Meeting Details

“This Council notes with concern the hugely detrimental impact that the trade border in the Irish Sea has had on supply chains between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; creating obstacles to trade where previously there were none; removing products from our supermarket shelves; putting extra pressure on struggling businesses and creating a trade imbalance between Northern Ireland and its biggest export market Great Britain; and notes with further concern that the free movement of pets between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been restricted by the agreement reached between the EU and the UK Government. 

This council regrets that the UK Government`s proposals of 2 October 2019, which included a border in the Irish Sea and border inspection posts, have led us to where we are today. The current situation is totally unacceptable and this Council should be sending a clear message to the EU and the UK Government that derogations should be in place for a period of at least one year to protect Northern Ireland`s economy.

In view of the very serious impediments to the Northern Ireland economy being created by the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, this Council will write to the Secretary of State Brandon Lewis MP calling on him to recommend that the United Kingdom Government applies safeguard measures for a period of at least one year; and for the EU and UK Government to urgently engage to remove the barriers that are disrupting trade and could lead to further problems in the future.”

“This Council recognises that hospice care is a vitally important part of our care system; considers it necessary that people approaching the end of life, their families and carers get the right care and support where and when they need it; notes that hospice staff deserve recognition for the world-class medical care and emotional support they provide not just to patients but also to their families; and looks forward to the hospice movement going from strength to strength in years to come.

Accordingly, this Council agrees to write to the Minister of Health, Robin Swann MLA, calling upon him to ensure fair and transparent funding in line with demand, and continued high quality palliative and end-of-life care.”

“This Council notes with alarm the Department of Communities Family Resources Survey 2018/2019 which show that 122,000 children in Northern Ireland live in relative poverty (24% of children) with 109,000 of those living in absolute poverty and expresses deep concern that these figures have increased significantly since the previous year and have not improved at all in the last five years. The rise of the Universal Credit claimant count and expected end of the furlough scheme could see a further increase in these numbers, with the two-child tax credit rule and benefit cap only adding to the pressure on families with children. 

This Council calls on the Minister for Communities to immediately convene a child poverty task force, to set out how her department will reduce child poverty by next year and over the next decade.”