Daily Dispatch Monday 20th March 2006

BELFAST SDLP DEPUTY MAYOR HOSTS RECEPTION FOR ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS

SDLP Deputy Mayor Cllr Pat Convery, today hosted a reception in the Mayor’s Parlour in Belfast City Hall. The reception was organised to celebrate Intercultural Week and International Day against Racism and to celebrate diversity in Ireland, North and South.

Pat Convery stated;

”I am delighted to host this reception to celebrate Intercultural Week and International Day against Racism. The overall theme of Intercultural Week in 2006 is 'Participation'. We want to ensure that there is increased participation and a sense of belonging for people from minority ethnic backgrounds in public, political, economic and cultural life in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Political parties also need to respond to the needs of minority ethnic groups and welcome them into their political parties.

”The SDLP supports the National Plan Against Racism. There can be no place for racism in Irish society. Political parties need to show leadership on this issue. The SDLP is proud that we were the first Party in Ireland to sign the anti-racism pledge. We now need to create an inclusive and intercultural society which embraces cultural diversity.”

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SDLP WELCOME DECISION BY BELB TO OPPOSE EDUCATION CUTS

The SDLP representatives on the Belfast Education and Library Board, Councillors Pat Convery, Pat McCarthy and Tim Attwood have welcomed the decision by the BELB Board to oppose cuts of £6.6 million at the BELB Board meeting, today, 20 March 2006.

Cllr Pat Convery stated:

”The SDLP voted against these cutbacks which would have seen an increase in the price of school meals, a reduction in school crossing patrols and devastating cutbacks in special needs education. These cuts were simply unacceptable to the SDLP.”

Cllr Pat McCarthy stated:

“The Permanent Secretary Will Haire said in a letter dated 20 March 2006 that BELB members had a statutory responsibility to reach agreement on a financial plan. The SDLP wish to make it clear to the Permanent Secretary that our statutory duty is to provide a quality education service for all our children in Belfast. These cutbacks would only serve to undermine education, library and youth services in Belfast and affect the most vulnerable children in our communities.”

Cllr Tim Attwood said:

”Today the BELB Board sent a clear message to the Minister Angela Smith MP. Your government promised to make the education of the nation's children their "first priority”. The Direct Rule Minister’s need to live up to this promise and properly invest in education.”

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SDLP MEMBERS ON BELB WILL OPPOSE EDUCATION CUTS AT BOARD MEETING

The SDLP representatives on the Belfast Education and Library Board, Councillors Pat Convery, Pat McCarthy and Tim Attwood will be firmly opposing the proposed cuts of £6.6 million at the BELB Board meeting on 20 March 2006.

Cllr Pat Convery stated

”These cutbacks will see an increases the price of school meals, reduced crossing patrols and serious and deep cuts in special needs education. These cuts are completely unacceptable to the SDLP.”

Cllr Pat McCarthy stated;

“As members of the BELB Board we are committed to providing a quality, library and youth service to all the people of Belfast. Now, education services in Belfast are facing a major crisis which will see cuts hitting the most vulnerable sections of our community, such as special needs education. The SDLP will be opposing these cutbacks. We need investment in education not cuts to essential educational services.”

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CONVERY CONDEMNS VICIOUS ATTACK ON YOUTH

SDLP Deputy Mayor of Belfast Pat Convery said the attack on a young man in the New Barnsley area late on Saturday night was horrific, and those responsible must be put behind bars.

He said: “This seventeen-year-old was set upon and beaten with iron bars and a claw hammer. There would have to be some pretty strong evidence to convince me this was not an attempt to murder.

“These people are dangerous and will in all probability use their iron bars and hammers again. They need to be taken off the streets in short order by an arrest warrant backed up by sound witness statements.”

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MAGINNESS CONDEMNS NORTH BELFAST SCHOOL ROBBERY

SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness has condemned this mornings robbery at the Boys Model School were a caretaker was assaulted and a sum of money stolen.
Mr Maginness stated:
“This was clearly a cowardly and premeditated attack. It must have been a very traumatic experience for the school caretaker involved. It seems only to be through sheer luck that he did not suffer any more serious injuries. The person responsible was obviously hell bent on getting his hands on some money no matter what the consequences or no matter who got in his way. The fact that he was prepared to steal from a school shows how low he was prepared to stoop. He is very clearly a danger and must be apprehended as soon as possible. It is crucial that anyone with any information on this attack or saw anything suspicious in the area this morning contacts the local PSNI as soon as possible.”

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