Local SDLP representatives have called on the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to come clean on the real impact of the proposed £6.4million in cuts to services locally.  Assembly Members Justin McNulty, Sinead Bradley and Dolores Kelly were joined at Thursday’s spending cuts meeting by local councillors as the Trust set out its plans to save the £6.4million asked of it by the Department of Health.

Newry and Armagh Assembly Member Justin McNulty described the meeting as “frustrating” and added,

“Whilst the Trust have said they will offer up £6.4million in savings, their proposals were scant on detail.  Care for the Elderly is taking the brunt of the cuts with £2.9million coming from that service area with a further £1.6million coming from Acute Care, £400,000 from Mental Health, £400,000 from Learning Disability and £200,000 from Physical Disability whilst health promotion loses £300,000.  These are staggering amounts to loose, but we fear the real impact may not be felt to the next financial year.  Will the Trust get this money back in next year’s budget?’

Mr McNUlty said he was pleased to have been reassured at the meeting that measures are in place to sustain the 24/7 cover by locum consultants at Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department and he said he raised the issue of services for those with disabilities, those needing autism services and the elderly in the community.

“What was apparent today was the real anger in the room at the political failure at Stormont,” said the Newry and Armagh representative.

“We believe today’s exercise by the Department and the Trust is more about pushing the DUP and Sinn Fein into talks at Stormont and the sick general public are just collateral damage in the process. 

“We asked where is the additional £60million James’s Brokenshire announced just five weeks ago or indeed the £250million per year the DUP and Conservative parties announced back in June?  Whilst some are playing politics, our sick and infirm are suffering.”

Justin McNulty MLA (Newry and Armagh), Dolores Kelly MLA (Upper Bann) and Sinead Bradley MLA (South Down) with Bryce McMurray (Acting Director Mental Health and Disabilty Services, SHSCT) following todays meeting in Craigavon

South Down Assembly Member Sinead Bradley MLA added,

“It is clear to everyone that our Health Service has reached crisis point.  Therefore, I and my SDLP colleagues do not accept the starting position in this debate that ‘cuts must happen’ particularly when they are exclusively a cost saving exercise that give no consideration to sustainability.

Ms Bradley said she and her SDLP colleagues intend to gather further clarification on many of the headline figures presented at the Board meeting in order to fully understand the potential impact the latest proposals may have on patients and staff.

“Promises of £1 billion from Teresa May and the Conservative Government, together with individual promises from Sinn Fein and the DUP of £1 billion for the Health Service ran eerily silent today.

“It is deeply frustrating to witness the Health Service, on which we are all dependent, withering further during the latest political vacuum.”

The Southern Trust has been asked to make savings of over £6million in its 2017/2018 budget as part of a cost saving plan by the Department of Health  to save £70 million across all five Health Trusts in Northern Ireland. 

The cost-cutting proposals were outlined during five meetings held across the Trusts on Thursday last and, in an unprecedented move, each Trust has published its own set of proposals which the public will have the opportunity to respond to in the coming weeks.

Trust bosses addressed the meetings, speaking with workers, union members and political representatives, with members of the public also in attendance.

While each trust has made independent spending cuts most agree that the cutting of agency or locum staff is inevitable as well as reductions of non-urgent elective surgery.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust Board immediately published its draft Savings Plan after Thursday’s meeting.

Launching the consultation, a Department of Health spokesperson said the financial challenge for Health “remains significant” due to inflation, an increasing and ageing population and the cost of new treatments.

The spokesperson added that “the HSCB will work with the Trusts during the consultation period to develop actions to mitigate as far as possible the proposed temporary service changes to maintain quality of provision. Maintaining patient safety remains the prime priority for the HSC.”

“The Southern Trust proposals will contribute £6.4m towards the regional health and social care savings target of £70m,” the statement continued.

“In developing the savings proposals, the Trust’s priority has been to protect direct patient care and to reduce spending in support areas where possible.

“The main points of the plan are: There is no direct impact on current staff, but the Trust will maintain current vacancy management processes; Planned service developments will be progressed as quickly as possible, but are unlikely to be implemented before April 2018; The Trust currently supplies small aids and appliances e.g. items for personal care to clients to support them at home. How these are provided will change to a home delivery service. Any clients affected will be contacted directly to explain how this will work.”

Interim Chief Executive, Mr Francis Rice said:

“We must keep within the funding allocated to the Southern Trust, so our savings plan proposals must show how we will do that. Our savings will be targeted to ensure there is a limited impact on direct patient care, and to protect our core services.

The Southern Trust 2017/2018 Financial Planning Saving Plan is now out for consultation and is available at http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/about/consultations.htm

Three young musicians from the area are preparing to entertain their biggest audience of their career when they provide the interval entertainment in this weekend’s All-Ireland Hurling finals in Croke Park.

With an expected crowd of more than 83,000 spectators packing into GAA Headquarters, local Trad band Cúig will boost the stadium’s customary exhilarating atmosphere with their unique blend of rock-based traditional Irish style of music.

Featuring Camlough brothers Eoin and Cathal Murphy, Miceal Mullen from Killeavy and brothers Ruairi and Ronan Stewart from Tyrone, Cúig have established themselves as one of the most promising up-and-coming artists on the Irish music scene.

Their unique sound and original compilations set them apart and have captured the attention of music industry moguls across Europe and the US.  Indeed just last week the boys performed at the world famous Milwaukee Irish Fest, North America’s largest celebration of Irish music and culture, where they received a rapturous welcome.

The US gigs came on the back of a demanding three-week European tour, taking in France, Spain, Holland and Italy, their performances to packed venues drawing critical acclaim and capturing first-class reviews.  And they’ll be back on the continent later in the year for a scheduled 22-gig tour of Germany in October.

Closer to home, Cúig are one of the headline acts in the upcoming Iúr Cinn Fleadh, taking place in Newry from 7th-10th September.  The band will join renowned former De Danann vocalist Eleanor Shanley for a concert in Newry Variety Market on Friday 8th September at 8pm.

Before all that, however, spectators in Croke Park, and perhaps the millions watching from all corners of the world, can enjoy a taster of their immense talent this All-Ireland Hurling Sunday.

Currently enjoying massive success, it’s easy to forget these tremendously talented musicians are still in their formative years and, while the five are still in education at their respective schools and colleges, they undoubtedly have a bright future ahead of them at the forefront of the traditional Irish music industry across the globe.

A Senior Consultant Physician who is set to retire after working at Daisy Hill Hospital for over two decades has urged the public to “fight hard” to retain the local hospital’s Emergency Department.

Announcing his intention to retire on his Facebook page last week, outspoken consultant Dr Donal Duffin outlined what a “pleasure and privilege”  it had been to work in Daisy Hill for the last 21 years.

“Lovely people looked after by equally lovely staff in a great hospital serving a community I’ve come to see as my own,” he wrote, before heaping more praise on the hospital he described as “the best hospital I’ve worked in in my almost 40 year career”.

Urging the public to continue the fight to retain Daisy Hill’s emergency department, Dr Duffin said: “The big Centres of Excellence are where I’d go for a bypass or brain surgery, but a local hospital, serving a local community, is what I need and want when I’m acutely unwell. And an acute hospital needs a fully staffed ED, so fight for it. Fight hard, you’ll regret it if you lose it.”

Dr Duffin has been vociferous in his support for the Emergency Department, addressing a public meeting on the issue in April.  Later that month, at a highly contentious Board meeting on the future of the department,  he confronted the Trust with documents he claimed were proof the Southern Trust had lied about the rates of remuneration paid to locums.

Signing off his retirement announcement, the highly revered consultant pledged to continue his support of the hospital: “..if you need help to support Daisy Hill, call me.  I may retire but to paraphrase what Gerry Adams once infamously said ‘I haven’t gone away you know’.  Look after the place, I’ll need it some day, hopefully not too soon,” he jokingly added.

Sport NI chief, Antoinette McKeown, has lodged joint actions against the organisation and a Stormont department with industrial and fair employment tribunals, the Department for the Economy has confirmed.

The CEO’s tribunal claims come just weeks after she was reinstated in her role as head of the regional government sports council.  Axed from the post in November 2016, following her suspension on full pay in March 2015 after a number of grievances were lodged both by her and against her, Ms McKeown vowed to expose what she described as “months of torture” in the organisation she branded “not fit for purpose.”  Claiming that Sport NI was mismanaging the £30million of taxpayers’ money it receives each year – she warned that she was preparing to go to an employment tribunal to reveal “everything that is wrong with Sport NI.”

The gross misconduct charges against the Silverbridge native were subsequently overturned by an independent appeals panel in June of this year and she was reinstated as Chief Executive of the sporting body.

The south Armagh woman – who is also the ex-CEO of the Consumer Council, was appointed as the first female head of Sport NI in 2013.   Her short time at Sport NI was dogged by a series of rows and allegations of bullying and poor leadership.  In July 2015, four months after Ms McKeown’s suspension, three civil servants were appointed to take temporary control of Sport NI following the shock resignation of nine board members and, in April last year, chairman Brian Henning and vice-chair Ian McEvoy stepped down following months of upheaval at the organisation

The internal turmoil at the organisation has come with a hefty price tag, with a whistleblower claiming last week that Sport NI faces a bill of over £250,000 in legal and professional fees from a series of tribunal cases and complaints filed by other Sport NI staff.  In light of that revelation, Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt has called for an independent review into Sport NI to ensure that public money is not spent this way in future.

It is understood that Ms McKeown’s tribunal claims will focus on alleged gender and religious discrimination and loss of reputation.

  BT has promised to investigate dozens of cases where people living in rural areas of Newry and Armagh experience inadequate or non-existent broadband services, Justin McNulty MLA has revealed.

Having recently met with BT representatives to discuss broadband services in his constituency, Mr McNulty said up to 200 individual cases were discussed and a commitment was given by BT to respond “on a case by case basis”.

The lack of broadband in rural areas is a major issue for many and the onus is on BT to provide an adequate service for all its customers across Northern Ireland, the SDLP MLA insists.

“Every day I am passing individual cases through to BT on behalf of constituents.  We make progress, but in many areas BT respond saying they have no planned activity in specific rural areas.  This is infuriating for people who see the BT van at the end of their road on an almost daily basis and yet they get no improvement in services,” he said.  “BT are responsible for the telecommunications network, no matter who your broadband provider is.”

Mr McNulty says the meeting also involved discussion around the £150m investment in broadband announced by the government in June. 

“I have expressed my fears that this money will be spent on upgrading areas which have only recently benefitted from investment rather than in areas where people are struggling to get any service at all,” he said.  “At present there are over one hundred thousand properties across the North with little or no service.  In this technological era, this is completely unacceptable.”

Outlining the need for a new approach from BT to its investment in infrastructure, he says the “digital blackspot” along the border region must be prioritized ahead of urban areas.

“This investment in broadband must be future-proof.  BT and government must prioritise investment in rural areas, [which] would boost the rural economy, help sustain rural communities and would mean we no longer have a digital divide.”

The first meeting of Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Group’s Community Forum will take place this Tuesday 5th September in Newry Arts Centre at 7pm.

Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Group (DHHPG) was established earlier this year to help find a long-term solution to maintain emergency care services at the hospital and, on the back of recent community engagement meetings, has set up a Forum enabling representatives from the various sections of the community to contribute to the process.

The Community Forum will be involved in the selection of community representatives to sit on the main Pathfinder Group and on a number of sub-committees.

Initially four people will be appointed to the main Pathfinder Group and DHHPG has suggested some criteria to aid their selection.   This includes people who represent a range of interests, such as user/carers, community/voluntary sector, business sector and groups with an interest in health and social care; representatives from each of the District Electoral Areas (DEAs) served by Daisy Hill hospital; people willing to commit their time to the process, which is likely to be between 18 months and 2 years; and people willing to gather information from and provide feedback to their community.

It is hoped the meeting will identify a wider number of people willing to participate in sub-groups.

Dr Anne Marie Telford, Director of the Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Project

DHHPG says that while it recognizes the contribution of Trust staff and political representatives to date, it is keen that the Forum should represent the wider community and staff and political representatives will be able to continue to contribute to the process through other Trust and Council engagement processes.

Chairperson of Newry Mourne and Down District Council, Roisin Mulgrew, and Maeve Hully, Chief Executive of the Patient and Client Council, will jointly chair the meeting, while independent support will be provided by the Northern Ireland Council on Voluntary Action.

Councillor Mulgrew said: “I stated at the start of my term that Daisy Hill Hospital and the provision of front line hospital care is a priority for me this year. I therefore welcome this opportunity to be at the forefront of this vital project.”

To confirm attendance at Tuesday’s event email ehealth@nmandd.org. 

A full report on the community engagement process and the main issues and themes arising from the meetings is available on the Trust website: http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/about/3695.htm.

The Belfast High Court has ordered police and military bosses to release intelligence files relating to the Miami Showband massacre.

More than 80 categories of document are to be made available to the court as part of major legal action over alleged collusion with loyalists responsible for the atrocity which saw three members of the popular band shot dead after a concert in Banbridge in July 1975.

The band were travelling home to Dublin when a fake army patrol made up of UDR soldiers and UVF members stopped them at a bogus checkpoint just outside Newry.  The loyalist gang attempted to hide a bomb inside the bus while the band members were lined up along the roadside, however the device exploded prematurely, killing some of the would-be bombers. 

The other gunmen then opened fire on the group, killing lead singer Fran O’Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy and injuring two other band members, Des McAlea and Stephen Travers, who survived the atrocity.

Some of the material to be released to the court is believed to include information held on notorious UVF commander and suspected RUC Special Branch agent, Robin ‘The Jackal’ Jackson, who is linked to dozens of murders.

Representing the victims and their families, solicitor Michael Flanigan said it was a case “in which collusion is self-evident.”

“The documents which the court has ordered disclosure of will go some way to explaining how that collusion came into effect, resulting in the loss of the lives of these innocent, talented young men,” he added.

Victims of the attack are suing the Ministry of Defence and PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) over alleged collaboration between serving soldiers and the killers.

A report compiled by the police Historical Enquiries Team in 2011 raised collusion concerns about the involvement of an RUC Special Branch agent and found that UVF chief Jackson’s fingerprints had been linked to to one of the murder weapons used in the atrocity.

He claimed during police interviews that he had been tipped off by a senior RUC officer to “lie low”after the killings and went on trial charged with possession of a silencer attached to a pistol used in the murders, but was acquitted.

Two serving members of the UDR were eventually convicted for their part in the massacre.

Writs have been issued against both the MoD and Chief Constable and damages are being sought for assault, trespass, conspiracy to injure, negligence and misfeasance in public office.

The victims’ case claims that military bosses knew about loyalists infiltrating the UDR’s ranks but failed to stop it and that police were liable for vetting carried out on applications to join the army regiment and the use of agents such as Jackson.

The defendants could still attempt to retain some files, if they decide to apply for public interest immunity, which would be based on the potentially damaging impact of full disclosure.

The former Ulster Unionist MLA, Danny Kennedy, has spoken of the challenges he has faced since losing his Assembly seat earlier this year, and how being out of work has resulted in him claiming unemployment benefits for the first time in his working life.

In the Assembly election in March of this year, Mr Kennedy lost the seat he had held from 1998, when he was ousted by Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy.

Having once held Ministerial positions for the departments of Regional Development and of Employment and Learning, the abrupt end to his political career, which has spanned three decades, has been a humbling experience, he revealed in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph.

“Once you lose your seat you’re effectively unemployed, so I found myself in that position for the first time in 39 years,” he said.  “I have always been fortunate enough to have full employment over those years, even before I went into full-time politics.  But that is the system, lots of people have been and are in that situation, this is not a ‘feel sorry for Danny Kennedy’ story, it’s just the reality of life when you lose your job.”

Mr Kennedy revealed his visit to ‘sign on’ at Newry Jobs and Benefits office in July was the first time he had returned there since an official visit during his time as Minister for Employment.

“The staff were very professional and cordial but I was given no special treatment. I was professionally dealt with and the system was explained,” he recalled and added that through tax payments and National Insurance contributions for 39 years, he became entitled to Job Seekers Allowance (JSA).

“Each experience (of unemployment) is unique to the individual, no one seeks to be unemployed. I had been very fortunate that it was an experience I have not had until now.  I suppose there is a degree of humility involved but I’m not different to anyone else,” he added.

Mr Kennedy says he is currently seeking further employment but feels his age (58) poses “a challenge to re-enter the workforce”, although he admitted he would consider re-entering politics if an opportunity arose.

“The political situation is upside down at the moment and that is very frustrating as a citizen to observe,” he said.  “Whether or not there will be further opportunities in politics, we will have to wait and see, but I can’t sit around and do nothing until that situation emerges. I want to see if there are other options available.  This is an experience that many people have…when unemployment comes to individuals we are all faced with the same challenges.”

The Daisy Hill Action Group is urging the public to attend tomorrow’s meeting on the ‘reconfiguring’ of stroke services in the Southern Trust area,  to show their support for the retention and development of stroke services at Daisy Hill.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Canal Court Hotel tomorrow (Tues 12th Sep) at 6.30pm.

Speaking to The Examiner ahead of the event, Chairperson of the Daisy Hill Action Group, Francis Gallagher, said the group will be attending the meeting to argue for the further development of the specialist stroke unit at Daisy Hill.

“This will mean the location of a Hyperacute Stroke Unit at Daisy Hill or in a new research and development hospital in the Newry area,” said Mr Gallagher.

“The time critical nature of stroke care still applies to the Down, Newry, Mourne, Gullion areas more than ever. During 2016, over 270 patients availed of stroke services in Newry and Mourne and 81% of these people lived within 30 minutes of Daisy Hill Hospital, 9% lived within 30 minutes of Craigavon Hospital and 3% lived within 30 minutes of the Royal Victoria Hospital.”

“Two million brain cells are lost for each minute delay in restoring blood flow to the brain after a stroke. Every brain cell that dies can increase the level of disability for a patient. This is why it is crucial that a stroke patient receives a Thrombolysis (clot busting treatment) quickly. “

The campaign group chairman says this medical fact alone is “a fundamental reason why stroke services should be maintained and developed at Daisy Hill.”

“If a patient had to bypass Daisy Hill to go to Craigavon Hospital for this clot busting injection, this would add an additional 22 mile journey, taking an extra 35 minutes which would mean the death of an additional 70 million brain cells, resulting in long term disability.

If the same patient had to bypass Daisy Hill and travel to a Belfast Hospital, this would equate to the death of an additional 82 million brain cells.”

“Early thrombolysis clot busting treatment is essential for the well being of stroke patients. This treatment requires a professional, functioning 24/7 emergency department. Doctors tell me that good patient recovery, early thrombolysis at a local stroke unit and an ED department are interdependent. This is why a Hyperacute Stroke Unit needs to be located at Daisy hill.

“Medical professionals have informed me that there is no sound scientific evidence-based research to support that centralising stroke services in a geographically rural area such as North-east Ireland will save lives.

“If one patient receives Thrombolysis at their local hospital and another has to travel further to receive this life saving treatment then questions are raised about equality of access to health care.”

“We are asking the public to attend this meeting and argue the positive case for a new hyperacute stroke unit to be located at Daisy hill.”

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust is hosting a number of public meetings as part of its public consultation on its draft Savings Plan for 2017/2018 where £6.4million of cuts must be made during this financial year.

 Health and Social Care Trusts across Northern Ireland have been tasked by the Department of Health with developing draft plans to deliver a total of £70m of savings in 2017/18, which must be achieved as part of the financial plan for this year. 

The Southern Trust’s draft plans were issued for public consultation following a meeting of Trust Board on Thursday 24th August and a public meeting will be held on Wednesday 27th September in the Conference Room, Ballybot House, Newry from 4-6pm.

Other meetings will take place in Craigavon Area Hospital Boardroom on Tuesday 26th September from 6-8pm and in the Marketplace Theatre, Armagh on Thursday 28th September from 2-4pm.

Southern Trust proposals will contribute £6.4m towards the regional health and social care savings target of £70m.

The main points of the plan are:- There is no direct impact on current staff, but the Trust will maintain current vacancy management processes;

– Planned service developments will be progressed as quickly as possible, but are unlikely to be implemented before April 2018;

– The Trust currently supplies small aids and appliances e.g. items for personal care to clients to support them at home. How these are provided will change to a home delivery service. Any clients affected will be contacted directly to explain how this will work.

The Southern Trust 2017/2018 Financial Planning Saving Plan is now out for consultation until 5th October and can be viewed at:  http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/about/consultations.htm

If you have any particular requirements to enable you to participate in the public meetings, please contact the Trust’s Equality Unit on email: Equality.Unit@southerntrust.hscni.net Tel: 028 375 64152   or   028 375 64247.

Slieve Gullion SDLP Councillor Pete Byrne has challenged Newry, Mourne & Down Council on the openness and transparency of its structures, following last Monday night’s Full Council debate on the establishment of a Health Working Group.

Questioning the decision making process behind the agreement to set up a Health Working Group as opposed to the Health Committee unanimously voted for by Council in May, he explained that following subsequent discussions at three Party Representatives meetings a paper was presented to a recent Strategy, Policy & Resources Committee which focused solely on the development of a Working Group with no information presented on a Health Committee.

“I found this totally unacceptable and requested that information on both options be brought back to us so we can make an informed decision on the best way forward,” he said.

The SDLP Councillor insisted that the Party Representatives Forum has no decision making powers and said its remit “has slowly expanded without any authority to do so and amounts to an abuse of the council structures.”

‘His proposal at Monday’s meeting calling for all documents to be made available to the SP&R Committee and an open and transparent public debate on the issue take place was defeated by 19 votes to 14.

“The lack of accountability does not seem to bother some councillors who seem content to nod through decisions made by the officers time and time again,” he said, adding that he has asked the Council’s Chief Executive to “relook at the council structures and respect the role of elected representatives on the statutory committees.”

“The public are growing increasingly tired of the lack of transparency and I will continue to call it out on their behalf.”

With the Council giving the green light to the establishment of Health Working Groups to discuss concerns about Health service issues across the Southern Trust area, Council Chairperson Roisin Mulgrew is urging all interested groups, community representatives, service users and providers to get in touch with the Council to express their interest for positions in the groups.

Since her election in June, the Council Chairperson has made clear that her priority campaign in the coming year would focus on bringing the community together to speak cohesively on their concerns regarding the future of Daisy Hill and wider Health service issues.  Speaking exclusively to The Examiner in the wake of the recent formation of the Daisy Hill Pathfinder Project and the imminent set-up of a Working Group for Health, Councillor Mulgrew says she is keen for all interested parties to get on board and make their voices heard, in particular those from rural areas, “where health service cuts have a massive impact.”

The decision to create a Working Group as opposed to a Health Committee has not been without  controversy – with SDLP Councillor Pete Byrne vociferous in his criticism of how the deviation from a committee to a working group was arrived at, after a motion for a Health Committee was unanimously passed in May this year.  Mr Byrne’s proposal at Monday’s meeting that all information relating to both options be discussed and brought back to the next full Strategy, Policy and Resources committee meeting for debate, was defeated however, giving the go ahead for the establishment of a Health Working Group.

Reiterating her support for a “non-politicised” group to discuss health issues, Council Chairperson Ms Mulgrew explained that the decision to opt for a Working Group was taken so that smaller parties and Independent Councillors would not be excluded and so that the issue of health being turned into a “political football” could be avoided.

“According to legislation, all council committees have to be representative of party strength, so because Sinn Fein and the SDLP are the strongest parties then the majority of a committee would be made up of their party representatives.  This would exclude smaller parties and Independent Councillors and could lead to the issue of Health becoming heavily politicised,” she said.

“Health is an issue that every single person is concerned about and it would be a very genuine concern of mine that it does not become politicised.”

The Council Chairperson claimed that discussions were held over the last three months at Party Representative meetings which led to an agreement that, instead of a committee being formed, that all local lobbying groups or any other group with a vested interest, be it a service user or a service provider would contact the council with their contact details in order to form a health working group. 

“We envision that 6 weeks prior to a meeting with the Trust there would be a small meeting with possibly the council Party Representatives and the Working Group where they can relay their concerns, questions or queries, and they will then form the basis of the agenda for the following Trust meeting.

Therefore it will be the service users and providers that have control of the agenda, and this will prevent the issues from being politicised – that was absolutely the objective,” Ms Mulgrew maintained.

The Chairperson also underlined her support for the Pathfinder Project, hosting and co-chairing the project’s forum meeting on Tuesday last which allowed community representatives to register their interest in being part of the Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Group (DHHPG).

She revealed that she had orchestrated a number of meetings since her appointment as Chairperson to secure the involvement of both the Southern Trust and the South Eastern Trust with the Pathfinder group and had also ensured a commitment from the Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Ambulance Service in upcoming discussions with the Pathfinder group and community forum. 

The South armagh representative is all too aware of the important issue of ambulance cover in rural areas and feels that representation on the Pathfinder forum from people in rural areas is vital to making their concerns heard.

“It would be of vital importance for one of the four representatives who will work closely with Dr Telford on the Pathfinder Project to come from the rural community,” she said.

“The issues that affect rural areas are very different from a city.  That’s why we really wanted NIAS on board with us in the working group too,  because we know amubulance cover is such a major issue in rural areas.

“Ideally we will have representatives from each of the 4 electoral wards on the Pathfinder community forum, each with a good knowledge of health issues in their communities and the ability to commit to the 18 month/ 2 year project.

“Whilst the Pathfinder project will concentrate on the future of Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department, the Council’s Working Group will run parallel to this and will focus on the entire health system and any issues with services at local level,” added the Council Chairperson.

“The message we really want to get across is that these working groups are about the voice of the community being heard.  As a council, we have no control over Health budgets but we can lobby for an improved health service if we bring everybody on board to work as one strong collective voice.  This is to be a vehicle that the community, service users and providers have faith in. 

“The issues being faced by the Health service are very difficult and this will be a long term process, there are no quick fixes. Next year’s Chairperson will automatically take over as chair of the Health Working Group so it will be a continuous, rolling arrangement which is kept non-political.”

Commenting on the controversy surrounding the decision to implement a Working Group, Ms Mulgrew added,

“It is regretful that the setting up of a Working Group has prompted such negative publicity because we have agreed that this is the best way to find and to create a comprehensive grouping of people that will come on board to represent what’s happening within the community and throughout our whole health service.  A Health Committee would have had too much political representation whereas the Working Group allows the community and service users and providers to really take ownership of it and set the agendas for Board meetings in the future. As a council we can facilitate this and make sure if we are getting assurance or guarantees for people that those are honoured, that there will be a level of accountability.

“I hope the community will get behind this important initiative and that interested parties will come forward to become the voice of all our communities on the future of Health in our area.”

Parents of pupils at a Newry Primary School  are being asked to pay for basic classroom supplies in the wake of devastating cuts to the Education budget.

Principal of St Ronan’s Primary School, Kevin Donaghy, took the decisive step of sending a letter to parents on Thursday appealing for donations towards basic items such as pens, pencils and rubbers.  In his letter, Mr Donaghy blames “the failure of political parties to set a budget which will fund primary education fairly” for placing schools in “drastic” financial difficulty.  He also warned that the cuts will mean reductions in personnel at the primary school.

Outlining just what the budget cuts amount to in real terms, the Principal explained,

“The Classroom budget for buying items for classes this year is only £10 per pupil.  This equates to 10p per day.  This is to buy items such as paint, pencils, glue, rubbers , photocopying paper etc. You can see that is nowhere near enough to cover what we as a school would like to spend on your child to support them in their education,” his letter read.

Mr Donaghy said the school had been denied over £22,000 in this year’s budget and, with an increase in the number of pupils at the school, he said it is impossible to make the budget stretch.  Classroom essentials are not the only things the parents are being asked to pay for – they are also being asked to contribute between £10 and £20 towards music lessons which have been free until now.   

The Newry Principal also urged parents not to be “misled” by the Secretary of State’s August announcement of an increase of £30m in the education budget.

He stated that “this money has already been previously announced, accounted for and spent” and added that the education budget needed to be increased by an additional £80million each year for at least three years “just to stand still.”

He also warned that the lack of funding would mean cuts to services the school receives from the Education Authority such as psychology support and the signature teaching programme, which helps students struggling with literacy and numeracy.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph on Friday, Mr Donaghy added,

“Unfortunately I’m in the process of looking at cutting hours of classroom assistants because there are no statutory requirements for them. But they are needed to help run our intervention programmes to help children who are maybe underachieving.”

Later he told the BBC, “We’ve had to go to the parents to say that in order to supplement what we can buy in here to school, we need you to financially contribute to it.”

St. Ronan’s parent, Kevin Magill, agrees with the Principal’s damning criticism of Stormont politicians.

“We have one of the best education systems in the world.  We have great dedicated teachers and they’re trying to teach with one hand tied behind their back,” he said.

“We’re being told the Conservative government is giving us a  billion pounds but it’s not here, it’s not feeding down and this is the price that is being paid.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the it was fully aware of the challenges that the budget cuts will present to some schools but he added,

“It is essential that, where this has not already been done, schools must make the difficult decisions required to allow them to live within their budgets as a matter of urgency.”

A planning application for a new £3.4 million hotel in Newry has been submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for consideration.

The development has been earmarked for “grazing land” on the old Dublin Road and, if given the green light, is expected to bring a substantial jobs boost to the area.

Euro Route Food Services are behind the plans for the two-storey 32-room hotel,  which would include the provision of a large function and conference room and bar and 15 bedrooms – including a family room – on the ground floor.

Seventeen bedrooms will be located on the first floor as well as a guest lounge and bar and library.

A design concept, submitted by Hilltown architect Karl Sherry as agent, says the application “offers an opportunity to provide much-needed hospitality accommodation within the south Armagh and Newry areas.”

“The site is located adjacent to the Killeen Bridge on the old main Dublin Road beside the main Belfast to Dublin dual carriageway.

“The hotel will offer all the standard amenities and much-needed bedroom space.

“The hotel is designed to meet with all the Northern Ireland Tourist requirements and less abled clients are well catered for.”

The development will also benefit from car parking facilities, with an “in-out facility onto the main old Dublin Road.”

A decision on the plans is expected within the next few months.

A year has passed since readers followed the progress of young Belleek lady, Séanín Smith, as she travelled to America where she spent three months undergoing extensive surgery as treatment for the rare Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Séanín (25) has spent most of her adult life battling the condition, which has severe life-limiting effects including acute pain, seizures, breathing difficulties and bouts of paralysis.   Often relying on a Zimmer frame or wheelchair to get around, Séanín has fought hard against her illness and despite being hospitalised countless times, in 2015 she successfully attained her degree from the University of Ulster.

Having spent the last twelve months recovering at home with her family, Séanín is now beginning to enjoy a semblance of normality in her life.  With increasing mobility, she is able to get out more and next week will return to university to study for a Masters in Dietetics. 

However, the year has not been without its difficulties.  In December Séanín had surgery to remove her gallbladder and, soon after, suffered a relapse of Myasthenia Gravis, a rare autoimmune condition that causes muscle weakness and fatigue.  This led to periods of paralysis, chest pains and breathing difficulties, requiring her to rely on an oxygen machine.

The photos show how far Séanín Smith has advanced since travelling to America last summer to undergo extensive treatment for a rare genetic disorder.

With medication, she has now stabilised although has been told by medics that it will take a number of years for her to fully recover from her surgeries.

Séanín’s sister Louise says the extensive treatment was not “a quick fix” and, as EDS is incurable, they know she faces many more obstacles in the future.

However, for now, she said things “are looking up” for her sister and that she “can’t wait to get back” to university, having had to take the last year out.

“Through it all, this is what kept Séanín fighting. This and the amazing support we received from family, friends and the wider community,” Louise said.

“It’s so hard to put into words just how grateful we are for what people have done for us. We were able to stay strong and face every hurdle knowing how many people were supporting Séanín and willing her on. The support and generosity to raise enough funds to enable Séanín to have the surgeries, just showed us how good people can be in times of need. We cannot thank people enough for their kindness, generosity and support over the last few difficult years. It has been absolutely amazing You all are the reason Séanín is alive and here with us today!”

Turning to the massive fundraising ‘Fight On’ campaign, Louise continued: “A lot of people have been asking over the last few months about Séanín and our campaign as we have been very quiet on our Facebook page. We felt it was important to let Séanín recover as she has dealt with so much from she returned home this time last year and we have tried to update people when we could.  We stopped fundraising at the end of September 2016 after Séanín had her surgeries as getting her to America for treatment was our primary focus last year, and we achieved that thanks to all of you! With that, our fundraising committee for The Fight On Trust for Séanín Smith ceased.  However, Séanín’s family will continue to raise the much needed awareness of her invisible illnesses. Therefore, the ‘Fight On Campaign for Séanín (Smith Family)’ will now exist as a separate entity to ‘The Fight On Trust for Séanín Smith’ and its trustees as it continues into the future raising awareness.

“Séanín’s family would like to extend a huge thank you to all who helped over the last three years, in particular the campaign committee who worked tirelessly to organise events, raise awareness and to meet the fundraising target.  We will be forever grateful,” she added.

The second meeting of the Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Group (DHHPG) Community Forum took place on Tuesday last at the Enterprise Centre, WIN Industrial Estate in Newry.  The purpose of the meeting was to appoint community representatives to the four seats on the main Pathfinder Group, which have been allocated by the Department of Health, as well as positions on a number of sub-committees.

The Pathfinder project was established by the Department of Health to sustain a 24/7 emergency department at Daisy Hill and is chaired by Dr Ann Marie Telford.

A representative from each of the two campaign groups – Daisy Hill Action Group (DHAG) and Save Our Emergency Department (SOED) – were jointly selected to one of the four positions, while other nominations included representatives from business, community and medical perspectives.

Chairman of DHAG, Francis Gallagher, said the Forum representatives are a channel through which the whole community can contribute to and obtain information on the Pathfinder project and he expressed hope in the process that people will have a decisive say in their healthcare.

Describing the selection process, Mr Gallagher said: “Six names were put forward that included the business, community and medical opinion. Some of these people would sit on the Pathfinder working groups.  The Daisy Hill Action Group and the Save Our Emergency Department Group agreed a joint nomination which means both our groups would occupy one seat but rotate people who would attend meetings as this would allow for flexibility if someone could not attend a particular meeting.

“The Forum is part of a process for people from the whole community and whole district to take part in the Pathfinder Project deliberations, to find out what is going on and to offer ideas. Those community representatives on the Forum will be tasked to feed back accurate information to the public through a variety of formats including public forum meetings.  The whole idea is to develop a process whereby the people are taken into partnership in the development of their health care.

“We hope the Department of Health is faithful to this approach and if the project just becomes a talking shop, we will highlight this publicly, but let’s go into it with a positive attitude,” Mr Gallagher added.

A spokesperson for the Save Our Emergency Department (SOED) committee welcomed its representation on the Pathfinder Group and called for party political issues to be set aside to enable the group “to be as robust as possible”. 

“It is only by working together as council groups, charities and lobbyists in a clear, open and collaborative way that we will be of any effect to working towards a solution in the Pathfinder Project that will meaningfully assist Daisy Hill,” the spokesperson said.

“SOED remains absolutely committed to continuing to work relentlessly to support Daisy Hill and secure its prosperous future.”

A Newry woman serving a life sentence for the murder of a homeless Polish man has failed to overturn her conviction.

In March 2012, Lindsay White received a minimum tariff of 14 years on her life sentence for the murder of  Marek Muszynski.   The partially undressed body of the  40 year old victim was discovered in an alleyway in the city in July 2009.  He had been beaten on the ground and had his throat stamped on during what the trial judge described as an “horrific attack on a drunk and largely defenceless man.”   The homeless Polish man suffered brain injuries, a fractured nose and ribs, and inhalation of blood to the lungs during the brutal attack.

CCTV images were said to show his assailants walking away from the scene after stealing 70p from Mr Muszynki’s pocket.

Twenty five year old Adrian Cunningham, from Lisgullion Park in Newry, is serving at least 11 years in jail after admitting the murder.  His evidence was central to the case against White, involving claims that she had instigated the attack and helped kick and stamp on the victim.

He also alleged that she had robbed the homeless man of his last few coins.

White’s lawyers claimed jurors who convicted her of the murder should have been warned about the reliability of her co-defendant’s evidence, and insisted she was framed by Cunningham.  Her appeal was also based on the trial judge’s alleged failure to give adequate direction on the effect of intoxication on her intent.

Rejecting the grounds of her appeal, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said enough warnings were given for the jury to treat Cunningham’s evidence with particular care, and he also held that the facts and circumstances of the case did not require a direction on how intoxication impacted on White’s intent.

“There is nothing about this case which would satisfy the test of substantial injustice,” added the appeal judge.

Members of the Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) campaign group say they are delighted at having received an award from Mid Ulster Council in recognition of their efforts in campaigning against Brexit and winning the European Citizens Prize.   At a ceremony in Cookstown on Friday last, the group were praised for their hard work in continuing to highlight the negative impact of Brexit.

BCAB continues to be actively engaged in Brexit discussions and within the last two weeks, members have held talks with businesses and trade unions, and also attended the Belfast launch of a report into the effects of Brexit, produced by the Oireachtas Good Friday Implementation Committee.  BCAB provided evidence to this committee in January and the members are engaged in conversations and debate with communities across the North on the possible effects of Brexit.

This week, the group will hold further meetings with political parties to examine how they can unite to oppose Brexit and later this month, members will attend the All-island Civic Dialogue on Brexit in Dublin.  This has been established by An Taoiseach to get an update on the EU negotiations, including all-island aspects and continue to put proposals to the Irish Government.

In October the group will travel to Brussels where they will be presented with the Citizens Prize, and they plan to use the opportunity to lobby EU officials and MEP’s on the harmful effects of Brexit to border communities and the island of Ireland.  Further lobbying is planned in the Oireachtas in late October and in Westminister in November.

On all occasions BCAB will put the case against Brexit and the need for a unique solution on the island of Ireland, so we can live, work, trade and travel as we do now, while at the same time enjoy the rights and protections of being an EU citizen.

A local campaign group set up to oppose the erection of a telephone mast on land at Johnny Murphy’s bar and restaurant in Meigh village has held a very successful public meeting, with over 100 residents attending to voice their concerns.  A number of local councillors were also present and a spokesperson for the group said the meeting, which took place last Monday, 11th September, had resulted in “a way forward” being found.

Speaking to The Examiner about the opposition to the manst, Pat Thornton, a member of the Meigh against the Mast campaign group, said the main concerns centred around the lack of consultation with residents.  He refuted a Telefonica agent’s claim that extensive consultation had been carried out through councillors and local government and said councillors are adamant they were not involved in any negotiations with Telefonica.

Mr Thornton said the original site for the mast was located beside shops and prompted complaints from 3 residents who contacted Sinn Fein councillor Liz Kimmons who relayed the concerns to Telefonica. He claims the telecommunications company then came back with a new site proposal which they said was further away from shops and residents – a decision he says local people were happy with – until they discovered that the new site was to be on land at Johnny Murphy’s Bar in the centre of the south Armagh village.

“Telefonica gave the impression that Liz Kimmons was involved in the follow-up negotiations for a the new site at Johnny Murphy’s but this is not true,” added the campaign spokesman.

“It clearly emerged that the consultation process was flawed in that no resident was informed of the plans and therefore were not offered a chance to object. Our main concern is the lack of consultation leading to the mast being imposed on the village.”

Sinn Fein MP Mickey Brady attended the meeting and has pledged to meet Telefonica telecommunications company to present residents’ objections in person.  Mr Brady confirmed to The Examiner that he had contacted Telefonica to request a meeting which he expects will take place in the upcoming weeks.

All attendees at Monday’s meeting signed individual letters of objection which the Newry and Armagh MP will bring to the Telecommunications company.

Anyone wishing to their objections is urged to do so as quickly as possible either by email or in writing to the Sinn Fein office.