SCHOOL EDITION 22 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 4
4
NEWS
FARMWEEK
JANUARY 28 2021
McAleer urges
departmental
co-operation
on road gritting
S
INN Fein MLA Declan McAleer has
called on the Roads Minister to work
in partnership with the DAERA and
Health Ministers to deliver a more
effective solution to winter gritting
on rural roads.
Mr McAleer said: “I have been inundated
with calls recently from people in rural
areas regarding the need for more gritting in
isolated rural areas.
“Whilst I understand that DFI treat 28
per cent of roads on the primary network
carrying 80 per cent of trafc, this statistic
masks very serious issues of isolation and
health concerns among thousands of rural
dwellers who cannot get into or out of their
homes or get essential supplies in and out.
“I have been contacted by domiciliary care
workers attempting to attend vulnerable
people in their homes but unable to get there
due to the road conditions.
“I have also been in touch with many
farmers in need of feed supplies for their
animals and milk collection lorries to access
their farms, but have got stuck or delayed by
icy and dangerous conditions.”
Mr McAleer continued: “Given the
disproportionate impact this issue has in
rural areas with widespread health and
well-being concerns, I believe that other
departments such as DAERA and Health
should play a part with DFI Roads to make
the gritting operation more effective for
isolated areas. I have written to Ministers
Mallon, Poots and Swann with this proposal.
I believe a more
efcient and
streamlined approach
to recruiting
farmers, contractors
and community
organisations to
clear local roads
could be achieved to
compliment the DFI
operation.
Declan McAleer
Poots planning to abolish
Agricultural Wages Board
AGRICULTURE Minister
Edwin Poots has
announced his intention
to commence the process
to revoke the Agricultural
Wages (Regulations)
(Northern Ireland) Order
1977, which will abolish the
Agricultural Wages Board
(AWB) in Northern Ireland.
The role of the AWB is to
set minimum rates of pay
and conditions for workers
in agriculture.
Mr Poots said: “The
Agricultural Wages
Board was established in
Northern Ireland around 80
years ago, when there was
less protection for workers.
However, various pieces
of legislation have been
introduced over the years
to greatly improve the level
of protection afforded to all
workers, in areas covering
minimum wage, holiday
entitlement and sick pay.
“More recently, the
introduction of the
National Living Wage
has further reduced the
necessity of the AWB and
in my view there remains
little justication for the
agricultural sector to be the
only industry subject to the
special considerations of a
wage board.
“Therefore, I have
instructed my ofcials to
put in place arrangements,
subject to Executive
agreement and the
completion of necessary
impact assessments, for
the Assembly to consider
legislation regarding
the abolition of the
Agricultural Wages Board
in Northern Ireland.
“Following abolition, it is
my view that the regulatory
and administrative burden
on agricultural businesses
will be reduced and the
agricultural sector will be
brought in line with the
rest of the economy, with
all workers receiving the
protections afforded by
wider employment law and
UK minimum wage rates.
“I would like to thank the
current Chair and members
of the AWB for their work
and professionalism to
date.”
The board consists of 15
members:
n Three members
appointed by the
Minister of Agriculture,
Environment and Rural
Affairs, one of whom is
Chair of the board (one
position is currently
vacant);
n Six members nominated
by the Ulster Farmers’
Union as representatives of
agricultural employers; and
n Six members nominated
by Unite the union
as representatives of
agricultural workers’
interests.
ISSUE: Sinn Fein MLA Declan McAleer has
pressed the need for more gritting in isolated
rural areas.
“Whilst it is not possible nor desirable to be
prescriptive, I do believe that co-operation
could take many forms. For instance,
DAERA and the Department for Health could
contribute nancially to DFI to enable them
to expand the gritting operation out to more
rural roads.
“I believe a more efcient and streamlined
approach to recruiting farmers, contractors
and community organisations to clear local
roads could be achieved to compliment
the DFI operation. I also believe that a risk
register of vulnerable people should be
established to ensure that their roads are on
the priority gritting list so that carers and
the emergency service can get safe passage
to and from people’s homes.”
Mr McAleer concluded: “I commend
our frontline DFI Road workers who put
themselves at risk night and day to keep
trafc moving. However, they need more
resources and partnership from other
agencies to develop a more comprehensive
gritting network to help reduce the risk of
isolation among the most vulnerable in our
community.”
Chilling out on the Mournes
FLOCK TOGETHER: Kerrie McLaughlin from Hilltown took this picture of her sheep in the
snow on the Mournes.
Inspections target farmers outing BVD rules
FROM PAGE 1
OFFERING
FINANCE FOR:
• Dairy & Suckler Cows
• Plant & Machinery
• Commercial Vehicles
• Farm Development
Loans
• Pickups-4x4s
• Other Farming
& Business Equipment
Contact Bob Campbell
07850 324269
Jonathan Campbell
07734 347027
info@bcassetfinance.co.uk
www.bcassetfinance.co.uk
stock from BVD infected farms.
“Industry stakeholders in the
NI BVD Programme are keen
to see an acceleration of progress towards eradication and
have asked for enforcement
measures to be implemented,” he
said.
“These actions by DAERA should
help to reinforce the veterinary
advice that farmers who own
BVD positive cattle must urgently take steps to deal with
the virus in their herds and
cull persistently infected cattle
promptly.”
Ulster Farmers’ Union deputy
president William Irvine said the
spot checks were necessary to
push the programme towards
eradication – though warned that
more needed to be done.
He said: “The UFU are pleased
that DAERA are making moves
towards implementing the 2016
Order by actioning isolation
visits.
“We have made strong progress
with reductions of BVD positive
animals, but it does continue to
be a huge cost to the industry.
“The spots checks outlined in
the 2016 BVD Order will play a
crucial part in eradicating the
disease in Northern Ireland as
quickly as possible.
“However, there are more
aspects to the 2016 Order that
have not yet been applied and
this announcement is merely a
step in the right direction.
“We urge our members to be
aware of the spot checks and to
ensure that if they retain a BVD
positive animal(s) that it is being
isolated correctly.
“Every farmer must play
their part in eradicating this
disease and isolation is essential
to protect the health of the
remaining herd and the entire
livestock sector.
“Therefore, the best course
of action when a BVD positive
animal is identied, is to remove
it immediately from the remaining
herd.
“Anyone who is found to
be breaching the isolation
requirements could be prosecuted and if convicted may face
a signicant ne,” said Mr Irvine.
The number of BVD positives
has fallen signicantly in recent
months, however progress towards the complete eradication
of BVD from cattle herds in
Northern Ireland is being delayed
by the retention of BVD positive
animals by a minority of herd
keepers.
Herd keepers who have not
isolated BVD positive animals may
be prosecuted, and if convicted
may be ned up to £5,000 for a
single animal, or up to £1,000 per
animal if more than ve animals
are involved.
farm pulpit
When I look at your
heavens, the work
of your ngers, the
moon and the stars,
which you have set
in place, what is man
that you are mindful
of him, and the son of
man that you care for
him?
Psalm 8 v.3,4
Email your favourite
biblical verse to
Robert Irwin:
r.irwin@farmweek.com