SDLP Slieve Gullion councillor Pete Byrne has called on his fellow councillors on Newry Mourne and Down District Council to fully support proposals for a public park at Newry’s Albert Basin when the motion is debated at tonight’s (Monday) Council meeting.

Describing the occasion as “an exciting and historic night”, Councillor Byrne says the people of Newry have been “waiting decades” for a public park, something every other city in Ireland has.

“Newry is an urban area which is in dire need of green spaces and this has been clearly detrimental to the public who are missing out on the recreational and health benefits that a city park would bring. There is also a clear demand for the park to be realised as evidenced by the extraordinary grassroots campaign which caught the public’s imagination,” he said.

Mr Byrne commended the Newry 2020 campaign group for its efforts, particularly its visual example of what a city park would look like on the Albert Basin site.

“Their vision clearly illustrates that the park will be one for young and old, truly a people’s park. The group has gone to significant efforts to engage the public, particularly on social media, sending myself and other representatives a clear message that a park must be delivered.”

Pledging SDLP support in favour of the motion, Councillor Byrne called on all political parties to ensure the plan for a city park at Albert Basin “is finally realized”.

“I genuinely believe that to go against public opinion on an Albert Basin Park would be to betray the people of Newry who have waited so long for this moment,” he added.

Mulkerns Service Station at Newtowncloghoge scooped top industry awards at the Maxol 2016 – 2017 Excellence Awards, held in Quinta Do Lago, Portugal recently.

The firm was recognized in two categories, winning ‘Store of the Year’ and the ‘Excellence in Community Engagement’ awards.

Maxol Excellence Awards promote and reward excellence in retail standards, customer experience and community engagement throughout its network of service stations across Ireland.

Accepting the awards, Terry Mulkerns, owner of Mulkerns Maxol, said: “We are delighted to have won these awards and of course travelling to Portugal to receive them made it even more special. At Mulkerns Maxol, we aim to exceed our customers’ expectations. This wouldn’t be possible without our amazing team and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my staff for their hard work and dedication.”

CEO of the Maxol Group, Brian Donaldson congratulated Mulkerns Service Station “for reaching the highest standard of customer service”.

“Terry and his team truly place their customers first and go that extra mile to make every visit a memorable experience. We are delighted to be partnering with Terry and enjoyed celebrating their success recently in Portugal. Well done to Terry and his team, who are excellent ambassadors for Maxol,” he said.

The Newry 2020 campaign group behind the vision of a 15-acre park on the Albert Basin will make a presentation to the council’s Enterprise Regeneration and Tourism (ERT) Committee ahead of its meeting at 5pm today (Monday 9th October).

The delivery of this evening’s presentation was already agreed on before last Monday night’s full council meeting where a debate on the motion requesting the council’s commitment to a 15-acre community park project on the Albert Basin site in Newry was stifled by Newry Mourne and Down District Chairperson Roisin Mulgrew. 

The motion put forward by Alliance Cllr Patrick Brown, SDLP Cllr Gary Stokes, Ulster Unionist Councillor David Taylor and Independent Cllr Jarlath Tinnelly was the last item on the agenda at the monthly council meeting and over 20 supporters of the 15 Acre park campaign had packed into the public gallery to listen to proceedings. 

During a highly contentious and heated exchange in council chambers, the Chairperson diverted the motion to a sub-group of the Strategy Policy and Resources Committee after the DUP and Sinn Fein voted to block a debate on the issue.  A war of words broke out in the aftermath of the meeting and continued throughout last week – with Councillor Mulgrew claiming that she was subjected to “abusive and aggressive behaviour” from her fellow councillors and members of the public during the council sitting. 

“I was verbally attacked and harassed for performing my legal duties and facilitating agreed Council standing orders,” she said in a statement released two hours after the meeting.

“As I left the building I had to run the gauntlet to escape harassment from members of the public gallery. This behaviour is despicable, and is unprecedented in the modern history of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council,” she added

Her claims were strenuously denied by councillors Pete Byrne and Patrick Brown, who urged the public to listen to the audio recording of the meeting to judge for themselves what took place. 

On Thursday morning all three councillors took to the airwaves in an interview with Q Radio’s Kevin McAllister.  It too descended into acrimony when presenter Kevin accused Ms Mulgrew of shouting at her fellow councillors during the meeting and branded the manner in which she closed down her colleagues as “inappropriate”.   During the interview, both Mr Brown and Mr Byrne insisted that it was at the Chairperson’s discretion to suspend standing orders and allow the motion to be debated at the full council meeting while Ms Mulgrew countered that her actions were in “complete compliance with legislation.”

The Sinn Fein Councillor was repeatedly asked to clarify the party’s stance on the Albert Basin Park and whether it fully supported the motion for the 15 acre park at the city centre site. The NMDDC Chairperson insisted that Sinn Fein “will support a park in Newry based on the sound public consultation and reports from the statutory agencies involved.”

Speaking to The Examiner about the debacle, SDLP Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne called on the DUP and Sinn Fein to clarify why they are against a 15-Acre Park on the Albert Basin. 

Mr Byrne said it is clear that the public are “outraged” at how the issue was handled at the full council meeting and added that it was time “to set aside the false accusations and the bickering over standing orders. We need openness and transparency from Sinn Fein and the DUP.”

The SDLP Councillor maintained that to go against a 15-Acre Albert Basin Park would be “to betray the people of Newry.”

“A petition with 11,000 signatories was presented on Monday night, a clear message for us to deliver. If certain political parties were unable to meet this demand, they must be honest with the public and state their reasons why,” he said.

“I would go further and say if Sinn Fein and the DUP had any respect for their mandates, they would publicly disclose their reasons for going against a 15-Acre Albert Basin Park. Both parties have denied the people of Newry an open debate on this and it is now time for an explanation. Although we were informed that Sinn Fein in particular were not convinced that a 15-Acre Park was needed, they were not willing to discuss the motion ahead of Monday night.”

Mr Byrne said his party “will not rest until a 15-Acre Park is realised and we will continue to fight against attempts to shut down debate at local council.”

“Whilst the decisions made on Monday night shuts out the media and public, we as a party will endeavour to keep local activists and the public updated with any developments in relation to this issue.”

Political failure has been blamed for the imminent loss of more than fifty jobs as government funding for the sports coaching scheme in primary schools across the north runs out in three week’s time.

Soccer and Gaelic football coaches with the IFA and the GAA have been told their employment on the Curriculum Sports Programme will cease at the end of this month after efforts to yield further funding for the scheme failed.  An initial three-month extension of funding ends on October 31st and, with the absence of a working Executive and no Education Minister in place to approve additional capital, the jobs will be lost.

The situation has prompted a senior official within the Ulster GAA Council to appeal to the political parties at Stormont to reach agreement that will save the coaching staff.  Director of Coaching and Games Development, Eugene Young, is urging politicians to “get it sorted” as 25 Gaelic football and 28 soccer coaches face the prospect of unemployment.

He claims the coaching roles “have been cast aside as collateral damage” with the collapse of Stormont and called for action: “Even at this late stage I would appeal for a re-think.  This programme is too important to let go, these roles must be saved,” he said. 

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty has also lobbied Stormont officials to safeguard the programme, particularly as funding for it has been periodically renewed by the Department of Education.  Reacting angrily to news that the scheme is to end, Mr McNulty says it is “a sad day for sport and our political system”.

Expressing his disappointment, he said, “These coaches, employed by the IFA and Ulster GAA have been working with thousands of young boys and girls in our primary schools for almost ten years now.  Their roles are funded by the Department of Education and the funding has been historically renewed on a periodic basis.  It’s hard to fathom how some parties have been promising to restore these roles if and when a devolved government gets up and running again.  These hollow commitments are no comfort to IFA and Ulster GAA who will be responsible for redundancy payments and will be little consolation to the thousands of school children impacted who look forward to the weekly coaching sessions.”

Mr McNulty says he has been working with the GAA and IFA over recent months and although an initial three-month extension to funding was secured, both the Head of the Civil Service and the Permanent Secretary in the Department of Education have refused to extend this further.

Blaming the north’s two main political parties, the Newry and Armagh MLA said: “These coaches and the children who benefit from their work have been failed by the DUP and Sinn Fein and their refusal to make Stormont work.  The Curriculum Sports Programme is hugely successful and has had a positive impact on the physical wellbeing of up to 40,000 young people each year. In addition to encouraging children to participate in team sports, it encourages a fit, active and healthy lifestyle and also encourages extracurricular linkage with clubs.  Axing this programme does not alone impact the access of primary school children to sport and physical exercise, but will also adversely impact children’s mental, academic, emotional and character development.  This Coaching Programme offers so much more than sports to children, and builds a positive health and well-being foundation for life.”

Acknowledging the financial cuts being imposed across the education sector, Mr McNulty says it is his belief that the Curriculum Sports Programme is the only scheme to be withdrawn.

“ I have been meeting with teachers locally and am familiar with the financial pressures in schools. However, it’s my understanding that this is the only scheme or programme in the entire Department of Education that is being scrapped. Others have been scaled back or reduced, but this is being abolished,” he added.

SDLP Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne has called on the Council Chairperson to reflect on the accusations of abuse she levelled against Councillors and members of the public following last Monday’s full Council meeting.

He said Councillors and members of the public present for the motion had witnessed “an appalling but successful attempt to shut down debate on the issue.”

“Since then, we have seen an extraordinary attempt by the Chairperson and her party to discredit Councillors pushing for the debate to take place and members of the public in attendance who are heavily involved in the Albert Basin Park Project campaign.’

‘I must challenge these accusations directly and I invite members of the public to listen to the audio available on the council website to get a true reflection of what occurred. During the at times heated discussion on standing orders the Chairperson accused me personally of ‘screaming’ over Councillors and made reference to the language I was using, I now believe that these were both diversionary tactics to open the door to playing the victim. I have since received cross party support from Councillors who have rubbished these accusations.’

‘What concerns me more, however, is that these accusations have also been directed at members of the public who were present to hear the motion. It is clear from the audio available that those present are passionate about the issue and can be heard applauding after we were successful in getting a recorded vote for the suspension of standing orders. Rules state that members of the public must remain quiet throughout proceedings, and quite rightly they were called out for this minor disturbance.’

‘Considering the evidence available which now refutes these accusations, I call on the Chairperson to reflect on these accusations and attempts to discredit those in favour of a 15-Acre Albert Basin Park and to divert attention away from this important issue. The community activists present on the night are a passionate group of people who have dedicated time and an enormous amount of energy in driving this campaign for the people of Newry. We as public representatives must be open and transparent in the decisions we make on behalf of ratepayers and these accusations will do little to instil confidence in local government to deliver for them.’

Dozens of pink balloons were released into the sky at Silverbridge yesterday to remember baby May Rose Gibney who passed away in the early hours of Monday last, October 2nd, aged just six months.

Organised by members of the local community to honour “the beautiful angel” who had “impacted on so many lives”, the event was a show of support and sympathy for the tot’s bereaved family, many of whom attended.

The infant, whose mother Analee originates from the Newtownhamilton area, was born in March with encephalocele, a rare brain condition. But she became well-known throughout the area and beyond as Analee shared her daughter’s progress on-line, her battle attracting encouragement and well wishes from around the world.

Not expected to survive her first few months, May Rose confounded her family by reaching small milestones.  However, her prognosis was dim and with treatment options exhausted here and in England, family and friends began fundraising for private treatment in America.  In August little May Rose underwent extensive brain surgery, however initial hope of success faded when she suffered a number of strokes and her health deteriorated further.

On Monday last heartbroken Analee shared an emotional message on Facebook revealing little May Rose had “gained her beautiful angel wings”.   She paid tribute to her daughter who, she said, “put up one hell of a fight”, and thanked everyone who had prayed for the infant during her short life.

From her home near Moy, May Rose’s tiny white coffin was carried in a horse-drawn carriage to St. Malachy’s Church in Ballymoyer on Wednesday, for requiem mass and burial, her mother describing the funeral as “the perfect send-off”.  Analee offered her heartfelt appreciation for the many messages of sympathy and support she has received, adding that her “princess warrior” is at peace, but “her legacy will always live on”.

Children as young as twelve were among a group of youths who fired bricks and stones at police responding to an emergency safety call near Newry yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.

Around 12.30pm, the A1, close to the train station, was closed in both directions as police dealt with, what they termed, “an ongoing incident on the bridge”.  Officers from the Tactical Support Group (TSG) had rushed to the scene following reports that a young man had crossed the safety barrier and was threatening to jump from the bridge.  Crews from Newry, Newtownhamilton, Kilkeel, Warrenpoint and Armagh were involved in the task, while specially trained officers engaged with the youth before eventually leading him to safety.

However, while the incident was ongoing, some officers from the TSG were attacked by a group of youths from a nearby housing estate.

PSNI Newry and Mourne reported on its Facebook page that, while dealing with the emergency incident “a TSG crew came under attack by children as young as 12 from the Park Head estate in Newry who thought it would be fun to throw large pieces of masonry”.

Apart from the obvious dangers of a police officer being struck on the head with a brick, the actions of those behind the attack “frustrated” efforts in dealing with the original emergency, the police said.

And parents were urged to take responsibility for their children: “This is totally unacceptable, dangerous and completely pointless. Thank you to all those parents who had control of their children and knew of their whereabouts.  To the parents of the children involved in Sunday’s antics, we would appreciate if you were able to educate your little darlings on the rights and wrongs of society, as well as the dangers it poses to passing motorists. 

“In respect of the original incident, we were able to bring this to a successful conclusion. A further thank you to all additional resources from outside the district who assisted in this,” the message concluded.

Thirty two year old Aisling Starrs addressed a packed room in Stormont last week to share her experiences of living with the “hidden disability”, Dyspraxia. 

The occasion marked the Newry woman’s first foray into public speaking and, in the grand surroundings of parliament buildings to an audience which included MLA’s, teachers and health experts, she bravely gave an insight into how the often overlooked condition affects her daily life.

Speaking to The Examiner days after her Stormont experience, Aisling is still on a high from her accomplishment and is amazed that she found the voice and the courage to overcome nerves and some of the pitfalls of her Dyspraxia, to address such a large group of people – something she thought she would never be able to do.

Once bluntly termed “clumsy child syndrome”, because of how it impairs physical co-ordination, Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia is in fact a lifelong condition that also causes sensory processing issues. It is thought to affect as many as three children in every classroom and, although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, they can experience difficulties with memory, perception and processing.

While DCD is often regarded as an umbrella term to cover motor coordination difficulties, Dyspraxia refers to those who have additional problems planning, organising and carrying out movements in the right order in everyday situations. It can also affect articulation and speech as well as cause difficulties in social interaction, everyday life skills in education, work and employment, having serious negative impacts on daily life.   

Growing up with DCD/Dyspraxia has certainly not been easy for Aisling.  Her symptoms went largely unrecognised by teachers or medical professionals for most of her childhood until her diagnosis at aged 10.  She didn’t receive any extra assistance throughout school except, she says, for the 15 minutes extra time she was allowed in her GCSE examinations.

Aisling struggled with tasks other youngsters managed easily; things like getting herself dressed, writing and learning to spell. Her difficulties undermined her self-esteem and affected her confidence greatly in school. The lack of understanding about her condition meant she was bullied in secondary school – something she kept a secret from her parents for many years. 

“Things that came naturally to most children just didn’t come naturally to me and I had to try twice as hard as everyone else to do things that come easily to them,” says Aisling.

“It took me a long time to learn how to ride a bike, but I stuck with it and every time I fell off, I got straight back on until I eventually mastered it,” she adds, conveying the attributes of resilience and tenacity so common amongst children and adults with DCD/Dyspraxia.

“My co-ordination and balance issues meant I was never very good at PE in school.  My balance is a big issue for me even now – I can’t walk down steps unless there is a handle to hold onto or the hand or arm of another person.   I remember so many times growing up I would fall over or trip or bump into things so much more than other kids seemed to.”

“Dyspraxia doesn’t just affect physical coordination though,” she explains,

“Organising my day is often an uphill battle. It’s not as simple as just bumping into things or losing my keys.  Memory is a huge issue for me and I tend to take notes in my phone a lot to stay on top of things.

“Dyspraxia also affects me socially. Making and keeping friends in particular is hard for me as I can miss social cues. I still find this an issue and have very few friends as a result.”

Recalling her teenage years, Aisling reveals she faced more challenges than the average teenager, as she grew increasingly frustrated with her condition.

“I was frustrated and angry and didn’t know how to express how I was feeling.  My parents were so worried about me but they didn’t know where to turn to back then,” explains Aisling.

“I’ve since learned that teenagers and adults with Dyspraxia are at a much higher risk of developing mental health problems due to the constant challenges they face in everyday tasks, their lack of self esteem and from generally feeling lonely or finding it hard to make friends.”

Despite an extensive employment history in retail and administration, Aisling admits that having Dyspraxia has made it hard for her to find permanent work. 

“I can struggle with instructions and remembering things and my balance and coordination problems mean it may take a bit longer for me to carry out tasks at work so this has made it hard to hold down a job. Interviews are particularly difficult as it can take a while for me to process the question and gather the information I need to answer!”

Having stumbled across the Newry and Mourne DCD/Dyspraxia group on Facebook last year, Aisling describes the group as a “lifeline” for children and adults living with the condition.  As a member of the emerging group’s committee, she has discovered a new found confidence which she says is helping her to share her story publicly.    As part of the local support group, she is involved with helping to improve the lives of those affected by DCD/Dyspraxia by raising awareness of the disorder and lobbying for better recognition of it in education so that children affected can reach their true potential.

“Even now there is a lack of help and assistance for people with dyspraxia,” she says.

“Many children still go undiagnosed and assistance for adults like myself with dyspraxia is pretty non-existent. DCD/Dyspraxia should have the same profile and be as well recognised as any other learning difficulty but it’s not and there are many teachers and healthcare workers who still don’t know enough about it. Children can often fly under the radar when it comes to assessment and diagnosis because it is not an intellectual disability but it is much more than a problem with fine and gross motor skills.

“I and everyone else with DCD/Dyspraxia face all types of challenges on a daily basis and I would like there to be more recognition of how the condition affects people throughout their lives.

“When I was younger I used to get embarrassed about having Dyspraxia, but now, despite all the challenges I continue to face, I’ve come to realise that it has helped define the person I am today.”

If you or someone you know can identify with Aisling’s story, visit the Newry and Mourne DCD/Dyspraxia Facebook page for more information and advice or telephone Patrick Coulter on 07712870198.

A talented young Dromintee dancer is preparing for her stage debut in Belfast’s Grand Opera House next month when she will perform with some of the world’s finest principal dancers in the English Youth Ballet’s professional production of Swan Lake.

Nine-year-old Niamh McGenity is one of the youngest members of the specially selected cast and is thrilled with her role as the niece of leading ballerina, Princess Odette (the White Swan).

Niamh began ballet lessons at the age of four, initially with the Morgan School of Dance in Newry before transferring to the Malone Dance Academy (MDA) in Dundalk.

Mum Janice says she always felt Niamh’s natural posture and pose precipitated her keen interest in classical dance and she has flourished at MDA, having successfully completed her Grade 1 exam in classical ballet, which she passed with distinction when she was aged just seven.

Having joined more than 300 hopefuls at the auditions for Swan Lake in Belfast back in April, Niamh was told on the day that she had been accepted in the final 100, but had to wait until casting last month before learning that she had secured a role. 

Niamh McGenity from Dromintee (left), Juliette Reynolds and Nicole Reynolds from Newry, who have been cast in next month’s English Youth Ballet production of the classical ballet Swan Lake, in Belfast’s Grand Opera House.

The production will star a number of international principal dancers including Oliver Speers – who has previously danced with Ballet Capitole de Toulouse – in the role of Prince Sergei; and Amy Drew, who danced with the Irish National Ballet, and will perform the leading roles of Odette (the White Swan) and Odile (the Black Swan).

Both Oliver and Amy are involved in the training of the young cast in rehearsals and say the experience is a taste of what life is like for a professional dancer.

“The young dancers are treated like professional dancers during rehearsals – we work them hard but the results are fantastic,” Oliver said.  “They learn what the life of a professional dancer is like. They are living their dream and they just love it!”

Amy advised that “ballet is hard” but it can be “a beautiful and fulfilling career”. 

“Keep your head up, and if you face rejection, just keep working hard and focus on your dreams, they can come true,” she added.

In the coming weeks, Niamh will undertake daily intensive rehearsals in Belfast’s Methodist College, in preparation for the show’s opening on Thursday 9th November.

Beforehand, she is continuing with her Saturday classes at MDA and “does lots of stretching, splits, handstands to keep nimble and agile,” mum Janice says.

When asked how Niamh is coping with the experience, she added: “She doesn’t seem nervous at the moment, certainly more excited, but that could be a different kettle of fish when she gets on stage. 

“Personality-wise Niamh is very good natured and kind but also has a serious side and always wants to do everything she can well, which sometimes can be frustrating for her!”

Janice, who has had to undertake a chaperone course so she can accompany her daughter backstage, admits Niamh enjoys performing for an audience: “Despite her limited stage exposure, it is clearly something she wants to expand on as she loves performing at home and is constantly singing and dancing, playing the tin whistle or fiddle to all manner of family and guests!”

The English Youth Ballet production of Swan Lake, featuring the ballet stars of the future, will stage four performances in the Grand Opera House, Belfast – Thursday 9th November & Friday 10th November at 7.30pm and on Saturday 11th November at 2.30pm (matinee) and 7.30pm.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.goh.co.uk.

The family of a Jonesborough woman who was critically injured after being shot in the head by her partner, garda killer Adrian Crevan Mackin, two years ago, have revealed they will travel to the Dáil this week to invite TDs and senators to help them to secure a full public inquiry into developments reported by RTE’s Primetime programme earlier this year.

Crevan Mackin, was well-known to police on both sides of the border and was on bail after being charged with membership of the IRA when he shot his girlfriend Siobhan Phillips and Garda Tony Golden in Ms Phillips home in Omeath on 11th October 2015.  Garda Golden was killed in the attack while he accompanied the woman to the house in Mullach Alainn to retrieve her belongings after she had made a domestic abuse complaint against her partner.

Mackin lay in wait at the property however, and Garda Golden and Siobhan Phillips were gunned down in a hail of bullets before Mackin killed himself at the scene.

Siobhan’s father, Sean Phillips, has previously called for a public inquiry amid concerns raised in the RTE Primetime investigation, which was broadcast in April, that Mackin may have been a Garda informer. The programme raised questions about why the 25 year old killer was not convicted on weapons charges after admitting to weapons possessions during an interview with detectives, but was instead charged with an offence he did not admit to, namely membership of the IRA.

His family have also claimed he was an informer and have questioned why he was freed on bail after being arrested for buying weapons online.

Mackin had a string of convictions, including a firearms offence in the north for which he was serving a three-year suspended jail sentence, as well as convictions for criminal damage, shoplifting and bestial pornography.

The RTE programme also reported that Mackin was sent to Portlaoise Prison to “spy” on the Real IRA and was later released on reduced bail after republicans kicked him off their wing amid suspicions he was an informer.

Speaking to the Irish News on the second anniversary of the shooting last week, Mr Phillips reiterated the call for a full public inquiry and said they would try to enlist the help of TD’s and senators during a meeting in the Dáil this Wednesday.

Ms Phillips father, Seán told The Irish News: “The PSNI officer that we saw in Daisy Hill couldn’t believe that the Garda (in Dundalk) wouldn’t take a statement. He said that every police officer knew who Crevan Mackin was, that he was a dangerous piece of work,” said Mr Phillips.

“Then also that night in Omeath we flagged down a Garda car but they refused to take a statement – twice in 24 hours Garda had refused to do so. We want some good to come out of this entire mess. We want better practices put in place by Garda for victims of domestic violence.”  Mr Phillips added: “On October 18, we are going to the Dáil and inviting TDs and senators of all parties to meet with us, to ask for their help.”

Meanwhile his daughter Siobhan is set to have plastic surgery as her recovery from the horrific attack continues.

SDLP Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne has called on the DUP and Sinn Fein to clarify their positions on a 15 Acre Albert Basin Park after the motion was deferred to a closed working group at the Strategic, Policy and Resource Committee last Thursday night.

Mr Byrne said the move suggested “yet again that there is an unwillingness to allow the Albert Basin motion to be heard in an open and transparent debate.”

“On Thursday night, the SDLP attempted to have the motion heard and again it was shot down by standing orders. Our counter proposal wasn’t even acknowledged,” said the SDLP Councillor, before sharing his party’s increasing concerns “at the undemocratic way in which business is being conducted at Council.”

“The motion has now been moved to a closed working group, away from the media and the public. We now need clarity from the DUP and SF on their positions specifically on the people’s call for a 15-Acre Park.”

Mr Byrne added that, despite the debacle over the issue, he welcomed Sinn Fein’s “change of heart to commit to a City Park on the Albert Basin site.”

“They now must go further and stand with the people of Newry by calling for a 15-Acre Park on the Albert Basin or clarify their reasons why they are against the plans set out by Newry 2020. Thursday’s SP&R Committee meeting was the perfect opportunity for concerns to be heard in an open and transparent debate. However, the Albert Basin didn’t even make it onto the agenda and our proposals were shot down.”

“In a platform piece earlier this week Councillor Ruane referred to the hysteria around this issue, from my perspective this wasn’t hysteria. It was a genuine concern from a passionate group of people who want the best for their city. The campaign for a City Park is not an SDLP project or an Alliance party project and it is certainly not or ever will be a Sinn Fein project. This is a project led by the people and I would encourage continued pressure from community groups to ensure all Councillors get on board with the 11,000 people in support of a 15 Acre Park,” stated the Councillor.

“The SDLP will not rest until a 15-Acre Park is realised and we will continue to fight against attempts to shut down debate at local council. Not once in this process have we said that the Albert Basin project is at risk, our only drive is to ensure Council listens to the will of the people. The only representatives that matter on this issue are those elected to the Newry Mourne and Down District Council, it is incumbent on us to deliver for the people of Newry.”

A 29-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences after suspected cocaine, estimated to be worth around £30,000, and a large quantity of cash, was recovered during searches in Newry on Friday evening.

The man was driving his car on Doran’s Hill in the Barcroft area of the city around 9.00pm when he was stopped by a mobile police patrol. 

Detective Inspector Keith Gawley said: “A search of the man and his car was then carried out and a quantity of suspected class A drugs and cash was recovered. Further follow up searches were carried out at other locations in the Newry area. In total, around £30k of suspected cocaine has been recovered as well as a substantial amount of cash.”

The man was arrested and subsequently charged with offences including possession of a class A drug, possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.  He is scheduled to appear at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 8th November.

A 29-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences after suspected cocaine, estimated to be worth around £30,000, and a large quantity of cash, was recovered during searches in Newry on Friday evening.

The man was driving his car on Doran’s Hill in the Barcroft area of the city around 9.00pm when he was stopped by a mobile police patrol. 

Detective Inspector Keith Gawley said: “A search of the man and his car was then carried out and a quantity of suspected class A drugs and cash was recovered. Further follow up searches were carried out at other locations in the Newry area. In total, around £30k of suspected cocaine has been recovered as well as a substantial amount of cash.”

The man was arrested and subsequently charged with offences including possession of a class A drug, possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.  He is scheduled to appear at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 8th November.

A 48-year-old man has been charged with a string of offences relating to a double stabbing incident in Belleek last weekend. 

Two men were injured in the attack, which occurred around midnight on Saturday 7th October.  One of the victims sustained a stab wound to his neck while the other man was stabbed in the hand.  The accused was arrested shortly afterwards.  Following questioning, he has been charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence. He is expected to appear before Newry Magistrates Court on Wednesday 1st November.

Additional funding for the Department of Education as part of the October Monitoring Round has granted a temporary reprieve for a primary schools’ coaching scheme, which was set to end later this month with the loss of more than 50 jobs.

Last week The Examiner reported how 53 soccer and Gaelic football coaches employed on the Curriculum Sports Programme (CSP) would lose their jobs when funding for the scheme ceased at the end of October.  Attempts by politicians and sporting officials from the IFA and GAA to secure further funds to save the programme looked doomed as an initial three-month extension was not renewed.

However, the news is more positive this week with the announcement that the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Finance has reallocated an additional £10million to the Department of Education, which funds the CSP.  A proportion of the extra money will be used to fund the scheme until the end of this financial year in March 2018, beyond which there is no guarantee that it will continue.

Thousands of children have benefitted from the programme which has been running in primary schools across the north for the last ten years and currently provides employment for 24 GAA coaches and 27 from the IFA.

In a joint statement, Ulster GAA chief executive Brian McAvoy and IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson welcomed the news saying the funding is “a great boost for our children and our schools.”

“More than fifty staff across both organisations faced redundancy so the decision of the Department of Education to continue to fund the KSI Sports Programme is welcome news,” they said.

“This is a great boost for our children and our schools as the Curriculum Sports Programme is about much more than football or Gaelic Games – it is about instilling the principles of exercise and overall physical wellbeing to children at a young age – an age at which they are most impressionable.

“We thank the Department of Education and the Head of the Civil Service for listening to our concerns and for their efforts in finding additional finances at a time when budgets across government face significant challenges.  We also thank the politicians from all parties and other campaigners, including many schoolteachers, who have worked with us over the past number of months to help secure today’s outcome.”

SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty had lobbied to safeguard the programme and says he is delighted it will be saved.

“The Curriculum Sports Programme provides critical support to schools, assisting in the provision of coaching to over 40,000 pupils every year,” he said.

“Decisions of this nature place people in extremely challenging circumstances as their jobs remain under threat. This should never have happened. We need political leadership in departments to ensure threats like this are not repeated.”

 Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for culture arts and sport Sinéad Ennis also welcomed the reinstatement of the scheme.

“This announcement will be great news to the schools, coaches and children who benefit from this scheme,” she said.   “Today’s announcement, alongside the £10 million being allocated to the Education Department, will go some way to redressing the pressures on public services but the threat of Tory austerity continues to loom.”

Representatives from the anti-Brexit campaign group, Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB), attended an event in Brussels on Wednesday last, where they were presented with the European Parliament Citizen’s Prize.

The Citizen’s Prize is awarded annually to individuals or groups in recognition of projects and initiatives that facilitate cross-border cooperation or promote mutual understanding and EU values. 

BCAB was nominated for the prize by Matt Carthy MEP, Liadh Ni Riada MEP, Lynn Boylan MEP, Marian Harkin MEP and Nessa Childers in light of its tireless efforts and extensive lobbying in seeking to preserve the rights of citizens living on both sides of the border, when Britain exits the EU.

Speaking earlier this year when the winners were announced, Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said the group represents a range of sectors  and has been instrumental in bringing together the key sectors that will be negatively impacted by any Brexit-induced hardening of the Irish border – businesses, workers, farmers and civic society.

“For a group established less than one year, they have lobbied extensively engaging with key players in Brussels, Leinster House, the Assembly, Westminster and Councils. They have reached thousands of Europeans,” she said.

“It is an honour for Sinn Féin to promote the work undertaken by this relatively small but hugely effective group which deserved the accolade of EU Citizens award.”

Members of BCAB represent a range of business, community and farming sectors and oppose the imposition of a hard border on the island of Ireland because of Brexit negotiations.  The group campaigns against the loss of farm incomes, PEACE funding and trade and investment, as well as barriers to third level education and the hardships for all people needing to cross the border on a daily basis.

A young hiker from Mullaghbawn has conquered Ireland’s highest peak, Carrauntoohill in County Kerry. 

Eight year old Aaron McKenna scaled the dizzying heights of the 1,038 metre high mountain last weekend – a fantastic achievement for the seasoned mountain climber who has racked up quite a few summits since reaching his first peak at just two and a half years of age.  The toddler’s unassisted hike to the top of Slieve Gullion sparked the beginning of his love of mountain climbing and since then he has enjoyed weekly treks up the south Armagh mountain and has reached numerous summits in the Mournes and throughout Ireland over the last 5 years.   

The P5 St Mary’s PS pupil has successfully tackled Slieve Donard three times as well as Slieve Binnian twice and Slieve Bearnagh, Slieve Martin and Slieve Foye.  Not content with achieving most of the Mournes and the surrounding peaks, the young climbing enthusiast has also scaled the Culcaigh in Fermanagh, Sugar Loaf mountain in Wicklow and Croagh Patrick in Mayo – all accompanied by his proud mum and climbing buddy, Nicola.

“Slieve Gullion is where it all started for Aaron and we’re so lucky to have it right on our doorstep,” Nicola told The Examiner.

“He practically runs up Slieve Gullion these days as he’s so used to climbing it. I’m delighted that he enjoys hiking so much as it’s so good for him to be outdoors on these mountain adventures.

“Aaron is always looking for the next mountain to tackle and loves the fact that every one of them is a different type of climb.  He’s always wanted to conquer Carrauntoohill as he knew it was the highest peak in Ireland so we travelled down last Saturday evening and climbed the mountain on Sunday morning, battling the weather which was against us for most of it. We pushed on though and got there in the end and we’re all just so proud of him,” says Nicola. 

With Sugar Loaf mountain and Carrauntoohill under his belt this year, the pair have lot more to do, according to the proud mum,with plans to ascend the Wicklow mountains as well as peaks in Donegal. 

Aaron also hopes to continue his mountain adventures with his mum even further afield with the climbing duo planning to tackle Mount Snowden or Ben Nevis next year.  Well done to young Aaron who we’re sure will continue to challenge himself with tougher ascents and hiking expeditions on hills far and wide.

The news that the Southern Trust will not receive any of the £40 million monitoring round bailout for health has prompted outrage amongst local political representatives.

The Department of Finance revealed the funding boost on Wednesday last, authorising the Department of Health to plan on the basis of an additional £40 million being available which would “help towards reducing the amount of savings needed.” In a statement announcing the additional money, the Department warned,

“The Health and Social Care system continues to face serious financial pressures and the £40million offers important short-term respite. However, the best long-term way to counter these pressures is transformation.”

An extraordinary meeting of the Southern Trust on Friday afternoon, revealed however that none of the additional cash will be spent in the Southern Trust area   and that the Trust £6.4m savings proposals remain unchanged as they are deemed to be of “low impact.”

SDLP Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh Justin McNulty MLA said he is “appalled” that the Southern Trust will not benefit from the additional allocation. 

Speaking after Friday’s meeting, which he attended along with colleagues Dolores Kelly MLA and Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon, Mr McNulty said,

“Today’s news is appalling.  This week we had a fanfare around an additional £40million being allocated to health care across the north.  The disturbing news is that this area is getting absolutely nothing from that additional money.’

“Additionally the Trust are to press ahead with £6.4million in cuts.  Cuts in older people’s care, acute care and care for those with mental health, learning and physical disabilities.  It’s disgusting.  Care in hospital and in the community will be impacted no matter what officials will say.’

Mr McNulty said the rationale behind the decision to leave the area out of the additional funding “just doesn’t make sense” given the fact that “the Southern Trust area has the fastest growing population; we also have the oldest population.” 

The SDLP Assembly Member said he had also sought answers as to why 60 operations were cancelled in Daisy hill Hospital and in Craigavon Hospital due to bed pressures last week – a question he said the Chairman of the Trust “point blank refused to allow an explanation, despite all the appropriate Directors sitting around the table.”

“This is not acceptable,” he added.

Armagh SDLP Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon said the positive news announced on Wednesday “has proven to be nothing only smoke and mirrors” and he added that the Southern Trust’s willingness to sacrifice £2.6million from the crisis-hit Care in the Community budget was “deeply worrying and frustrating.”

“Ironically, other Trusts have shelved plans to cut care for the elderly, but not the Southern Trust.  Apparently our cuts are low impact – tell that to those waiting on a care package.

“The Southern Trust covers 20% of Northern Ireland and yet get nothing from this recent funding allocation,” continued Mr O’Hanlon.

“Using normal funding formulas applied for the distribution of funds within the Department of Health this area should have been allocated in the region of £8million this week in additional resources.  This could have been invested in a wide range of services locally in real need of finance. 

“I am appalled for those who need health care and for those staff who are working under such pressure. This money could have made a real difference.”

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust is to receive none of the additional £40million allocation made to the Department of Health, despite the forced cancellation of more than 60 scheduled operations during last week, owing to “extreme bed pressures”.

Patients in Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area hospitals were affected by the cancellations on Tuesday and Wednesday when their planned surgeries were called off as staff struggled to deal with a spike in patient admissions, leading to insufficient bed space.  Some of the postponed operations were ‘red flag’ procedures, meaning there is a suspicion of cancer present.

While these pressures were being felt in the Southern Trust, the Department of Finance announced it is to provide an extra £40m for health, the funding coming from the October Monitoring Round.  The news prompted expectation among all five Health Trusts that the additional finance would ease pressures and significantly reduce the amount of savings they have been instructed to make.

However, at an extraordinary meeting of the Southern Trust Board on Friday, it was revealed that the Southern Trust area will receive none of the funding boost, and is pressing ahead with the original £6.4 million in cuts, which officials insist will be of “low impact” to services.

The news, coming on the back of one of the biggest rounds of cancelled surgeries the hospitals in the area have experienced, has prompted anger and disappointment.

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty says he had sought answers at Friday’s board meeting as to why the operations were cancelled but claimed the Chairman of the Trust had “point blank refused to allow an explanation, despite all the appropriate Directors sitting around the table”.

Meanwhile, the Southern Trust apologized for the inconvenience to affected patients and pledged to reschedule the operations “as soon as possible”.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience and distress caused to patients and we will do everything we can to re-schedule these operations as soon as possible, with priority given to the most urgent surgery,” a Trust spokesperson said.

Pat Watson recently became the worthy recipient of a Local Hero Award at the Coca Cola Coast Care Awards. The event, which is in its tenth year, was hosted by BBC Weatherman Barra Best at Parliament Buildings in Stormont.  The annual awards highlight and celebrate the efforts of volunteers and groups who have gone the extra mile to clean up and look after our coastline and inland waterways, in a bid to preserve the natural beauty of these areas.

The Local Hero award recognises an individual who has demonstrated ongoing commitment to the coast or inland waterway through consistent hard work on shorelines in the form of clean-ups or other activities. Bessbrook’s Pat Watson more than fits the bill for the prestigious award for his outstanding individual commitment to the Newry Canal corridor over the last decade of volunteering with the IWAI Newry and Portadown Branch.  

Working as a volunteer with IWAI is no easy job and demands hard physical work in often wet, cold and isolated situations. Spraying giant hogweed along rivers and canals, collecting litter, cutting briars, bushes and tree branches to expose the architectural heritage of the Newry and Portadown Canal, is just a part of what is involved.  But Pat, who is 75 years old, is a volunteer who never misses a work party! He is enthusiastic and active, and is truly inspirational to other septuagenarians in the group.  

Three years ago the IWAI, Newry and Portadown branch, decided to make two sets of lock gates. This was a massive undertaking for a group of people whose ages range from 60-85 years! Pat, who was a master welder in his day, was key to this operation, spending three days a week over a two month period carrying out work which no one else in the group could do.  He went on to play an active role in hanging the gates and since completed he now mans the interpretative centre at the Sluice Keeper’s Cottage, along the towpath near Acton, giving up his Saturdays and Sundays to do so.

Congratulations to the local septuagenarian on receiving such a fitting tribute for his outstanding commitment to his voluntary work on our waterways.

 New parking enforcement arrangements are to be introduced at Daisy Hill Hospital next month, aimed at keeping emergency access routes or ‘blue light zones’ clear and eliminating misuse of disabled parking bays.

From Monday 6th November attendants working for a licensed car parking contractor will patrol the site and drivers who flout the rules will be hit with a fine of £60, which will be reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.  Along with the Parking Charge Notices (PCN), vehicles may also be clamped or towed away.

The measures are in response to “ongoing traffic issues” including congestion and improper use of disabled parking bays at the hospital, the Southern Trust has said.

Enforcement will apply around the front of the main hospital and include the drop off zone, ambulance bays red hatched areas and blue light route, which is critical for ambulance access.  Enforcement will also be applied to vehicles parked at the Occupational Therapy/Renal car park and in disabled spaces throughout the site without displaying a valid blue badge.  

Esther Gishkori, Director of Acute Services for the Southern Trust, said it is “absolutely vital” that emergency routes and drop off access is protected.

“Those familiar with the Daisy Hill Hospital site will be very well aware of the ongoing issues with traffic congestion and the misuse of disabled  car parking spaces,” Ms Gishkori said.

“We have been reviewing traffic management across all of our hospitals and are introducing a number of measures to improve parking for our disabled patients and visitors and to ease congestion around the front of the hospital.

“Our recent car parking survey indicated support for enforcement to help prevent abuse of disabled spaces and blue light zones. Cars are parking inappropriately around our access routes and in disabled spaces without displaying a blue badge. 

“We hope that the introduction of enforcement will deter people from parking inappropriately, help to improve congestion and provide a safer, more accessible environment for everyone.”

Describing the hospital site as “very challenging”, she said the Trust will continue to review measures “within available funding” to ease traffic problems.

Similar parking enforcement measures, which were introduced at Craigavon Area Hospital earlier this year, have led to a noticeable improvement.