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BBC News
31-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Stormont: Anti-poverty strategy to be considered by ministers
A long-delayed draft anti-poverty strategy will be sent to executive ministers on Monday for consideration, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has this month, Stormont's executive committee was found in breach of its legal obligation to adopt the strategy by a court ruling. The strategy was first committed to 18 years ago in an effort to tackle poverty, social exclusion and had previously said he would bring the document to the executive by the end of March. On Monday, SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan pressed the minister to spell out when the public would see it and feel the benefits of minister replied that it would depend on the strategy being signed off with approval from other executive parties."I think it's important that the strategy is flexible... first and foremost this will provide the framework for the way forward to make sure we're putting in place policies that make a difference," he added. Earlier this month, Lyons said he believed the anti-poverty strategy was a "realistic" but long-term plan to tackle made the comments after figures from the Department for Communities (DfC) suggested about 22% of children in Northern Ireland are growing up in poverty. What is the anti-poverty strategy? The anti-poverty strategy is a requirement inserted into the Northern Ireland Act, following the St Andrews Agreement in have been multiple court orders and legal challenges made as no strategy has been implemented in Northern January, judgement was reserved in a recent legal challenge brought against Stormont for "failing to adopt" an anti-poverty strategy for Northern March, Stormont's Executive Committee was found in breach of its legal obligation to adopt a strategy at the Royal Courts of Justice. How is poverty measured? There are two main measurements of low income used by the government. Income is counted as the money a household has to spend after housing costs are taken into poverty measures how many people this year cannot afford a set standard of living. The Department for Work and Pensions currently defines it based on the living standard an average income could buy in the year ending in March 2011. If your income is 40% below this, after adjusting for rising prices since then, you are classed as living in absolute poverty is the number of people whose income is 40% below the average income individual is considered to be in relative poverty if they are living in a household with an income below 60% of the typical UK is a measure of whether those in the lowest income households are keeping pace with the growth of incomes in the population as a whole.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-police posters 'unacceptable' and 'sinister'
The police have said they are aware of "inappropriate and unacceptable" anti-police posters being erected in Lurgan, County Armagh. The images, mocked up to look like Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recruitment ads, were put up ahead of a police engagement event in the town on Tuesday. Similar posters appeared outside the gates of Queen's University Belfast and some were discovered in the Holylands area of south Belfast last week. It comes as the police revealed that their latest recruitment drive for student officers, which closed on 12 February, attracted 4,822 applications. Politicians have condemned the posters. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart, of the DUP, told Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme the posters had been "erected in the darkness of night ahead of a proactive policing engagement session in north Lurgan". She added: "This comes about on the back of really good work that has been done within the north Lurgan community by the police in terms of building relationships, "The event that was to take place today was very much an event to talk through local issues. "These events are about engagement and allowing the community the space to engage with the police in a very informal way and today these posters, I have no doubt, will have put people off going." The event, at North Lurgan Community Centre, went ahead as planned on Tuesday. SDLP Policing Board member Mark H Durkan said the posters "are disgraceful and should be removed immediately". He added: "The PSNI should not be prevented from engaging with the communities they serve and any attempt to create fear in certain areas must be resisted. "The people behind these posters have no support and they should cease these futile actions." Eoin Tennyson of the Alliance Party said the posters should be condemned by everyone. "These sinister posters are clearly intended to intimidate local residents who wish to engage positively with the PSNI, as well as officers themselves," he said. "The vast majority of people in Lurgan want to move forward towards a more shared and inclusive future." Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist election candidate Jay Basra also posted pictures on Facebook of an anti-police poster outside Queen's University in south Belfast. He said the poster was "absolutely deplorable" and "nothing but an attempt to spread disinformation about the PSNI". Police said their enquiries were continuing and they urged people not to share or circulate images. Supt Brendan Green said: "We engage with all members of the community on local policing priorities and issues that affect them. "We will continue to use our outreach activities, like those hosted this week in north and south Lurgan, to encourage people from all communities, particularly those currently under-represented within the service, to apply for a career in policing." On Tuesday, the police revealed the numbers of people who had applied to the PSNI. They said were also 587 applications for call handler jobs. "It is really positive to see that in the three week application window such a large number of people have expressed an interest in stepping up to serve our communities and keep people safe by becoming a police officer or call handler with the Police Service of Northern Ireland," Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said. "We met with so many brilliant and dedicated people from all backgrounds and walks of life whose talents will undoubtedly enhance our Police Service and improve the lives of the communities we serve."
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Anti-police posters in Lurgan and Belfast 'unacceptable'
The police have said they are aware of "inappropriate and unacceptable" anti-police posters being erected in Lurgan, County images, mocked up to look like Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recruitment ads, were put up ahead of a police engagement event in the town on posters appeared outside the gates of Queen's University Belfast and some were discovered in the Holylands area of south Belfast last comes as the police revealed that their latest recruitment drive for student officers, which closed on 12 February, attracted 4,822 applications. 'Sinister posters' Politicians have condemned the Bann MP Carla Lockhart, of the DUP, told Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme the posters had been "erected in the darkness of night ahead of a proactive policing engagement session in north Lurgan".She added: "This comes about on the back of really good work that has been done within the north Lurgan community by the police in terms of building relationships,"The event that was to take place today was very much an event to talk through local issues."These events are about engagement and allowing the community the space to engage with the police in a very informal way and today these posters, I have no doubt, will have put people off going."The event, at North Lurgan Community Centre, went ahead as planned on Policing Board member Mark H Durkan said the posters "are disgraceful and should be removed immediately".He added: "The PSNI should not be prevented from engaging with the communities they serve and any attempt to create fear in certain areas must be resisted. "The people behind these posters have no support and they should cease these futile actions."Eoin Tennyson of the Alliance Party said the posters should be condemned by everyone. "These sinister posters are clearly intended to intimidate local residents who wish to engage positively with the PSNI, as well as officers themselves," he said. "The vast majority of people in Lurgan want to move forward towards a more shared and inclusive future." Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist election candidate Jay Basra also posted pictures on Facebook of an anti-police poster outside Queen's University in south Belfast. He said the poster was "absolutely deplorable" and "nothing but an attempt to spread disinformation about the PSNI". Police said their enquiries were continuing and they urged people not to share or circulate Brendan Green said: "We engage with all members of the community on local policing priorities and issues that affect them. "We will continue to use our outreach activities, like those hosted this week in north and south Lurgan, to encourage people from all communities, particularly those currently under-represented within the service, to apply for a career in policing." Applications 'really positive' On Tuesday, the police revealed the numbers of people who had applied to the said were also 587 applications for call handler jobs."It is really positive to see that in the three week application window such a large number of people have expressed an interest in stepping up to serve our communities and keep people safe by becoming a police officer or call handler with the Police Service of Northern Ireland," Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said."We met with so many brilliant and dedicated people from all backgrounds and walks of life whose talents will undoubtedly enhance our Police Service and improve the lives of the communities we serve."
