Campaign News

Momentum is building for Lough Neagh to move into public ownership, Mid-Ulster Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy has declared.

Mr Molloy was speaking after meeting Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and Conor Corr from Rural Community Networks.

Mr Molloy said:

“I am very encouraged by the momentum building in favour of Lough Neagh hopefully moving into public ownership. Minister Michelle O’Neill is leading the executive’s cross-departmental work and is moving quickly to bring forward recommendations.

“There is widespread interest and enthusiasm from all of the Lough’s stakeholders for this agenda. The Lough is a huge eco system on which many people depend for their livelihood and indeed their life through the supply of drinking water so it important that it is managed properly.

“It is important in coming months that – with so many competing activities around the Lough - everyone works together towards supporting Minister O’Neill’s initiative for longer-term commercial, social, leisure and environmental goals.

“On behalf of Sinn Féin, I will continue to promote the need for the Lough to be brought under public ownership.”

Sinn Féin MLA and candidate in the Mid Ulster by-election Francie Molloy has welcomed the boost to education facitilies in Edendork, Cookstown and Coalisland.

Mr Molloy was commenting after Sinn Féin Education Minister John O’Dowd announced the creation of the Schools Enhancement programme in addition to a potential capital investment of £212 million in new school builds.

“I very much welcome today’s announcement by the Minister O’Dowd that a fund will be made available for schools to carry out enhancement works.

“A total of £220m will be invested which will advance 22 new school build projects across the north, including a proposal to provide a new build solution to service the needs of three Mid Ulster schools, Holy Trinity College in Cookstown, Gaelscoil Uí Néill in Coalisland and Edendork Primary School.

“This is extremely welcome news. Not only will it boost the education experience of thousands of pupils in the coming years but in the current financial climate it will also provide work for those in the building and maintenance trade who have been hit hardest during the downturn in construction industry.”

Francie Molloy MLA has called for a comprehensive all Ireland Road Safety Strategy to ensure the continued downward trend in the number of road deaths across Ireland.

2012 recorded Ireland’s lowest number of road fatalities with 209 deaths, compared to 245 deaths in 2011.

Francie Molloy MLA said,

“While road deaths across Ireland are at an all-time low, there are still too many unnecessary and preventable deaths happening on our roads. I extend my sympathy and condolences to all the 209 families who have lost a loved one in the last year.”

“A number of factors have ensured a steady decrease in road deaths in recent years. These include the completion of a number of major roads, and a behavioural change in drivers which has been guided by the very effective public awareness campaigns on road safety. Those campaigns have encouraged people to slow down, wear their seat belt and never ever drive while under the influence of drink or drugs. I would encourage people to continue to heed these very important messages which literally save lives.”

“Sinn Fein believes that we need to work together on this island, and pool our collective wisdom to deal with the issue of road safety on an all-Ireland basis.”

MID-ULSTER Westminster by election candidate Francie Molloy has said those advocating a unionist unity candidate are ‘stuck in the past’.

Francie Molloy MLA said,

"Sinn Féin are too busy working for all the people of Mid Ulster, to be distracted by this notion of a unionist unity candidate. The proponents of this are stuck in the past and solely obsessed with blocking Sinn Féin. We are committed to delivering on our forward looking and progressive programme of change."

At a selection convention held in Gulladuff this evening Sinn Féin have selected Mid Ulster MLA and longstanding party activist Francie Molloy to contest the Mid Ulster By Election when Martin McGuinness vacates the seat.

Martin McGuinness said,

"As you will be aware the party recently made a decision to end the practice of double-jobbing in the political institutions in the North.

“In line with this new policy in the coming weeks I will resign my Westminster seat to focus on my duties as Joint First Minister.

“It is a great honour for me to propose Francie Molloy and for Michelle O’Neill MLA to second him as candidate to contest the forthcoming Mid Ulster by-election.

“Francie Molloy has been active in political and community life since his teens. He was one of the first people in his area to join the Civil Rights Movement and has been involved in local and national political life ever since, having first been elected in 1985. He was also Director of Elections for Bobby Sands.

“Francie will make an exceptional MP and representative for the people of mid-Ulster.

Francie Molloy added,

“I am delighted to be selected to represent the party in the forthcoming by election in Mid Ulster. The party has been represented by Martin McGuinness since 1997 and although he will be a hard act to follow if elected I will endeavour to serve the people of Mid Ulster with the same determination and fortitude in improving the lives of all the citizens of the area.

“I would like to thank the local party for having the confidence in me to allow me to contest this election and organizing the convention tonight.”

Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy said that the Chair of the Environment Committee at Stormont Anna Lo should remain neutral when it comes to the issue of national parks.

The Mid Ulster MLA and member of the Environment Committee said:

“As chair of the Environment Committee Anna Lo should remain neutral when it comes to the issue of national parks.

“She has in fact been advocating support for the parks. As chair of the committee Anna Lo should remain neutral and reflect the views of the committee and not those of the Alliance party.

“There is widespread concern throughout the North regarding these parks. The Environment Minister Alex Attwood should respect the wishes of the people that live in the areas targeted for the parks and withdraw the threat of imposing them.”

Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy said the Environment Minister needs to state clearly that the d'Hondt mechanism will be employed in the new councils.

The Mid-Ulster MLA who is a member of the Assembly’s Environment Committee said:

“We need a guarantee from the Environment minister Alex Attwood that d'Hondt will be the mechanism used to allocate positions within the various new councils.

“It should also be employed when dealing with the related posts outside the council. This will ensure that there is proper representation for all the people when it comes to the decision making process and how council resources are distributed and managed.”

Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy has welcomed the announcement by the Earl of Shaftesbury that he is willing to discuss the future of Lough Neagh with the Assembly.

Mr. Molloy said,

“The Lough is a huge eco system on which many people depend upon for their livelihood and indeed their life through the supply of drinking water so it important that it is managed properly.

“I welcome the Earl of Shaftesbury’s willingness to discuss the future of the Lough and his emphasis on the needs of the people who live along side and those who work the Lough to be put at the forefront of any decisions to be made.

“In my meeting with the Earl today he confirmed that land owners whose land abuts the shoreline will be able to have this land transferred to them for minimum sum, this is big step forward and I welcome this gesture from the Earl.

“I believe it is in the best interests of everyone that the Lough comes under public ownership so that it can managed to the benefit of all the users and those living alongside it.

“The working group in the Assembly should immediately set up the meeting requested by the Earl and move the acquisition of the Lough to the next stage.