The Green Party in Northern Ireland
BREAKING NEWS
For all press enquiries call Joanna Braniff on 0780 8862141 or email joanna.braniff@party.niassembly.gov.uk
May 17, 2012
LORD WHITTY CONCLUDES THAT DSD IS FAILING TO TACKLE FUEL POVERTY IN NORTHERN IRELAND
North Down Green MLA Steven Agnew has called on the
Executive to urgently re-examine its strategy on tackling fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.
The Green Party Leader’s
comments came after a briefing by Lord Whitty at this morning’s ETI Committee on his report entitled Energising Northern Ireland.
The report was commissioned by the Consumer Council in 2010 to undertake an independent review of energy policy in Northern
Ireland.
It concluded that the Department of Social Development is failing to tackle fuel poverty in an effective manner
and makes clear that reduction in fuel poverty and decarbonisation of energy supply needs to be considered as being equally important policy objectives as cost and security of
supply.
Mr Agnew asked Lord Whitty directly if it was his opinion that currently in Northern Ireland this was not the
case and he stated that in his opinion that it wasn’t.
“Clearly the approach that is currently being taken is not
working,” Mr Agnew said.
“Eight of the Northern Ireland Executive Departments plus the Utility Regulator influence
energy-related matters and this makes energy policy overly complex given the small size of the market.
“This leads to a
piecemeal approach which is not providing direct relief for hard-pressed families which are spending on average over £1000 more per year for their energy needs than households in
GB.
“The current approach we have is both ineffective and inefficient as we have a disconnected system with a
combination of one-off winter fuel payments and Housing Executive double-glazing window replacement schemes.
“What we
need is a comprehensive energy efficiency audit of both private and social housing and then we need to address energy efficiency requirements of the housing stock area by
area.
“The Department of Social Development was given a very modest budget of £4 million to pilot the Green New Deal
solution which promotes an area by area approach to addressing fuel poverty and energy efficiency.
“But now the
Department of Social Development is looking for other ways to spend that money rather than concentrating on an area by area approach.
“The current policy of the Warm Homes Scheme is not efficient because it is too much of a scatter-gun approach and this is not the best use of
public money and not the best way to tackle fuel poverty.
“Evidence from other areas such as Kirklees clearly shows that
an area by area approach is the best model to tackle fuel poverty.
“Given that Northern Ireland’s level of fuel
poverty is the worst in any part of Great Britain and Ireland and there is no chance of the 2016 target for the elimination of fuel poverty being reached, a new joined strategy is urgently
required.”
May 14, 2012
GREEN MLA BACKS CALL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ACT FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
North Down Green MLA
Steven Agnew is backing the call for a Climate Change Act for Northern Ireland.
Mr Agnew met with
North Down residents at a Stop Climate Chaos event held in Stormont last week to discuss the need for a Climate Change Bill.
“I believe that there are strong moral, economic and social and environmental imperatives for Northern Ireland to cut its
emissions in order to play its part in combatting climate change,” Mr Agnew said.
“It’s is
not whether or when climate change will happen – it’s happening now.
“Hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable are being put at risk of drought, flood, starvation and disease.
“In developing nations where people are heavily dependent on agriculture, climate change means they are not
getting the necessary yields required to survive and flourish.
“This situation was
highlighted to me by Christian Aid and Trocaire which are working in these countries and they have seen the impact of climate change first hand.
“But the predicted devastation is not limited to the developing world – key economic centres like
London, New York and Tokyo are also threatened by rising sea levels.
“Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that does not have binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions yet our household emissions are 39% above the UK
average.
“Tougher targets need to be set in Northern Ireland and we must
recognise the role we have to play in tackling what represents a real threat to humanity.
“We have to make tackling climate change a key priority which needs to be taken into consideration when forming other environmental and economic legislation.
“Introducing Northern Ireland Climate Change Act with specific targets in within the next years would
ensure that all Executive departments work towards reducing our carbon footprint over the next four decades.
“If we act now we can help protect everyone’s future. That is why I backing the call for a Northern
Ireland Climate Change act with legally binding targets to reduce our emissions.”
North Down Green Party MLA Steven Agnew hosted an event to promote Co-operative housing at Stormont, in his role as Chair of the All Party Group on Co-operativesMay 9, 2012
GREEN MLA HOSTS EVENT AT STORMONT TO PROMOTE CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING
North Down Green Party MLA Steven Agnew hosted an event to promote co-operative housing at Stormont in his role as Chair of the All Party Group on
Co-operatives.
The event was organised to promote the concept of co-operative housing schemes in Northern Ireland as a response to the current financial and housing crisis and as a
long-term strategy to allow residents to have greater control of their residential needs.
“Housing co-operatives have a long and successful history in many countries,” Mr Agnew said.
“However, Northern Ireland has failed to provide means for tenants to be enfranchised by collective home-ownership.
“Housing co-operatives provide an opportunity for the occupants of houses to have more control over their lives and to take responsibility for ensuring high standards of
maintenance and building quality.
“Instead of large remote landlords, the co-operative model provides a caring and personal way of carrying out housing management.
“They can also provide a range of innovative and flexible solutions to housing finance.
“They also allow tenants to take collective decisions and foster a sense of community which leads to lower levels of crime and higher standards of
maintenance.
“The transfer of housing from the Housing Executive to a form of housing association ownership presents an opportunity to make tenants co-operative home owners, allowing
them to elect their own board of directors and endorse a progressive form of homeownership which allows them to buy equity in their homes in easy stages if they wish.
“Every part of the British Isles has introduced various forms of Co-operative housing except Northern Ireland – it is a direction that we need to explore.
“Although, I am aware of some small developments which may lead to co-operative housing being established.
“The decision of the All Party Assembly Group to invite housing experts from Great Britain and the Republic is important as it would be a mistake to transfer NIHE stock
before democratic control is given a fair chance without the model of co-operatives being considered.
“I hope today’s event will provide an opportunity to highlight another alternative to housing which has the tenants well-being at its heart.
“I call on government to create the right framework in which housing co-operatives can flourish and I would also ask civic society to look at what has been achieved in
other parts of these islands and consider taking on the challenge themselves.
Speakers at the event included David Rodgers from the Co-operative Development Society, Nic Bliss from the Confederation of Co-operative Housing and Niall O’Keeffe from
NABCO.
May 3, 2012
‘NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN RENEWABLES’ SAYS AGNEW
North Down Green MLA Steven Agnew has welcomed the Utility Regulator’s comments at today’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee meeting when the Regulator Mr
Lynch described investment in renewables as a ‘win/win’ for consumers and industry alike.
“This is something that Green Party has argued all along,” Mr Agnew said.
“While Finance Minister Wilson and other political leaders have undermined the renewables industry at every turn, my party has always maintained that investment in
renewables will be good for the economy, people and environment.
“Those who have claimed in the past that investment in renewables would drive electricity prices up have been scaremongering and the figures presented by the regulator
today prove that they were wrong.
“The network charge aspect of domestic electricity bills, under the current Utility Regulator proposal, would come down by approx. 12 per cent on average.
“In time of recession, we should be championing growth industries like renewables along with agri-business and tourism.
“But unlike agriculture and tourism sectors there has been a failure to send a clear signal to the renewable industry that they have the full support of the Northern
Ireland Executive.
“Whilst Scotland has great ambition for the renewable energy sector and the contribution it came make to its economy in terms of job creation, investment and fuel
security, our Finance Minister has continually sought to undermine the industry.
“This attitude and unwillingness to embrace renewable energy sources will hold our economy back.
“Now is the time to look again at the renewable energy sector as it clearly has a lot to offer our economy.”
April 30, 2012
GREEN PARTY STRESSES THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE MARINE BILL
In a submission to the Stormont Assembly’s Environment Committee, the Green Party in Northern Ireland has welcomed the introduction of the Marine Bill but stressed the need for a more comprehensive set of proposals.
Green Party Leader Steven Agnew MLA said: “The introduction of the Marine Bill to the Assembly offers a real opportunity for Northern Ireland policymakers to learn from the best practices in other places in Europe, which have more extensive experience in marine management.
“However, there are a number of gaps in the Bill and I will be highlighting these when it comes before the Assembly.”
Green Party Environment spokesperson Mark Simpson said: “It is unfortunate that there is no proposal in the Bill for the consolidation of local marine management into a single organisation.
“This is despite the Marine Task Force’s estimate that a single organisation would save taxpayers around £100,000 per year and would solve some of the problems in trying to get Government departments to work together.
“A single organisation would also help to act as a one-stop-shop for marine issues and would be best placed to act against environmental violations.
“The absence of a proposal to consolidate the management of fisheries is an opportunity wasted.
“I also remain concerned that the proposals in the Marine Bill as they stand are incompatible with the Aarhus Convention, the purpose of which is to protect people’s access to justice and which the UK signed up to in 1998.
“I hope that the shortcomings identified and the recommendations made in the Green Party’s submission to the Environment Committee will be taken into account by MLAs and will result in a more robust piece of legislation with sustainable economics at its core.”
GPNI Marine Bill Submission to Committee
Marine Bill - Green Party submission to [...]
Microsoft Word document [30.3 KB]
Left to right Dr Bronagh Byrne (Centre for Effective Education, Queens University Belfast), Green MLA Steven Agnew, Green Party Researcher Ross Brown, and event moderator Shannon O’Connell today at the launch of Mr Agnew’s Private Member’s Bill calling for a Statutory Duty to Co-Operate on Children’s Services
April 25, 2012
GREEN MLA LAUNCHES PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN
North Down Green Party MLA Steven Agnew today launched his Private Member’s Bill calling for the introduction of a Statutory Duty to Co-operate on Children’s Services.
Speaking at the event held in the Long Gallery in Stormont, the Green Party Leader said: “Children are one of our society’s most valuable assets and a joined up strategy of co-operation between Executive departments when it comes to planning, commissioning and delivery of children’s services will pay dividends in the future.
“Legislation is needed to change the culture of our Executive departments which currently operate in isolation.
“Unlike other regions of the UK, Northern Ireland does not have a statutory duty to co-operate on these services and therefore children in Northern Ireland are losing out.
“Northern Ireland has one of the highest rates of child poverty and neglect in the UK and we need our Executive to step up to the mark to put structures in place to protect the most vulnerable.
“If we are serious about tackling the disadvantages faced by many children in Northern Ireland in terms of improving health and educational outcomes then we need to ensure that they get the best start in life.
“We need to use what limited resources we have as efficiently as possible and that means getting departments to work together and moving beyond a ‘silo mentality’.
“The historical situation of governance in Northern Ireland and lack of political accountability has led to an inefficient system where each department works in isolation.
“Now is the time to challenge that model and open up channels of co-operation which will ultimately lead to better services and better outcomes for children.
“I believe that we must move beyond simply consulting with each other and start working together for the benefit of children and families in Northern Ireland.
“That is why I want to bring forward legislation that will have positive and tangible benefits for the future generations.”
A delegation of concerned Fermanagh residents opposed to ‘Fracking’ travelled to Stormont to present a petition with over 2800 signatures to Green Party MLA Steven Agnew ahead of his motion proposing a moratorium in Northern Ireland
Issued on December 6, 2011
GREEN MLA
WELCOMES MOTION CALLING FOR MORATORIUM ON FRACKING
North Down Green MLA Steven Agnew has expressed his delight after his motion to introduce a moratorium on ‘hydraulic fracturing’ was passed in the Assembly today.
“I am pleased that the Assembly took this position on Fracking for gas in Northern Ireland which remains a controversial issue.
“It sends a clear message to the Executive that we need to put the brakes on Fracking in areas like Fermanagh until more research into its safety is carried out,” Mr Agnew said.
“A lot of people have put a lot of hard work into the campaign against Fracking and I want to pay credit to all those people who travelled to Stormont today from Fermanagh and beyond to highlight this issue.
“I particularly want to pay credit to Fermanagh-native Dawn Bourke who started the online-petition and has helped co-ordinate the campaign from her home in the States where she has seen first-hand the damage caused by Fracking.
“Ultimately, the decision on whether Fracking will now take place in Northern Ireland now lies in the hands of the Executive.
“We are calling on Minister Foster to listen to the will of the Assembly and introduce a moratorium on Fracking in Northern Ireland.
“But it is important to remember that this is only the first stage of this process and we urge the public to keep the pressure on their local politicians to make sure the moratorium is applied.
“This issue is too important to play party politics with and I am pleased The Green Party was able to act as hub to bring other parties together to work for the good of the people in Northern Ireland on such an important issue.”
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