Latest news with #PaulO'Kane
Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Neilston FC celebrated in Scottish Parliament for West of Scotland League title success
Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, recently visited Brig O'Lea to present a Holyrood motion celebrating the club's triumph. An East Renfrewshire football club has been celebrated in the Scottish Parliament for winning the league. Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, visited Neilston to present a Holyrood motion marking the club's West of Scotland League Second Division title triumph. He met with manager Andy Whiteford, secretary Kevin Robertson and club president Graham Walker at Brig O'Lea following a successful campaign. Mr O'Kane toured the club's new facilities and heard about their future plans for developing the stadium and the wider club. 'It was great to finally meet with the club after their busy season to present the motion and personally congratulate them on their fantastic title win,' he told the Paisley Daily Express. 'I was lucky enough to be shown a ground I know well, and I was told about a few exciting plans the club has for the stadium. The village is very proud and I'm glad the club are getting the recognition they deserve for their achievement. I know that the entire team are preparing to have another successful and memorable season.' The motion lodged by Mr O'Kane states: 'That the Parliament understands that Neilston FC, a community club based in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, has won the West of Scotland League Second Division title; further understands that this title win secured Neilston FC's promotion to the First Division; congratulates the manager, Andy Whiteford, his management team, the players and all the club staff for contributing to this impressive achievement; believes that this title win demonstrates the team's determination and resilience after experiencing the disappointment of relegation last season; congratulates the fans of Neilston FC who have shown their support for the team and players throughout the season; commends the current group of Neilston FC players for winning what is the fifth title in the club's history; wishes the team the very best of luck for next season, and hopes that it continues to have more success and more historic moments going forward.' Neilston secretary Mr Robertson added: 'The club was delighted to welcome Paul O'Kane MSP to Brig O'Lea Stadium and receive a framed copy of the Scottish Parliamentary motion congratulating the club on our recent league title win. 'Paul has been a good friend to the club over many years, and it was great to show Paul the improvements we are making at the stadium.'
Glasgow Times
16-06-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Club roof incident near Glasgow sparks police investigation
The update from police comes as the president of Barrhead United Services Club voiced his dismay after an individual recently climbed up onto their building - leaving the organisation facing a costly repair. A drainpipe was broken in the incident and a large hole was made in their asbestos roof which has allowed water to get in. The United Services Club on Paisley Road (Image: Colin Mearns) David Higgins said: 'I don't know if it was a break in or vandalism. 'They climbed up and went through our asbestos roof. 'We have a metal frame up underneath the roof, so no one can gain access and, if they have been trying to break in, they have fallen down and hit the metal. 'It's not so easy to repair. If it was, it wouldn't be as big a deal. 'The problem is it's an asbestos roof and nobody wants to touch it. 'I know we have all been young and done silly things, but people need to think of the consequences.' The club does not have money for a proper repair (Image: Colin Mearns) Without the funds to pay for the proper repair of an asbestos roof and with the urgent need to try and stop more water coming in, David has tried to patch up the hole himself. READ NEXT: Pair from near Glasgow find friendship at care home 'It's not causing any problems upstairs where the members' bar is, but the point is it's water (coming in) and people hire our hall to have functions and it's in the function hall sort of thing," he added. "That's where most of our money to keep the place going comes from. "I don't know what we are going to do. 'We are just a wee club and the only social club left in Barrhead. 'Social clubs are a dying breed and not many people come to social clubs any more and we have not got the money to pay to get it fixed. 'I managed to put a thing over it but a gust of wind is going to take it off.' MSP Paul O'Kane (Image: Colin Mearns) West Scotland MSP Paul O'Kane said that members of the Paisley Road club are 'rightly angered and frustrated' by the damage that has been done to their roof. READ NEXT: Proposals to change housing allocation near Glasgow On behalf of the organisation's committee members, he has written to the area commander to seek some clarity about how Police Scotland intends to deal with this issue. 'If somebody has caused damage to a property then they should be accountable for it,' said the politician. 'Due to years of being underfunded by the Scottish Government, Police Scotland don't have the resources and staff that they need to adequately deal with anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the local community. 'We must remember for the sake of local officers who are doing the best they can in these challenging circumstances. 'I hope to pass on an encouraging response from Police Scotland to the United Services Club in the near future that will detail how the individual will be held to account for their actions.' MSP Paul O'Kane (Image: Colin Mearns) A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed that on Friday, May 30 they were made aware of damage to a property on Paisley Road in Barrhead. 'Enquiries are currently ongoing; however, officers are following a positive line of enquiry,' they added. 'Police Scotland through the local policing and community teams are committed to working with partners and the local community to mitigate the impact of anti-social behaviour on properties, businesses, and residents.'
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Concerns corridor care is becoming 'normal' at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital
A series of heavily redacted emails reveal staff concerns over the situation. At least two people are 'expected' to be treated by medics in the corridors of the emergency department at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) every day, NHS chiefs have admitted. But often that figure can rise to as many as six, documents have revealed. The numbers were obtained by West Scotland Labour MSP Paul O'Kane amid growing fears corridor care is being 'normalised' in the Paisley hospital. A series of heavily redacted emails – released as part of a Freedom of Information request (FOI) – reveal staff concerns over the situation and that an approach to tackle the problem was 'perceived as the normalisation' of vulnerable people being treated on trollies. One email titled emergency care in the Clyde region states: 'For RAH, outwith winter, we will hopefully be less than six, but on most days we will have two patients in the corridor. It should at least be part of escalation and surge planning.' A second details how concerns about 'safe staffing levels' would be made clear in a report to senior management while revealing suggested actions are 'not accepted by medical or nursing staff'. Reflecting on the emails, shared among staff in January, Mr O'Kane said: 'These emails couldn't make it any clearer that corridor care is happening at the RAH and that it's a problem that's only going to get worse unless some form of drastic action is taken. 'Worryingly, the emails also suggest that actions that were being considered wouldn't get rid of corridor care but could normalise it. It is horrible to think of anyone sitting in a corridor receiving care because there's simply nowhere else for them to be treated.' The MSP added: 'It's unacceptable that patients at the RAH are receiving corridor care and that RAH staff have to put up with being overstretched and under resourced – they work so hard but they're let down again and again. 'I will be writing to the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and to the health secretary [Neil Gray] to ask what is being done to prevent corridor care from occurring and seeking reassurance that no plans that entail patients being treated in corridors are being implemented at the RAH.' Concerns over corridor care were first raised just weeks ago when Healthcare Improvement Scotland highlighted the problem following an inspection of the emergency department. The subsequent report said 'corridor care' was 'normalised' in the RAH but warned it must 'not be tolerated'. A spokesperson for NHSGGC said: 'As was the case throughout the country this winter, all our services were under considerable pressure. It would be inaccurate to state that NHSGGC is seeking to normalise treating patients within corridors. 'These issues have been examined in the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report following a review of our emergency departments. NHSGGC is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our patients, and to continually improving the services we provide. 'Earlier this year, we launched The GGC Way Forward – Transforming Together, a bold new programme of transformation, driving whole-system reform. 'The system-wide initiative, which marks an evolution in the way health care is delivered within NHSGGC, will focus on delivering a raft of service improvements to support and ease pressures faced across acute sites.'
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
MSP begs John Swinney to invest in safe spaces for kids after girls battered for Snapchat
Labour's Paul O'Kane made the plea after Hope Lyden and Sofia Todd, both 13, were "senselessly" battered in public in his constituency last month. An MSP has begged First Minister John Swinney to invest in safe spaces for kids after two schoolgirls were brutally beaten and filmed on Snapchat in his constituency. Labour's Paul O'Kane made the plea after Hope Lyden and Sofia Todd, both 13, were "senselessly" battered in public last month. The West of Scotland representative raised the matter at First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday. Speaking to Swinney, he said: "This month in my West Scotland region two young girls were brutally assaulted by other teenagers just days apart. The incidents were recorded and shared widely on social media. "I'm sure the whole parliament will agree with me when I say these incidents are unacceptable and will join me in my concerns that these are among an increasing list of incidents across the country. "The answer so far from the government to the wider issue seems to have been that the Education Secretary has led a number of summits on the issue. "Surely an important part of the response from the government has to be more safe places and local facilities for young people. "So, can I ask the First Minister what decisive action will his government finally take to tackle these issues, reverse years of cuts and closures to youth centres, clubs and programmes due to the chronic underfunding of local authorities by this government. "Or, is he simply going to instruct the Cabinet Secretary for Education to hold yet another talking shop?" O'Kane made the plea to Swinney as part of the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future campaign, which was launched two years ago in response to an epidemic of youth violence in Scotland. Our Kids ... Our Future has demanded the Scottish Government to ring-fence funding in safe spaces for kids in every community, where they can be nurtured, mentored and guided. In addition, we have called on social media giants to introduce robust measures to ensure violent clips of teens do not circulate on platforms. As part of the campaign, the Record secured a monumental summit for victims and their families to speak directly with the First Minister earlier this year. The event was held at St Andrew's House in Edinburgh and gave young victims the opportunity to tell ministers how their assaults and the impact of social media affected them. Swinney said: "We had a gathering which I drew together as a consequence of the initiative taken by some families who were affected by the unacceptable violence that Mr O'Kane refers to and initiated by the Daily Record. I was pleased to host that summit on January 13 with cross-party representation. "We listened to the voices of young people. We are taking a number of measures through the various awareness campaigns that we take forward and are mentors in violence reduction programmes which are delivered to over 200 schools across the country. "We invest in facilities around the country through a variety of different inventions in the government's budget which deliver a real-terms increase to local authorities and their funding, which also supports third-sector interventions to meet the needs of communities around the country." Last month, we told how Hope was set upon by a gang of girls not known to her after she was accused of speaking about another youngster at Boden Boo in Erskine on April 11. Disturbing footage taken from the incident shows the child being knocked unconscious before attackers dragged her limp body through a field by her hair. Days later, Sofia was beaten by two girls while she enjoyed a meal with her friends at the Black Rooster restaurant in Paisley. Sofia was left with a burst lip, covered and bruises and "traumatised" after bullies used her Snapchat location to pin her down. A video of the sickening ordeal shows the schoolgirl being dragged from a booth before she suffers multiple blows and stamps to her head. Both clips of Sofia and Hope went viral on Snapchat.
The Herald Scotland
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Chapman defends trans rights after surviving Tory bid to oust her
MSPs voted by four to three against with Labour MSP Paul O'Kane backing the Tory MSP's motion. 'I am also very grateful to the many trans and non-binary people and allies who have been in touch with me over the last two weeks to tell me their stories," said Ms Chapman in a statement released after the vote. "It's been devastating to hear about the exclusion and prejudice they or their loved ones have faced, and how worried they are for the future. 'The focus should not be on me, it should be on the outcomes of the ruling and the serious threat that is being posed to the rights of trans and non-binary people. "I have never questioned the Court's right to make the ruling that it did. But that does not mean that I must agree with it. I don't, and I am very concerned about the impact it will have and is already having. 'Over recent years a toxic culture war has seen trans people and their loved ones being targeted and demonised by too many politicians and large parts of the media. 'I will always stand up and advocate for trans and non-binary people. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is also my job to stand up for my constituents. 'Some of my constituents are trans or non-binary. Others have trans or non-binary children, parents, siblings, friends. They deserve representation as who they are. I will not stop being a vocal trans ally.' Even if the motion had passed, the Scottish Parliament as a whole would have had to vote on the matter before Ms Chapman could be removed. On April 16, the UK's highest court ruled the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. During a subsequent transgender rights rally in Aberdeen, Ms Chapman had condemned what she called the 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court'. Other political leaders said these remarks were wrong, while the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates branded them 'appalling'. The Green MSP defended her comments when speaking to journalists last week, saying 'the Supreme Court didn't speak to a single trans person'. Ms White's motion was the first item of business when the committee met on Tuesday. It was supported by her Conservative colleague Pam Gosal. Also on the committee are one Labour and three SNP MSPs – including convener Karen Adam, who has the casting vote in the event of a tie.
