Stormont ministers agree programme for government
Stormont ministers have agreed the devolved Executive's programme for government.
The ministers rubber-stamped the governance plan during a virtual meeting on Thursday morning.
It is understood there were no dissenting voices during the meeting, which lasted just over half an hour.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly are due to formally announce the agreement at a press conference at Stormont later on Thursday morning.
The programme for government (pfg) will now go before the Assembly for consideration by MLAs.
Ministers had been due to meet on Wednesday to green light the pfg but it was postponed at late notice.
The hold up was blamed on an administrative issue, with Alliance Party Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir complaining he was not being provided with sufficient time to review the final document ahead of a planned Executive meeting to sign it off.
A draft programme for government, which was an 88-page document titled Our Plan: Doing What Matters Most, was published last September ahead of an eight-week public consultation exercise.
A final version was due to be agreed before the first anniversary of the return of devolution at the start of February, but that timeline was not met.
At the time, Ms O'Neill blamed the delay on the Executive's need to respond to Storm Eowyn.
The draft programme for government was framed by three key missions, people, planet and prosperity, with an underpinning cross-cutting commitment to peace.
It set out nine policy areas that Executive ministers have agreed to prioritise in the two years remaining in this Assembly mandate.
They were: growing a globally competitive and sustainable economy; delivering affordable childcare; cutting health waiting times; ending violence against women and girls; providing better support for children and young people with special educational needs; providing more social, affordable and sustainable housing; making communities safer; protecting Lough Neagh and the environment; and reforming and transforming public services.
When the draft document was published, critics claimed it lacked tangible targets to measure progress in achieving its objectives.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wisconsin bill would give state income tax deduction to educators for classroom expenses
MADISON – Teachers in Wisconsin schools would be able to deduct classroom materials from income tax filings under a new bill. Under the proposal, teachers may claim up to a $300 deduction on their state income tax return for eligible expenses such as professional development courses, books and other classroom supplies. Bill co-author Rep. David Armstrong, R-Rice Lake, told the Journal Sentinel that two of his daughters are teachers so this is an issue close to home for him. "I think it's ludacris that teachers have to buy their own supplies. I get that maybe that's just normal practice now so I want to help as much as I can," Armstrong said. The bill mirrors current federal policy that allows educators to claim a $300 deduction on federal income tax returns for the same expenses. Teachers spend a significant amount of their own money on classroom supplies, averaging between $500 and $800 annually on classroom supplies that are not reimbursed by the school, according to the National Education Association. Over 90% of teachers in the U.S. have spent money out of pocket on classroom supplies, a 2023 study found. Armstrong said that while the bill has been well received by educators who have attended listening sessions in his district, he wishes there was more he could do. "I wish I could've done more, but I think with the reality of where we are at right now with the budget, this is the best I could get through right now," Armstrong said. Armstrong said that there has been a good response from Democratic lawmakers, and he believes it's likely the bill will get a unanimous vote in the Assembly. Several Democratic lawmakers have signed onto the bill, including Rep. Lisa Subeck, who told the Journal Sentinel that "frankly, the bill just makes good sense." "The reality is that we should be doing a better job of funding our schools to ensure that classroom needs are met so teachers would not feel like they have to purchase things out-of-pocket," Subeck said. "Until we do that, I think this is the least we could do." Subeck said teachers have been spending money out of pocket for a long time, noting that she remembers spending her own money on classroom materials when she was a preschool teacher for Head Start. But that strain has become greater in recent years as rising inflation drives up supply costs. While Subeck could not speak to whether Gov. Tony Evers would support the bill, she pointed to Evers' time as state superintendent and his work through the budget process to provide more funding to Wisconsin's schools as showing his commitment to uplifting educators. "I think that he knows well the strain the teachers in our classrooms feel," Subeck said. A spokeswoman from the governor did not respond to a request for comment. Anna Kleiber can be reached at akleiber@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin bill would provide state income tax deduction for teachers
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Zohran Mamdani ripped for refusing to recognize Israel as Jewish state: ‘Dangerous point of view'
Jewish leaders condemned Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani Thursday for his repeated refusals to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state — slamming it as a disqualifying and 'dangerous' point of view. 'It's more than problematic,' said Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis. 'Jews see this as a dividing line. 'There are 22 Arab Muslim states,' Potasnik noted. 'In Mamdani's world, there isn't room for one Jewish state. He doesn't want a Jewish State.' Mamdani, a pro-Palestinian state Assembly member from Queens who has supported the BDS movement to boycott Israel, has repeatedly been dogged by the issue as he campaigns for the Democratic mayoral nomination. During Wednesday night's NBC 4 NY-Politico primary debate, Mamdani hedged and again refused to answer the question. 'I believe Israel has a right to exist,' he said. 'As a Jewish state?' the moderator pressed. 'As a state with equal rights,' Mamdani replied. But when Mamdani was asked to clarify during a Thursday morning interview on Fox 5's 'Good Day New York,' he said he opposes Israel's right to exist — as a Jewish state. 'Because I'm not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else,' he told anchor Rosanna Scotto. 'In the way we have in this country, equality should be enshrined in every country in the world.' Fellow Queens Assembly member Nily Rozic, who was born in Israel, said, 'He doesn't recognize the Jewish state and its right to exist — a method of dehumanizing the Jewish people and a way to sow unnecessary divisions in society.' She added: 'That's a dangerous point of view for any elected official, let alone one who aspires to be mayor.' Brooklyn Assemblyman Kalman Yeger, who is also Jewish, said that Mamdani's refusal to acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state was not all that surprising. 'Not at all shocking that the most prominent antisemite running this year can't bring himself to acknowledge the right of the Jewish state to exist. His hatred for Jews is boundless,' Yeger said. Democratic National Committee delegate from New York Robert Zimmerman, a pro-Israel Jew, said Mamdani's answer on 'Good Day' was chilling. 'Mamdani clearly disrespects the memory of the 6 million Jews lost in the Holocaust and further empowers those who engage in antisemitic rhetoric and violence,' Zimmerman told The Post. Like the Democratic Socialists of America that back him, Mamdani is a staunch foe of Israel and even supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state. Jewish civil rights groups such as the Anti-Defamation League said the BDS movement smacks of antisemitism because it seeks to harm the world's only Jewish State. Mamdani is running second in recent primary polls to ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo on Thursday was endorsed by the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance, the largest Orthodox Jewish group in Queens — a sign that the more conservative ultra-orthodox Jewish communities will back his candidacy.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Co Down community hub gains deputy First Minister support amid village traffic concerns
A new Co Down community hub has been approved and received support from the deputy First Minister. The application by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) was unanimously approved by its planning committee this week following an approval for a SuperValu development. The Moira centre will be located at the Demesne Grove between a playpark and sports pitches, though some traffic concerns have been raised. READ MORE: Lisburn and Castlereagh only gets 20 responses to climate change consultation. READ MORE: RAF Air Cadets to get drone training at Northern Ireland public park. Lagan Valley MLA Emma Little-Pengelly posted on Facebook: "Great to see the community hub proposals moving forward with the planning committee unanimously agreeing the plans on Monday (June 2). A huge amount of hard work by the community group and volunteers to get it to this stage." A council officer said: "The community hub will be occupied by a charity. The site is accessed via the main entrance to Moira Demesne off Main Street, Moira. "The parking requirements are met from the use of existing car parks within the Demesne." Killultagh DUP Alderman, James Tinsley said: "This is a great addition to what is already at the playpark for the community and local school children, it is a fantastic application." An earlier application at the committee was also approved for a major upgrade of a retail park on Main Street. Concerns had been raised over long traffic jams of up to 2miles into Moira with extra car journeys of 50% at peak times due to the new SuperValu development. Lisburn North SDLP rep, Pat Catney was the only planning member not to support the application. The chamber was told that an overall increase or 'cumulative' traffic assessment in Moira had not been carried out as the additional traffic was viewed in the report as 'modest with a small impact'. This led to Cllr Catney, cautiously agreeing to the Moira hub, saying: "I just hope people can get through the village traffic to get to the hub." For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
