Latest news with #MLAs
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Violence against women is embedded in NI, O'Neill tells Assembly
The problem of violence against women and girls is 'embedded' in Northern Ireland, First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said. However, the First Minister said she does not accept that the situation cannot be turned around and called for a 'whole of society' approach to dealing with it. For the second day, a number of MLAs at Stormont expressed condolences following the murder of pregnant mother-of-two Sarah Montgomery in Co Down. A man is being questioned on suspicion of murder after the 27-year-old died at her home in Elmfield Walk in Donaghadee on Saturday. Answering questions at the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ms O'Neill said: 'I can't even imagine what her family are going through. 'A young mummy expecting her next child, her whole life ahead of her and taken from her family in the most devastating way.' Ms O'Neill updated MLAs on actions taken as part of the Executive's Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, stating there needed to be a 'whole of society' approach. Ms O'Neill said the Executive Office had committed £3.2 million until next March to support the strategy. She said funding had already been provided to local councils to enable them to build awareness of the issue and to hold information events. The First Minister said all councils in Northern Ireland had now opened up a local change fund to 'get right into the grassroots of community and voluntary organisations'. She said a regional change fund had also been established with funding of £1.2 million. Ms O'Neill said: 'All this information paints a positive picture for what we have been able to achieve to date, but there is no doubt about it there is much more work to be done. 'We are off to a strong start but I think we need to collectively keep moving forward in the right direction together.' She added: 'We have to get into the weeds of this and it is going to take everybody working together to do so.' Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan said: 'Another young woman, another mother, another daughter has had her life brutally stolen from her this week. 'First Minister will you join with me in expressing our condolences to Sarah Montgomery's family who are undoubtedly experiencing unimaginable pain?' The First Minister responded 'I think the fact that so many members are raising this issue shows me that people in this Chamber care about ending violence against women and girls. 'Sarah Montgomery had her whole life ahead of her, a beautiful woman, two children and one on the way. 'That tragedy is just unimaginable for so many people. 'This is another woman in our society who has had her life robbed from her in the most grotesque and barbaric fashion. 'Every woman lost isn't another statistic, it isn't another number, it is a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend, an aunt, and her life has just been taken from her. 'We need to do everything we can to address this issue. 'It is not unique to us but we have a really, really embedded problem. 'But I don't accept we can't turn it around, I believe we can turn it around but it is going to take all of us facing the same way.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Violence against women is embedded in NI, O'Neill tells Assembly
The problem of violence against women and girls is 'embedded' in Northern Ireland, First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said. However, the First Minister said she does not accept that the situation cannot be turned around and called for a 'whole of society' approach to dealing with it. For the second day, a number of MLAs at Stormont expressed condolences following the murder of pregnant mother-of-two Sarah Montgomery in Co Down. A man is being questioned on suspicion of murder after the 27-year-old died at her home in Elmfield Walk in Donaghadee on Saturday. Answering questions at the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ms O'Neill said: 'I can't even imagine what her family are going through. 'A young mummy expecting her next child, her whole life ahead of her and taken from her family in the most devastating way.' Ms O'Neill updated MLAs on actions taken as part of the Executive's Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, stating there needed to be a 'whole of society' approach. Ms O'Neill said the Executive Office had committed £3.2 million until next March to support the strategy. She said funding had already been provided to local councils to enable them to build awareness of the issue and to hold information events. The First Minister said all councils in Northern Ireland had now opened up a local change fund to 'get right into the grassroots of community and voluntary organisations'. She said a regional change fund had also been established with funding of £1.2 million. Ms O'Neill said: 'All this information paints a positive picture for what we have been able to achieve to date, but there is no doubt about it there is much more work to be done. 'We are off to a strong start but I think we need to collectively keep moving forward in the right direction together.' She added: 'We have to get into the weeds of this and it is going to take everybody working together to do so.' Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan said: 'Another young woman, another mother, another daughter has had her life brutally stolen from her this week. 'First Minister will you join with me in expressing our condolences to Sarah Montgomery's family who are undoubtedly experiencing unimaginable pain?' The First Minister responded 'I think the fact that so many members are raising this issue shows me that people in this Chamber care about ending violence against women and girls. 'Sarah Montgomery had her whole life ahead of her, a beautiful woman, two children and one on the way. 'That tragedy is just unimaginable for so many people. 'This is another woman in our society who has had her life robbed from her in the most grotesque and barbaric fashion. 'Every woman lost isn't another statistic, it isn't another number, it is a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend, an aunt, and her life has just been taken from her. 'We need to do everything we can to address this issue. 'It is not unique to us but we have a really, really embedded problem. 'But I don't accept we can't turn it around, I believe we can turn it around but it is going to take all of us facing the same way.'
India Gazette
24-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
CM Omar Abdullah says ready to
Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] June 24 (ANI): In a strong and direct message on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified that he is ready to step aside if that's what it takes to restore full statehood to the Union Territory. His comments come amid reports suggesting that granting statehood would require the dissolution of the existing assembly. Speaking to the reporters after attending an event in Gulmarg, Omar Abdullah said, '... I read in a newspaper that if the statehood is to be granted, then the state assembly has to be dissolved. Then let it happen. I am not worried about my chair...' Abdullah alleged that the 'misinformation' in being spread order to create fear among Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). 'These reports have been planted in the newspapers to scare our MLAs so that they will wait for another five years. The statehood is not for any MLA or our government, it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The MLAs will not become an obstacle to it. The day when the statehood would be given, I will go to the Governor and dissolve the assembly...,' said Abdullah. Meanwhile, reacting to his previous statement, that 'statehood has been taken from J&K because we are Muslims', JKNC President Farooq Abdullah said, 'What other reason can be there? Are we enemies of India? We joined India when Pakistan was in front of us.' On Saturday, Farooq Abdullah cautioned that his party may be left with no choice but to approach the Supreme Court if the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir continues to be delayed. Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said, 'It's been eight months (since the J&K government was formed). I am hopeful that when statehood is restored here, we will also get (administrative) powers... Our stand is that we are waiting (for J&K statehood). But if there are delays, we will have no option but to go to the Supreme Court,' His remarks come at a time when the NC continues to push for the restoration of both statehood and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019 through the abrogation of Article 370. The move had also led to the bifurcation of the former state into two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The NC's renewed warning follows a meeting of its Working Committee held at the party headquarters in Srinagar under the chairmanship of Farooq Abdullah. The committee adopted seven resolutions covering key political, security, and civil rights issues, with the demand for restoration of special status and statehood being central. 'The Working Committee unanimously reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The Committee reiterated that this is central to the aspirations and dignity of the people and must be addressed without further delay. We will continue to fight for its restoration,' the resolution read. (ANI)
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
NI Politics: Watchdog complaints double since Stormont restored
Complaints to the Northern Ireland Assembly's standards watchdog have more than doubled in the year since Stormont was 150 complaints were made to the Assembly Commissioner for Standards in 2024-25, compared to 65 lodged in the previous 12-month Ireland's devolved government returned in 2024 following a two-year hiatus due to a political row over post-Brexit trade commissioner investigates complaints against members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) and ministers in Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive. A total of 149 complaints were made in 2024-25, including 123 against MLAs and 26 relating to these, 16 were assessed as admissible and proceeded to formal investigation, while 129 were deemed the 2024-25 figure is an increase compared to the previous year, it is similar to other recent highest figure in the 13 years since the commissioner role was created was 164 in complaints in 2024-25 related to alleged conflicts of was followed by complaints of "excessive and unreasonable personal attack" including concerns related to the use of social media. 'More could have been achieved' The details were contained in the latest annual report by the standards commissioner Dr Melissa is her last annual report before her five-year term as commissioner ends in commissioner said the "exceptional circumstances" of the Covid-19 pandemic and a two-year Stormont hiatus "made for an unusual five-year term".She added that "while I am very proud of what has been accomplished, I believe that in different conditions more could have been achieved".In her "final reflections" in the report, she said the ministerial code of conduct should be "updated, as it has not been revised since 1998"."This remains an urgent and unresolved matter," she McCullough said the commissioner's office needed more staffing resources "to do the work effectively"."Unfortunately, despite formal requests for such dedicated support, none has been provided," she McCullough also said the terms of the commissioner's employment should be reviewed, as benefits such as holiday pay and sick pay are currently not said it "risks sending the wrong message" and could "deter experienced and capable individuals from putting themselves forward".
The Independent
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
Concern has been expressed that Stormont MLAs are delivering pre-scripted text in the Assembly for a clip on social media. Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots said he was also concerned that Points of Order are being raised about 'the normal cut and thrust of debate'. Almost a year and a half since the Northern Ireland Assembly was restored, Mr Poots has written to MLAs about the standards of debate in the chamber. He also made his points at the start of the plenary session on Tuesday. Mr Poots, who has been elected to the Assembly for almost three decades, said he has witnessed 'political giants who passionately articulated their own case', but also engaged in debate and 'realised that they had to give as good as they could take'. 'Our standards of debate are often referred to in the context of the first element – the standard of remarks made about other members. However, there has been a decreased focus on the second element – the concept of debate,' he said. 'If the Assembly is to be serious about its scrutiny role, having a strong culture of parliamentary debate is vital.' Mr Poots said requiring MLAs to take care in their language and have civility in exchanges 'is not intended to, and should not, prevent passionate and robust debate'. 'In my time in the Assembly since 1998, I have been privileged to witness political giants, who passionately articulated their own case, engaging in debate,' he said. 'However, they also realised that they had to give as good as they could take. 'The freedom to challenge and to express different views in debate are core to this Assembly's core functions of exercising scrutiny, holding ministers to account and representing our constituents. 'Proper debate is about both having the opportunity to state your own views and listening, responding to and challenging the views of others. 'Some members increasingly concentrate only on stating their own opinions. ' Technology has created a temptation for members to deliver a pre-scripted text in the Chamber, shortly after which they leave to issue a clip of their speech on social media. 'If debate was only about a series of members reading out pre-scripted thoughts on an issue, without interaction, there would be no need for an Assembly Chamber – we could do it by email.' He added: 'I am also concerned about the tendency to raise Points of Order with the chair about the normal cut and thrust of debate, rather than challenge those points themselves.' He went on to say he is expanding the Ten Practical Principles of Debate circulated in 2021 to 'ensure they focus not only on interactions between members, but also on having a strong culture of debate and challenge'. 'When the Assembly has responsibility for making legislation which impacts on people's lives, it is vital that members are able to probe all the arguments before the Assembly takes a decision,' he said. 'It is my role to encourage the conditions for members to be able to exercise effective scrutiny and accountability in the Chamber. 'I therefore ask all members to take the time to reflect on the principles I have set out in the attachment and to adhere to them in debate.'
