OUR PLAN OUR PLAN Let’S Get NI Moving AGAIN
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Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN OUR PLAN OUR PLAN Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN Introduction Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA his is the DUP’s roadmap to get a Too many fear the peace process has stalled and working Assembly and an All-Party that we are heading in the wrong direction. Taking TExecutive back. decisions locally helps with the bread and butter With busy cranes filling our skylines, employment issues, but it also provides vital stability. It bolsters at all time highs and cruises ships regularly visiting the peace and strengthens relations. And that’s our shores, the country is doing well but with good for Northern Ireland. Stormont stalled, divisions are growing. We have a comprehensive agenda for Government We are determined to get Northern Ireland that we want to see delivered. Making moving again. We are working to restore the communities stronger, streets safer and rewarding Assembly and Executive and we have ambitious hard work. Providing better jobs and family plans to transform public services including health incomes, a healthier environment and landscape, and education. We want to get decisions taken in taking pride in Northern Ireland, and reforming Northern Ireland on the issues that matter most how Government works. to you, but we need other parties to join with us I want to see the Assembly and Executive and nominate Ministers. We will work with others rejuvenated and re-energised. Others may to get things done. seek to put obstacles in the way, but the DUP It’s time to get Northern Ireland moving again. will continue to work to find a way to secure agreement. People know that a Northern Ireland Government is required to have a better healthcare system, to really get to grips with the organised gangs and criminality, and to offer the best job prospects for Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA - Leader, our young people. Democratic Unionist Party PAGE 2 Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN OUR PLAN PAGE 3 OUR PLAN Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN Our 12 Point Plan To Get Northern Ireland Moving Again 1.1 Let’s Get the Assembly 4.4 Let’s Get Our Economy Moving Again Moving Again Delivery from Westminster is much The Assembly and Westminster has helped needed but its impact is impaired by no deliver a jobs revolution in Northern Assembly. The DUP want to work with Ireland. Now it is time to do the same others to secure a balanced deal and we for skills and productivity backed up by remain willing to set up an Executive infrastructure investment and a business immediately. rates system fit for our modern economy. We want to see a sensible Brexit deal but no borders in the Irish Sea. 2.2 Let’s Get Our NHS and Mental Health Services 5.5 Let’s Continue Protecting Moving Again the Vulnerable Developing next generation healthcare The DUP were the first advocates of a by implementing Bengoa and investing mitigations package for Welfare. We in new services, GPs and health staff, want an Assembly back to produce a tackling waiting lists, embracing AI new package based on expert advice and and new technology and prioritising end the ‘Cliff Edge’ created by Sinn Fein’s prevention. A new future for mental boycott. health services by boosting prevention, leading on trauma and increasing investment to transform services. 6.6 Let’s Protect Mothers & Unborn Life Again 3. Let’s Get Our Schools 3 The dangerous vacuum of law and Moving Again guidance created by Creasy needs fixed. This must be matched by promoting Ensure the Barnett uplift in education gets a culture of choosing life in Northern to school budgets; lifting the burden of Ireland through perinatal services and bureaucracy on principals and teachers; valuing children through baby boxes an action plan on Adverse Childhood and childcare. Experiences; and 30 hours for 38 weeks childcare provision for 3-4 year olds. PAGE 4 Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN OUR PLAN 7.7 Let’s Protect Our Green 10.10 Let’s Lead the Way on and Pleasant Land Fighting Crime The DUP is committed to passing on our Northern Ireland to lead on justice natural wealth to the next generation in a innovation, tackle paramilitary criminality better state than we found it with a new and strengthening and improving our Environmental strategy and action on air, police service. land and water pollution. We will support our farmers and rural communities. 11.11 Let’s Make the Assembly Better 8.8 Let’s Protect Our Animals Better The DUP wants an Assembly back today but any new Assembly will have to Northern Ireland to lead on animal undergo far-reaching reform to deliver protection in the United Kingdom with more and deliver better. new offences and tougher sentences matched by public education. 12.12 Let’s Get Northern Ireland Celebrating Again 9.9 Let’s Build Stronger Communities Again The Centenary of Northern Ireland can become a showcase of what Northern Action to bolster social housing, Ireland and all its people have achieved. new approaches to affordable Positive celebrations exploring shared housing and improving quality in values with a physical legacy and the private let market while placing commitment to the Northern Ireland we economic regeneration at the centre will shape for the Next Generation. of community regeneration and programmes with positive social and cultural development. PAGE 5 OUR PLAN Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN Let’s Get the Assembly Moving Again ll roads lead us back to Stormont. The I am proposing that we restore an Executive DUP does not foresee, want, or seek an immediately. Put Ministers back into posts so Aalternative to the restoration of the that decisions can be made and that Northern Assembly. Ireland can have a government again. The Democratic Unionist Party never wanted the But we also agree to bring forward legislation Assembly to cease to function. Restoration was to address culture and language issues in never going to be easy but a list of preconditions Northern Ireland within a time-limited period just makes it harder. Some decided to run away to be agreed. If we fail to do that in a way that from the problems in 2017 rather than fix them. commands cross community support then the We have been and continue to be a pro- Executive would cease to exist. devolution party. Decisions made locally that This is an offer made in good faith with are directly accountable to the voters is what is Northern Ireland and its people’s best interest best for all of us whatever the challenges and at heart.” difficulties of power-sharing. This is the quickest and easiest manner in which The DUP have been ready, willing and able to a working Assembly can be restored. All other serve in an Executive and the Assembly since the political issues can be dealt with in parallel March 2017 Assembly elections. We showed our talks. This is the same approach that was used commitment a few short weeks ago when we successfully to deal with Policing and Justice tried to form an Executive. In September 2017 issues as well as Welfare Reform. our Party Leader set out a roadmap to a working There should be no doubting the DUP’s Assembly, All-Party Executive and a Fair Deal: commitment to get a working Assembly back “I am putting forward a common sense now and the DUP’s commitment to establish solution that can give us the Executive we need an All-Party Executive to deliver on the people’s and resolve outstanding issues. priorities. Let’s get Northern Ireland moving again. PAGE 6 Let’s Get NI Moving AGAIN OUR PLAN Let’s Get Our NHS Moving Again he National Health Service is a British • More than 100,000 additional patients Institution that is a top priority for diagnosed, assessed or treated from elective care Tpeople here. It is a service that since waiting lists through a £30m investment. it was founded has evolved to ensure it • £15m to support services in local health centres. can deliver healthcare free at the point • £15m for workforce development in nursing and of delivery while challenged by growing other professions. demand and keeping up with advances in medical science and care. Factors include • £30m to improve hospital and community an older population, growth in chronic services. conditions, unhealthy lifestyles and access • £5m to prevention and strengthening to new drugs or treatment regimes. communities. The DUP is committed to maintaining the NHSNI • £5m to assist with reforming services. as free at the point of delivery and ensuring it can This real investment has occurred all over face those challenges. Northern Ireland. Tangible examples include In terms of resources the DUP has consistently Day Case Elective Care Centres for varicose made Health spending a top priority and in the veins in Lagan Valley and Omagh, cataract 2016 Assembly election committed to £1 bn operations at the Mid Ulster, Downpatrick and more. This is why the DUP used its influence South Tyrone Hospitals, a new HIV prevention in London to deliver over £400m investment in clinic and £6.4m for enhancing the nursing and health. However, money alone is not the answer. midwifery workforce. Northern Ireland has the highest spend per capita A number of mental health projects were funded of all of the UK, but all too often only achieve the including suicide prevention, talking therapies, lowest outcomes. We need to invest more but we substance misuse and forensic mental health must maximise the results from our investment.