under cover of a temporary closure,” he added, questioning the timing of the so-called recruitment crisis during the present stalemate at Stormont.

“Instead of engineering crises, the HSC trusts would be better engaging with staff representative bodies and the local communities to determine the most sustainable approaches to healthcare provision.” he concluded.

UNISON’s Head of Bargaining and Representation in the Health sector, Anne Speed‎ also responded with alarm to the closure proposals and said that UNISON had warned the Department of Health and the Social Care Board over the last number of years that a lack of workforce planning would lead to such a crisis.

“Neither seems to have learned from what happened at the Belfast City Hospital where a lack of senior medical staff led to the closure of its Accident and Emergency department.”

“The A&E at Daisy Hill is in much demand and staff tell us that transferring demand to Craigavon Hospital will only move the crisis on and create similar problems at that hospital. The catchment area is vast from Newcastle to Crossmaglen and Newtownhamilton and restriction of services will be a significant loss to the community.  Given the significant geographical spread, can patient safety be guaranteed?  There will be a clear knock on effect on staff in nursing and support services and we have yet to get information as to the impact on them.  We have no doubt that the community will strongly resist this development.”

Speaking to The Examiner about the impending healthcare crisis, Francis Gallagher of the Daisy Hill Action Group said local people have “a great battle ahead to retain their A&E department and thus Daisy Hill’s acute status” and called for the active support and participation of everyone to overcome the challenge.

“If the lights go out in Daisy Hill’s A&E they will not come on again and the ripples of this will be felt throughout the health service in the North,” said the action group chairman.

“What then will happen to the accident and emergency departments in the Causeway and Mater Hospitals? How will staff in the larger hospital A&Es cope with the increased workload?  It doesn’t make sense to close Daisy Hill A&E if the Department wants to provide safer healthcare throughout the North.”

Mr Gallagher – who believes the setting up of citizens conventions would allow ordinary people to have a say in Stormont negotiations on important issues like healthcare-  also questioned whether Daisy Hill is getting its fair share of doctors and other staff that are available to the federation of the Trust.

“In the light of this latest threat to Daisy Hill, I would be very surprised if the phones in the boardrooms of the Southern Health Trust were not red hot with offers of help from other Trust areas because it is in everyone’s interests to keep Daisy Hill’s A&E open,” he added.

The temporary closure proposals have been described as “potentially catastrophic” by the Republican party Saoradh, with activist Cliodhna McCool stressing that the decision could cost lives.

“It is undeniable that if Daisy Hill A&E closes it will result in the loss of lives. Would people in the Newry area in need of emergency medical treatment be expected to drive 25 miles further away?  Would people from the Kilkeel area be expected to face a 36 mile journey, a journey that would actually see them driving past Daisy Hill Hospital?

“This would have a detrimental effect on the people who need to avail of these services the most.”

Miss McCool added that the development “is evident of the failures of the Stormont Administration” and she urged the public “to throw their weight behind any campaign that emerges to save Daisy Hill Emergency Department.”

Citizens Advice Newry, Mourne and Down has drawn attention to a number of tax and benefit changes which came into effect at the beginning of the new financial year (6th April) and that may have an affect on many household budgets.

From Thursday last, new rates for wages, benefits and tax, along with changes to pensions and savings, came into force and the charity is encouraging people to examine if the changes will affect their household finances, thus enabling them to plan accordingly.

In the last 12 months, Citizens Advice Newry, Mourne and Down assisted more than 16,500 people with queries, ranging from benefits advice and guidance on pensions and pay, to budgeting and shopping around for the best deal.

Senior Coordinator, Kellie Murray, says it is important for people to know which new rules apply to them and the difference they could make to their finances.

“Keeping on top of changes that can affect your finances is one of the key ingredients to managing your money today and planning for tomorrow,” she advised.

“Weighing up different changes can be complicated and if you’re not sure whether you’re affected or how, Citizens Advice can help. We can also help you build your money skills, from making use of technology to track your finances to working out how different deals compare.”

Citizens Advice has listed the following main changes:

Income – The National Living Wage for people over 25 rises from £7.20 to £7.50.  There are also increases to the national Minimum Wage for younger workers.

The standard rates of statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay and statutory shared parental pay is increasing from £139.58 to £140.98 per week (or 90 per cent of the person’s average weekly earnings if lower).

New claimants for ESA aged 25 or over who the government assesses as capable of working at some point in the future will receive £73.10 a week – £29.05 less than previously. This does not affect people who have already been assessed for ESA. New claimants under 25 will receive £57.90 throughout their claim.

Child tax credits will be restricted to two children. If you already have two or more children, you won’t be affected – the limit only applies to children born after April 6 2017. There are also a number of exemptions, for example for twins.

Taxes – From 6 April, the personal allowance rises from £11,000 to £11,500. This means you’ll only pay tax on earnings over £11,500.  The higher rate tax threshold will also rise from £43,000 to £45,000. This means that you’ll only pay higher rate tax (40%) on earnings above £45,000.

Pensions and savings – People can access up a total £1,500 from defined contribution pensions in order to pay for financial advice, at a rate of £500 a year. You can also access free, impartial pensions guidance, from Pension Wise if you’re aged 50 or over.

The state pension will rise by 2.5% from 6 April 2017. For people who reached retirement after April 2016, this will rise to £159.55 a week and £122.30 for anyone who retired before April 2016.

The amount you can save in an ISA will rise from £15,240 to £20,000 a year, meaning that you can save more money without paying any tax on the interest you earn.

For more information or advice contact Citizens Advice Newry, Mourne and Down on 0300 3030 306 or email: adviceNMD@citizensadvice.co.uk.

An SDLP delegation, led by MLA Justin McNulty, met with the Acting Chief Executive of the Southern Trust, Mr Francis Rice, on Thursday to discuss the crisis regarding the future of the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill Hospital.

Speaking afterwards, Mr McNulty said that in the absence of a Stormont Health Minister, an urgent response from the Department of Health is needed to safeguard the future of Daisy Hill’s A&E, which, he claims, is “on the line”.

Mr McNulty was joined by South Down MLA Sinead Bradley and Councillors Pete Byrne and Kate Loughran who conveyed the concerns of the community to the Trust representatives, pointing out that the people of Newry, Mourne and south Armagh deserve equal health services as those in Craigavon or Belfast.

“We pressed the Acting Chief Executive and his team on the very real concerns in the community about the future of the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill.  It is a workforce issue and they have made numerous efforts to recruit the appropriately qualified staff, including offering enhanced packages with recruitment exercises on a global level,” Mr McNulty reported.

“Whilst I do appreciate the efforts the Southern Trust have been making in this regard, this is a much bigger issue than the Southern Trust, this is a regional problem and can only be resolved with a regional solution.  Therefore, following [Thursday’s] meeting and in the absence of a Health Minister, I have now sought an urgent meeting with the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.  He must put in place interim and then long term solutions to this issue.  The solution must secure the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill 24/7.”

Mr McNulty says Daisy Hill’s A&E department is an extremely important service for the people of Newry, Mourne and south Armagh who “will not accept a second class service” and he pledged his party’s continued support in seeking a permanent solution to the issue.

The PSNI has joined with schools across the district to issue a warning over an app which is being linked to cyberbullying.

The anonymous app called SimSimi has been removed in the Republic of Ireland after concerns were raised that it provides a platform for anonymous online bullying. It is still available to download in Northern Ireland however.

St Paul’s, Bessbrook was among the first schools to highlight the dangers of the app after students there brought it to the attention of teachers.

According to principal Jarlath Burns, parents have also phoned the school about the issue and after seeing first hand the potential for online bullying, the school decided to post a warning on its Facebook page advising parents to tell their children to delete the App. Mr Burns believes that as a result of the warning, and the efforts of parents, students and teachers, the App has been “eradicated.”

The app, which stems from south Korea, can be “taught” responses by any user when certain names or words are typed in.

It means that users are getting abusive replies when they type their own names into the app.

The PSNI Newry and Mourne also issued a warning on their Facebook page over the explicit nature of the App and said they got “quite the surprise” after using it for only 2 minutes.

Other schools across Northern Ireland are alerting parents to the concerns surrounding the app and asking them to check their children’s phones.

Lawyers representing the mother of murdered Newry man Eoin Morley have put forward claims that IRA informer Kevin Fulton, allegedly linked to the killing of Mr Morley, was also involved in the 1992 mortar bomb attack in Newry that killed RUC Constable Colleen McMurray.  They also claim that other attacks involving the secret agent were not properly investigated in order to protect his cover.

Eilish Morley is suing both the MoD and the PSNI over the killing of her son and she is also taking legal action against British Army Force Research Unit (FRU) agent, Peter Keeley, aka Kevin Fulton from Newry, for allegedly carrying out the killing. Mr Morley was shot twice in the back and left for dead by a gang of armed and masked men who dragged him from his girlfriend’s home in Iveagh Crescent in Newry on Easter Sunday April 1990.

At the time of his murder, Eoin Morley had been a member of the republican splinter group, the Irish People’s Liberation Organisation (IPLO) since his return to Newry in 1989, after he was ordered to leave the country when he left the Provisional IRA in 1986.

Mrs Morley claims the MoD either allegedly permitted the murder to happen or failed to prevent it taking place. Her action against the RUC claims they failed to carry out a proper investigation and that Special Branch officers withheld intelligence.

Suggestions that her son was an informer were dismissed by Mrs Morley immediately after his murder.

An investigation by former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan concluded that the RUC failed to properly investigate Morley’s killing.  However, she also found there had been no effort by police to instigate a feud between the IRA and IPLO.

The MoD does not admit that Keeley was one of its secret agents and it also denies negligence and all other claims.

Fresh papers lodged at the High Court by Mrs Morley’s solicitor, Claire McKeegan of KRW Law, allege that following the killing of Mr Morley, Keeley also played a role in further IRA operations which the MoD should have known about.

Those attacks are said to include the 1992 mortar attack on a police mobile patrol that killed Constable McMurray and seriously injured one of her colleagues.

The shooting of two Newry men in front of their families in September and November 1990 is also mentioned in the statement of claim which read:

“The third defendant (the Chief Constable) failed to effectively investigate these incidents or the second defendant (Keeley)’s involvement in them, because it was regarded as too important not to terminate his cover.”

Other confidential material obtained by the plaintiff’s legal team was also advanced before proceedings were adjourned after counsel for the PSNI indicated he needed time to formulate an opinion.

Newry and Armagh MP Mickey Brady has told a meeting of senior officials from the Southern Trust that emergency department services at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry must be kept available to the public on a 24-hour basis.

Thursday’s crunch meeting was called following the recent announcement by the Trust that night time emergency services at the hospital may be suspended due to unavailability of senior staff.

Leading a Sinn Fein delegation, Mr Brady said the Trust must “manage its workforce” and consider capping payments to locum consultants in a bid to encourage permanent staff to fill vacant posts.

“It is our view that the Southern Trust do have sufficient senior staff to cover both Daisy Hill and Craigavon on a 24 hour basis, they need to manage their workforce to ensure there is no threat to service,” Mr Brady claimed.

“We are aware that Craigavon Hospital has redirected ambulances away from its Emergency Department on numerous occasions in recent months as it was unable to cope with the volume of patients. There is no logic to the Trust considering a reduction of service in Daisy Hill when Craigavon is already over stretched.

“We also raised the issue of putting a cap on locum pay for consultants to encourage full time staff rather than unsustainable temporary arrangements,” he added.

“The proposal to close night time Emergency Department services in Daisy Hill Hospital must be resisted by all who value the excellent service it provides.  We will continue to work with staff, unions and the public to ensure that Daisy Hill Hospital services are protected and expanded.  We will be meeting again with the Trust in the coming weeks to discuss further the propositions we put to them and to hold them to account for their responsibility to deliver a first class health service for all citizens in our area.”

Government changes to Child Tax Credits (CTC) which came into effect last week have been described as “draconian” and will drive more people in poverty, MP Mickey Brady has claimed.

As part of the reforming of the tax and benefit system, CTC will now only be paid for a family’s first two children born after 6 April 2017, and any subsequent children will be denied payment.  Until now there had not been a limit to how many children a parent could claim CTC, which is worth £2,780 annually per child, for.  There are some exceptions to the new rule, including children born as the result of rape, however the onus is on the mother to prove she was a rape victim.  Mr Brady says this clause will only serve to further traumatise affected women and claims the new rules will impact most on society’s most vulnerable.

“Changes to the child tax credit system brought in by the Tory government are yet another attack on those most in need, particularly women,” he said.  “This benefit was brought in to help tackle child poverty but now this change in how it is operated by the Tories will actually drive more and more people into poverty.  Stopping child tax credits payments at two children is a crude and crass form of discrimination and social engineering which is not acceptable.

“The clause where a mother can receive child tax credits for a third child if she can prove the child was conceived through rape is disgusting and will only traumatise women further.

“It is a set of changes with huge distributional consequences: tax credit and benefit cuts will mean low-income working families with children will become significantly worse off, while wealthier families stand to gain as a result of increases in the personal allowance and higher rate threshold.  It will also have a disproportionate impact on the North where the average family is traditionally larger than those in England. In all likelihood, these draconian cuts will lead to a rise in child poverty, especially considering slow wage growth.”

Mr Brady advised anyone concerned about the changes to seek the help of a benefit advisor.

SDLP Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne says lives will be put at risk if any threatened closure of Daisy Hill hospital’s emergency department goes ahead.

Councillor Byrne made the comment after he seconded an emergency motion put before Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to oppose any proposal by the Southern Trust to reduce the service.

He says any potential closure will severely impact those living in rural areas of south Armagh: “People in rural areas are already waiting five to six times the acceptable average for an ambulance, to further strip valuable services like the Emergency Department is to put lives at risk.

“It is my belief that the withdrawal of services from Daisy Hill Hospital is not solely down to cuts. To some degree, it is due to the lack of workforce planning within the Trust.  One solution that should be considered is to hire consultants on a Trust-wide basis and not solely to the hospital,” he said.

Councillor Byrne says he and his party colleagues brought their concerns to the Trust officials at a meeting last Tuesday.

“They informed us of on-going talks with other Trusts across the North with the intention of sharing consultants on a regional basis. This is something we strongly welcomed in the short term. However, it is crucial in the long term that proper dialogue is restored between the Trust and the Department of Health,” he said.

“As political representatives, we must recognise the duty we have to ensure the institutions are restored and departments are back up and running to ensure services like those at Daisy Hill are secured.  Year on year, the number of patients attending Daisy Hill Emergency Department is on the increase. The service is struggling on with the use of locum staff and is now at the point of crisis. We need a functioning Executive to ensure these issues are addressed and that proper assistance is given in future.  I also hope as a group of councillors we can come together and stand strong on this critical issue,” he added.

A Newry-based support group for children and young people with Down’s Syndrome is celebrating after a swathe of public votes landed them a life-changing £50,000 cash injection from the Big Lottery Fund.

Down Right Brilliant is one of three groups across Northern Ireland given the good news last Thursday that they had scooped £50,000 each in the People’s Projects competition run by the Big Lottery Fund in conjunction with UTV.

The Newry youth group had been battling for their share of the much needed funds over the past fortnight, with a dedicated social and media campaign which garnered huge support and votes.

The news that the group had won was greeted with elation right across the district with well wishers and supporters posting their congratulations on Facebook for most of Thursday and Friday.

The group, which caters for children and young adults with Down’s Syndrome in the Newry and Mourne area, has over 50 members from Kilkeel to Culloville who meet once a week in Altnaveigh House for a wide range of activities.

Speaking to The Examiner about the win, Chairperson Mairéad Robb said the £50k prize will completely transform members’ lives, enabling the group to finally rent its own premises in Newry and establish their own youth club as an extension of the existing activities.

“We’re absolutely delighted – this means so much to our children and young people. The youth club will be a great social outlet for them, and we’ll be able to do other activities as well like run a summer scheme,” said Mairead.

“There is so much we can do with this and we have so many plans. We already run weekly speech and drama clubs as communication would be one of the difficulties for our children so the money will fund a Speech Therapist for this year, something which is vital to the continued progress of the children.

“We want to thank the Big Lottery Fund, UTV, the National Lottery, Belfast Live for giving us this fantastic, life changing opportunity and the wider community for taking the time to vote for us.”

Mairead also extended her thanks to local media and radio stations as well as the many schools, sports clubs and organisations who got behind the voting campaign.

“We are overwhelmed with the support we received,” she said.

The important project of a youth club for children and young adults with Down’s Syndrome and their siblings will now have the capital to be realised and the group hope to offer a range of activities there including dance, circus skills, football and outings, helping to build friendships and give the young people a place to call their own where they can go and have fun.

Crossmaglen mum, Paula Duffy, whose 9 year old son Tiernan attends the group every Saturday says parents and children are “absolutely over the moon” with the win.

“We just can’t believe it! It’s like a dream come true for us,” she told The Examiner.  Describing the support group as a “lifeline” for parents and children, Paula says Tiernan leaps out of bed every Saturday morning to attend the Down Right Brilliant Speech and Drama classes.

“Tiernan loves going.  He learns speech and drama and maths and just has a great time there interacting with his friends and learning in a fun environment.”

“The youth club would be such a welcome extension of what we have, providing a great social outlet for the kids and the opportunity to do dance classes, art, sports cookery and go to discos at the youth club.

“The group are hoping to run the youth club on a Friday evening which will be great as it will mean Tiernan has something just for him twice a week, as well as the other day trips and activities that the club will now be able to organise.” The devoted mum says plans for a summer scheme will also be of huge benefit to parents and children, with many kids with Downs Syndrome unable to attend other summer schemes due to the extra support they require.  “The money from the People’s Project will allow our children to experience so much more and to gain their independence as they get older.  Funding a speech therapist to oversee the current programme and assess the children will have lifelong benefits for them.”

Paula says the support from her local community in South Armagh and beyond has been “unbelievable” and she thanked everyone for their efforts in drumming up votes during the campaign, especially the Crossmaglen Rangers  who constantly shared the and posted the voting process on their Facebook page.

“A huge cash injection like this is so important for us and will give us such a kickstart to keep going.  There was so much work put it into the campaign by everyone involved so we are just so thrilled to have won.! It’s going to be amazing for everybody!”

Members of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade were part of a delegation that travelled to Stormont on Wednesday to appeal to politicians to restore a power-sharing Executive as a matter of urgency.

Alongside representatives of the business, voluntary and community sector, the group urged political leaders and the British and Irish governments “to find a way forward” from the current impasse.

Chamber President, Michael McKeown, said it is essential that a power-sharing Executive at Stormont is restored to protect the economic future of Northern Ireland during Brexit negotiations.

“Devolved government is the only option to ensure that our business community continues to grow, attracts new investment and delivers job creation on the ground,” he said.

“As we unite with our fellow business groups and representatives from the community and voluntary sector, our message is clear – we unequivocally state that the best way forward for everyone in Northern Ireland is through a local power-sharing government, which needs to progress corporation tax, restore business certainty and ensure that Northern Ireland has a strong voice at the Brexit negotiations.”

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty has slammed the decision by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to spend over £1m at Craigavon Area Hospital, describing it as “a great act of betrayal”.

Mr McNulty and his party colleagues Margaret Ritchie MP, Sinead Bradley MLA and Councillors Pete Byrne, Declan McAteer and Thomas O’Hanlon attended the extraordinary meeting of the Southern Health Trust in Craigavon on Wednesday where Trust officials announced plans of a £1m expansion to the Emergency Department at Craigavon Area Hospital.   The increased capacity is to accommodate a possible increase of patients should Daisy Hill’s emergency department temporarily suspend, the Trust said.

Mr McNulty reacted furiously to the news: “They tried to dress this up as a ‘just in case’ scenario, but I’m not buying that.  This is a whitewash, the Trust’s hidden agenda has been exposed,” he said.

“Last year 53,000 people used the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill compared to 83,000 using Craigavon.  Daisy Hill is no glorified GP surgery, it is a busy Emergency Department and it must be maintained 24/7.”

Dismissing the Trust’s explanations, he continued, “The Medial Director explained how he didn’t expect all who currently present to Daisy Hill to automatically go to Craigavon.  He said if the Emergency Department in Daisy Hill didn’t operate from 8pm to 8am, some would come earlier in the day, some may wait to the next morning and some may go to Craigavon.  The clue is in the name – Emergency Department.  People generally only present to an Emergency Department in an emergency and with all due respect, if you have an emergency at 9pm at night, your hardly going to turn up to the Emergency Department at 6pm, three hours earlier, just in case.

“The meeting was supposed to be an update on the staffing issues in the Emergency Department in Daisy Hill and yet the last item on the agenda recommended a £1million investment in Craigavon’s Emergency Department. That’s enough to pay for ten Emergency Department consultants.  The paper, which wasn’t pulled together overnight, plans 11 new Assessment Beds in the Emergency Department at Craigavon and 18 new beds in an Inpatient Ward. This, I believe is paving the way for a longer term single emergency department.  It was put through on a nod, it was simply breath-taking.”

Mr McNulty says the move is a very serious and worrying development which has clearly been under consideration “for months” and he pledged continued opposition to any reduction of emergency services at Daisy Hill.

“I have already requested a meeting with the Department of Health’s Permanent Secretary and hope this can be facilitated as a matter of urgency.  We are not taking this decision lying down, this battle is far from over,” he added.

The Southern Health & Social Care Trust appears to be set on closing the emergency department (ED) at Daisy Hill hospital, despite its claims to the contrary, MP Mickey Brady has said.

Having hosted a meeting on Wednesday last to provide an update on the staffing challenges being faced by the department, Trust officials instead revealed plans to develop the A&E at Craigavon Area Hospital (CAH) as a “contingency arrangement” should Daisy Hill’s be suspended.

Mr Brady says this revelation is evidence that the Trust is “set on a course of closing” Daisy Hil’ls ED, which will lead to the loss of its acute hospital status.

Registering his disappointment at the outcome of the meeting, he said: “I had hoped that the Trust would have been offering a solution to the ongoing concerns about staff cover at Daisy Hill Emergency Department, however what was announced was a recipe to ensure its eventual closure and ultimately the removal of its acute hospital status. We cannot allow this to happen.”

Mr Brady says it is his opinion, and that of many others, that the Trust has sufficient senior staff to maintain the emergency departments of both Daisy Hill and Craigavon on a 24/7 basis and it is its management of its workforce that is inadequate.

With CAH already struggling to cope at times, he says the hospital will be unable to facilitate any increase in the volume of patients.

“I am aware that Craigavon Hospital has redirected ambulances away from its Emergency Department on numerous occasions in recent months as it was unable to cope with the volume of patients.  There is no logic to the Trust considering a reduction of service in Daisy Hill when Craigavon is already over stretched,” he declared.

“[Trust] proposals using the term ‘duty of care’ to spend £1million for additional inpatient accommodation for the Emergency Department in Craigavon, using issues in Daisy Hill ED as an excuse to close services in Newry, is nothing but a selective and manipulative use of the term.  What about the duty of care to the people of Newry, Armagh, south Down and south Armagh?” he asked.

The MP said that he and his Sinn Féin colleagues will continue to meet with the Trust and “state clearly the depth of feeling” against any closure of Emergency Department services at Daisy Hill.

“The proposal to close night time Emergency Department services in Daisy Hill Hospital must be resisted by all who value the excellent service it provides.  We will continue to work with staff, unions and the public to ensure that Daisy Hill Hospital services are protected and expanded.  We will be meeting again with the Trust in the coming weeks to discuss further the propositions we put to them and to hold them to account for their responsibility to deliver a first class health service for all citizens in our area,” he added.

Fears are rising that a ‘contingency plan’ revealed at a Southern Health Trust Board meeting on Thursday last could result in the permanent closure of Daisy Hill Hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit.

The Board meeting, which was attended by local media and political representatives, was tabled as an extraordinary meeting to provide an update on the ongoing concerns regarding senior medical staff cover at Daisy Hill Emergency Department.  Staff shortages and unsuccessful recruitment campaigns have placed severe pressures on the facility and last week the Trust announced that the service may close at night and weekends if suitable medical cover cannot be secured.

However, on Thursday Trust officials unveiled a proposed contingency plan contained in its ‘Estates Solution’ document, the final item on an agenda that had already provided a summary of the staffing situation and recruitment attempts.  The paper outlined the Trust’s intention to invest over £1million in expanding the Emergency Department (ED) at Craigavon Area Hospital as a means of coping with additional patients should the service at Daisy Hill be suspended at night – something it claims is unavoidable.

The revelation that the Southern Trust Board has been asked to immediately approve the expansion of Craigavon’s ED has heightened alarm and sparked widespread anger, with local politicians branding the plans “totally unacceptable” and accusing the Trust of an “act of betrayal”.

In response, an online petition has been initiated demanding the retention of emergency services at Daisy Hill while a public meeting is scheduled to be held in Newry town hall next month which organisers hope will encourage many to come along and voice their opposition.

Political representatives across the district are united in their condemnation of the Trust’s contingency plans, claiming the Craigavon expansion will be to the detriment of Daisy Hill.

Assurances from Trust Director Roberta Brownlee at the close of Thursday’s meeting that the proposal would be “a last resort” and the Board remains strongly committed to Daisy Hill, have done little to allay concerns.

Responding angrily, Newry and Armagh MP Mickey Brady said the move is “a recipe to ensure eventual closure” of Daisy Hill’s ED and claims there is “no logic” in reducing services at Daisy Hill when Craigavon is already overstretched.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said the issue as “a matter of grave disquiet, alarm and concern” and urged the Board not to “betray” patients and staff at Daisy Hill.

Speaking at the meeting the SDLP MP outlined the “perilous situation” her constituents in will find themselves without local accessibility to emergency department services at night time. Referring to the “temporary” closure of the Downe Hospital ED three years ago, Ms Ritchie said the same outcome for Daisy Hill would present a “totally unacceptable position” for those living in South Down.

Daisy Hill Action Group Chairperson Francis Gallagher, said many people feel the closure of Daisy Hill’s A&E is “a done deal” and that this decision was taken by the Trust and Department of Health “quite a while ago”.

“This argument follows that what we are seeing now is the Trust preparing the ground to take away Daisy Hill’s acute status by downgrading its A&E,” he said, adding that the prevailing belief is that, as part of this strategy,  investment is being made in Craigavon at the expense of Daisy Hill and that the shortage of doctors is being “talked up to undermine the smaller acute hospitals”.

Mr Gallagher said the people of Newry and Mourne are in a very difficult situation and have not been given “any meaningful influence” over the decision making process.

He says his group has put a team together from the business and community sector in Newry to meet with the Trust in the near future.

“The Daisy Hill Action Group’s approach is to try and genuinely engage with the Trust to help keep Daisy Hill’s acute status and this will show if they are being genuine,” he said.

“If this is not the case then a public debate on the matter will need to be brought forward.”

In its statement, the Trust said there will be no permanent changes to any services without a full and comprehensive public consultation and engagement with local communities.

“The Trust Board will continue to meet as necessary to review the situation in Daisy Hill Hospital and to seek assurance that all options are being explored,” a spokesperson said.

The erection of tricolours in Crossmaglen to mark the recent Easter commemoration has prompted a bereaved mother to criticize those responsible for placing a flag next to a poster of her murdered son.

Breege Quinn says the placing of a tricolour beside a poster highlighting the 2007 murder of her son Paul, which she alleges was carried out by “the south Armagh IRA”, is disrespectful.

In a letter to this newspaper, Breege Quinn criticized Sinn Fein for permitting the flag to be placed on the same pole as Paul’s poster.

“In 2007 our son Paul Quinn was murdered by the south Armagh IRA, which we are still seeking truth and justice for in a peaceful way.  After his murder we put posters up of Paul around Cullyhanna and Crossmaglen, which were taken down and we replaced them many times.

“Sinn Fein has said they support us in getting justice for Paul so I ask what kind of support are you giving us when you allow a tricolour flag beside Paul’s poster in Crossmaglen?   There are many poles on that road that could have been used.  This is most disrespectful to Paul and to us.  The Quinn family have never interfered with Sinn Fein posters.”

Sinn Féin MP Mickey Brady has branded the comments of DUP MP Ian Paisley over the fatal shooting of an unarmed IRA volunteer 26 years ago as disgraceful.

Newry man Colum Marks was killed by the RUC in Downpatrick in 1991. In June last year a fresh investigation into the killing was launched by the police ombudsman after a new eyewitness account emerged. Lawyers for the Marks’ family have accused the RUC of a “shoot to kill” operation, disputing police claims that Mr Marks was armed and refused to stop when an attempt was made to arrest him.

Speaking in the Commons last week, Ian Paisley said the police officers involved in the killing of the Newry man should be given medals instead of being investigated. Mr Paisley said the RUC officer who “dispatched” Marks will be “traumatised” by another investigation which he said is based on “dodgy and fragile, fake” evidence, and he added that the British state should be honouring the RUC officer and his team for “taking out one of Ulster’s worst terrorist criminals.”

“The officer who dispatched Marks has now been through three individual inquests,” Mr Paisley said.

“I know the chap personally, he’s a friend of mine growing up. He has gone through an ombudsman’s inquest and now hanging over him is a second ombudsman’s inquest.

“His wife and his family will be traumatised by it and that’s why I said he and his team should have been given a medal that night.”

Newry and Armagh MP Mickey Brady slammed Mr Paisley for his remarks, describing them as “crass and disgusting comments” which he said will compound the hurt felt by the Marks family.

“They are also an insult to all those who knew Colum and hold him in high regard,” he added.

“No one can be above or beyond the law.

“This is a further indication of the DUP’s attempts to whitewash the past and it is symptomatic of their abject failure to deal with the legacy of the conflict.”

SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has called on the Department of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Richard Pengelly, to reconsider his decision to refuse a meeting regarding the emergency department at Daisy Hill hospital, Newry.

Expressing his disappointment, Mr McNulty said: “With the future uncertainty over Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department, it is hugely unsettling that the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health has refused to meet me.

“The simple fact is that the Permanent Secretary is the acting head of the Health Service. He is the person who is charged with the responsibility of over-seeing the running of the Health Service, and he has a duty to meet with elected representatives.

“Rather than dealing with the issue, he is more concerned with deflecting responsibility onto a new Health Minister. However, with a Westminster election called and with on-going talks, there is no guarantee that an appointment will be made any time soon.”

Having requested Mr Pengelly to reconsider his request for a meeting, Mr McNulty added, “I have also asked him to confirm details in relation to the staffing rotas and the recruitment efforts made on behalf of the Trust for both Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area Hospitals’ Emergency Departments.  The people of Newry and south Armagh need certainty that every effort is unquestionably being made to secure our Emergency Department in Daisy Hill and that no preference is being given to one hospital at the expense of the other.”

A public meeting to examine recent developments on the proposed closure of the emergency department at Daisy Hill hospital will be held tonight (Monday 24th April) in the Canal Court Hotel at 7.00pm.

The event will provide members of the public with an opportunity to discuss and debate this important issue affecting people across the entire district.

People are also urged to register their opposition to the move by signing two online petitions – ‘Prevent closure of Daisy Hill Emergency Department’ and ‘Save A&E department at Daisy Hill Hospital’ – both of which can be accessed at www.change.org.

Meanwhile, a Sinn Féin delegation is scheduled to meet with the Head of the Civil Service, Malcolm McKibben, on Monday also.

Assembly Member Conor Murphy said the meeting forms part of Sinn Fein’s ongoing series of engagements highlighting its opposition to any suspension of emergency department services at the hospital.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Murphy said: “We will…ensure that the Trust are held to account for their failure to manage staff appropriately and ensure proper cover at Daisy Hill.  It is their responsibility to deliver 24-hour cover in the Emergency Departments, and the loss of services is not the answer.”

It’s such a simple idea even Homer Simpson could have thought of it.

Lisa McMahon Winters, who runs The Inflatable Pubs Global has completed a deal with TV studio, Twentieth Century Fox, which will see her company launch an inflatable version of the iconic Moe’s Tavern, from The Simpsons TV series.

The launch of the fictional watering hole is expected to take place in South Armagh, Dublin, London and LA next month, and, following talks with Disney, a blow-up replica of The Quiet Man cottage from the eponymous John Wayne movie is also due on the market in May.

Lisa, who is originally from Limerick but lives in Dromintee with her husband and their three sons, has enjoyed global success after bringing the Inflatable Pub to Irish shores for the first time in 2015.  She started up her company Party Hire and Events Ltd after working in New York and spending 15 years in the corporate world of telecommunications in Dublin.  Beginning with giant games, popcorn and candy floss machines, it then became the first company in Ireland to provide giant outdoor movie screens.

Lisa’s attention turned to inflatable pubs and the entrepreneurial mum’s business is now expanding weekly after Inflatable Pubs provided the VIP hospitality tent at this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago.

The pop-up innovation brings the local pub literally to your doorstep and has become a party show stopper, which comes fully kitted out with flooring, lighting, bar, optics, taps, seating and tables.

Several different types of bespoke designs and sizes are available and they are often used at weddings, public and corporate events. Although Lisa can produce replicas of any bar you want, Moe’s Tavern is by far her biggest project.

Speaking to The Examiner about her latest business coup, Lisa explained,

“Effectively it is like a blow up marquee, and made from the same material as a bouncy castle, but the interior will be an exact replica of the one in the Simpsons, we are even hoping to be able to import and provide Duff beer like Homer drinks.”

“We have done an inflatable Queen Vic for an EastEnders fan, and we can do The Rovers Return from Coronation Street or McCoys from Fair City, or even the ‘local’ from back home for emigrants. Next on the list is the Nags Head from only Fools and Horses.

“It has taken about two years to get this across the line, we had to negotiate for a brand licence with Fox, and then we had to get the whole interior layout designed exactly like the bar in the show.”

Once Moe’s Tavern is on the market Lisa also intends to launch a retail version for more residential use.

Meanwhile, the local business woman is also in negotiations with a major American National Football League team to create a custom made unit for promotional events. Her order book is quickly filling up with several multinational retailers placing orders for ‘consumer pubs’ and pubs for retail set to launch in Asia and the United Arab Emirates.

The company website – www.inflatable.pub receives almost 2,500 hits daily, with the US, Canada and Australia currently the biggest markets.  With the business growing at such a rate, Lisa will be hiring 7 new employees to help with demand.  The international success of the Inflatable Pub also means Lisa now sub-contracts all rental businesses and concentrates solely on sales. While a location for the South Armagh launch of the iconic Moe’s Tavern has yet to be revealed, you can find out more at www.inflatable.pub.