NORTHERN IRELAND’S CARERS DESERVE GREATER SUPPORT
COMMITTEE WELCOMES FURTHER EXTENSION TO SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS CONSULTATION
PAC PUTS IRISH SPORT HORSE PROJECT UNDER SCRUTINY
HOMELESSNESS TOP OF THE AGENDA FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
NORTHERN IRELAND’S CARERS DESERVE GREATER SUPPORT
Posted: 10 Dec 2009 06:08 AM PST
Northern Irelands 184,000 carers deserve greater recognition and government support for their role in providing essential services to the community. Thats the message from the Northern Ireland Assemblys Social Development Committee as it responds to Governments Green Paper on the future of carers. The Green Paper, entitled Shaping the Future of Care Together which was published recently, could lead to new legislation which would affect Northern Irelands carers. Committee Chairperson, Mr. Simon Hamilton, MLA said: The Committee strongly feels that carers in Northern Ireland undertake a vital and under-recognized role. Carers dont just provide an essential service to individual care recipients they save the Health and Social Security system large amounts of money. The Committee would like to see the government acknowledge all of the benefits that carers bring to wider society. Mr Hamilton continued: Carers come from all age groups and from a wide range of differing circumstances. The Committee therefore welcomes proposals for individual assessments which would tailor social security and other help for carers. The Committee supports the introduction of UK-wide social security measures which could address not just the cost of care provided but also the income lost by carers. Caring for an elderly, sick or disabled family member is rather like a vocation. The Committee wants society at large to recognize this. The Committee would also like to see practical measures such as the relaxation of the full-time education rule so that those entitled to Carers Allowance in Northern Ireland can develop their lives outside of their caring responsibilities and enhance their employment opportunities.
COMMITTEE WELCOMES FURTHER EXTENSION TO SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS CONSULTATION
Posted: 04 Dec 2009 02:08 AM PST
The Committee for Education at the Northern Ireland Assembly has welcomed the announcement by the Minister of Education to further extend the consultation on Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Inclusion Review. Committee Chairperson, Mervyn Storey MLA, said: The Committees evidence sessions have highlighted a huge level of parental and professional concern with the Department of Educations proposals for SEN. The Committee had already requested the Minister extend the deadline for responses, which she duly did. In light of the volume of concerns, the Committee raised the issue of a further extension and welcomes the Ministers decision to extend the consultation period to the end of January 2010. The Committee hopes that this indicates a willingness by the Minister to take on board the concerns of parents and professionals living and working with children with Special Educational Needs." The Committee this week agreed to host an event at Parliament Buildings in January 2010 to provide an opportunity for parents, pupils and professionals working in this area to discuss the Departments proposals for SEN & Inclusion. The Committee will invite officials from the Department of Education to hear the concerns being raised by those whom the changes will affect.
PAC PUTS IRISH SPORT HORSE PROJECT UNDER SCRUTINY
Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:09 AM PST
A final report into the Irish Sports Horse Project, which received £3.3 million of European Union funding, has today been published by the Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee. The Committee had twice examined the project in 2001, and this report completes its investigation into the scheme. Speaking at the launch of the report, Paul Maskey MLA, Chairperson of the Committee, said: The Committee has been looking at this project over a number of years we held two meetings in 2001 and a subsequent one in the last session. While it is unusual for one project to be the subject of three evidence sessions, our most recent hearing reflected our concerns over the way issues had been dealt with following the earlier sessions. For example, in 2006, a departmental review found that delivering equine breeding and testing at two sites the Departments Enniskillen campus and Necarne was costing more than necessary. Two years later, in 2008, the Department calculated that it could save over £165,000 a year by concentrating all equine provision at its Enniskillen campus. To our dismay, during our most recent evidence session, we found that public funds will continue to be wasted on the Necarne lease until at least 2012 when the Department hopes to agree the termination of the lease with the Council. In our view, the slow progress with which this matter has been pursued by the Department is unacceptable. The Committee was also disappointed to learn that an Equine Technology Centre, constructed in 2000 at a cost of £160,000, has never been used. Scarce resources have been wasted, and an opportunity to help the local equine industry has been missed.
HOMELESSNESS TOP OF THE AGENDA FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:09 AM PST
The Northern Ireland Assembly Social Development Committee today visited homelessness projects in the Derry City Council area as part of its work on the Housing Amendment Bill. Committee Chairperson, Mr. Simon Hamilton, MLA said: The Committee is very pleased to be able to visit Londonderry and highlight the important work undertaken by the Council for the Homeless in tackling homelessness in the North West. It is especially poignant at this time of year when peoples thoughts turn to all of those who are less fortunate than themselves. The Committee believes that the support provided by hostels like Shepherds View is crucial not just at Christmas but all year round. He continued: The Committee has devoted a lot of time to the review of support for the homeless from new legislation which will require the Housing Executive to produce a new Homelessness Strategy to the provision of tailored homelessness prevention advice. The Committee sees the solution to homelessness as dependent on a number of departments and a wide range of stakeholders and has been encouraged by the progress achieved to-date by the Department through its Including the Homeless strategy. As well as visiting homelessness projects, the Committee also held a public meeting in the Millennium Forum. The Committee received briefings on Welfare Reform, funding for community development and proposals for a review of gambling legislation. Simon Hamilton concluded: The Committee is also pleased to be holding one of its regular meetings outside of Parliament Buildings, Belfast. These visits give the Committee the opportunity to explain its work; encourage engagement with the wider public and highlight the important role that the Committee has in scrutinising the work of the Department for Social Development.
