SDLP Youth Campaign officer Eamon McAuley - from Culmore in Derry - has said he was greatly ‘inspired’ by SDLP leader Mark Durkan’s speech last night
after the Foyle MP was selected to contest the 2010 Westminster election.

Commenting on the convention in the Verbal Arts Centre, Mr McAuley said:

“It was a privilege to be gathered in the company of John Hume, Mark Durkan and so many inspiring role models from the party. Mark is a true champion of the city. Over the last 4 years as MP Mark has achieved great things not
only for the Foyle constituency and the North but he has also been
instrumental in international affairs.”

Reflecting on the challenges facing the constituency, Mr. McAuley continued:

“As a young person I am aware of difficult times that lie ahead and the
challenges the city faces. It is important to have inspiring role models to
look to in these times.  I have no doubt that the precedent set by John Hume and Mark Durkan will serve to inspire young people to step up to the
challenges facing our communities and build a legacy of our own.”

SDLP Lisburn Councillor and Chair of SDLP Youth (SDLPY) Matthew McDermott and SDLP Belfast Councillor Niall Kelly visited Tiblisi, Georgia, to deliver campaign training to the Young Georgian Socialists (YGS), a youth movement in Georgia of over 4000 people.

 The young SDLP Councillors spent two days in Tiblisi helping the Georgian movement develop democratic practices and teaching them effective campaigning methods.

 Commenting Cllr McDermott said, ‘ SDLPY has developed good links with the YGS over the past year and we hope to establish a permanent program in the country to continue with the work we are doing. SDLP and SDLPY is a proudly pro European and internationalist organisation, recognising the need for greater international cooperation with other social democrats across an increasingly globalised and multi cultured world.

 ‘ We delivered a comprehensive campaigning workshop and discussed our own experiences here in Northern Ireland.’

 Cllr Kelly continued, ‘ Georgia is a country which has been in a state of transformation since the Rose Revolution in 2003. The past six years has seen massive change in the Country and for the first time in many years the voices of young people are beginning to be heard.

“We in the SDLP are proud to do what we can to help our friends in the YGS develop their organization and to articulate their views to the wider Georgian public.

END

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niallkellysdlp/4075721706/ 
 

SDLPY Chair Cllr Matthew McDermott was part of an SDLP delegation that met with Irish Environment Minister, John Gormley TD to discuss North South arrangements, Climate Change and the SDLPY campaign “The Countdown is on” regarding international climate talks in Copenhagen.

The delegation included Chair of Assembly Environment Committee Dolores Kelly MLA, Chair of the Assembly Enterprise Trade and Investment Committee Alban Maguinness MLA and Chair of SDLPY Cllr Matthew McDermott.  

After the meeting Cllr McDermott said, ‘ The SDLP pushed the Minister to press the DUP and SF to have Climate Change included on the agenda of North South meetings. As it is not on the agenda it can’t be discussed at these meetings, which is an absurd situation.

‘ The go slow approach of the two ruling parties is unacceptable; if we don’t act on climate change now, future generations face disaster in so many ways.

Regarding the SDLPY campaign Cllr McDermott said, ‘ Climate Change is the most important issue facing my generation and the agreement being sought in Copenhagen in December is crucial. I outlined to the Minister that SDLPY will be rolling out a campaign throughout November, visiting our schools and seeking signatures to an online petition from our students, of all ages.

‘ These are the people that generally don’t have a vote but want a voice. The petition will be calling for a 40% cut in emissions by 2025 and an assistance fund for developing countries to adopt. It will be delivered to the Irish and British governments before they embark for Copenhagen.

SDLP youth chair Cllr Matthew McDermott has criticised the Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his proposal to sell off the Student Loan Book in the proposed list of assets to be sold off and warned that the review into student fees must not reflect the wishes of Vice Chancellors but rather represent the needs of students, particularly our most vulnerable.

Matthew said, ‘ Gordon Brown has proposed selling off government assets to offset the budget deficit. While this is an approach we would generally welcome to avoid severe cuts, we can’t support the selling off of the student loan book. Selling this off will undoubtedly lead to higher interest rates for students in the future. It is a shortsighted move that is ill thought out and does not represent the wishes of the vast majority of students.

‘ Add this to the fact that University UK (UUK) the body representing UK Vice Chancellors has called for a rise in fees to about £5 000 per year and the CBI has called for ‘restricted’ maintenance grants and this equals a bad deal for students. 

‘ The government will be reviewing all this in November and we will be asking our SDLP MP’s to make representations to the government opposing these moves and join the Labour Backbenchers organising against any increase in fees.

Continuing Matthew said, ‘ SDLP Youth will also be stepping up a student awareness campaign across our universities calling on the Student Loan Book to remain in public ownership, no fee hike and no tampering of the maintenance grants.

‘ If the government goes ahead with any of these moves we are heading for a situation whereby University will only be for societies most wealthy and exclude young people from poorer backgrounds. A situation that is unsustainable.

SDLP Youth Press Officer Michelle Byrne expressed concern at the SDLP Youth Annual Conference regarding the devolution of policing and justice powers.

“Devolution is a key part of any legislative assembly. The NI Assembly has devolved all departments but one, the policing and justice department. According to the Northern Ireland Act, section 2 and schedules 2 to 6, “The Assembly is under a duty to review the arrangements for judicial appointments by 1 May 2012.” This means that the Assembly must decide on a Minister for this very crucial department. It is important that the NI Assembly and Executive show leadership and make a decision on this crucial department.”

Under the Good Friday Agreement power is distributed in accordance to each party’s mandate. The number of seats which a party holds in the executive is of course reflected by their mandate. The more votes that are given to a certain party then the more they have in the NI Executive.

Therefore, with the addition of an extra seat in the Executive you would think that the same rule would apply, that the party who deserves the seat would be the party which has mandate to it. But unfortunately not in this political situation.

According to D’Hondt, the system stipulated by the Good Friday Agreement, the SDLP would be the party entitled to the 11^th seat around the executive table. But yet surprisingly, Sinn Fein and DUP are proposing to ‘award’ the seat to the Alliance Party. 

Michelle said, “This was discussed at the conference this morning and it is obvious that the majority agree something needs to be done about when these powers will be devolved.”

Please click on image above to see (better quality) poster.

You are invited to a public meeting to discuss the current chaos in our education system.

Balmoral Hotel, Dunmurry
Tuesday 30 June
6.30pm

Panellists:

• Alex Attwood SDLP
• Paul Butler SF
• Olwin Frost Principal Oakwood IPS
• Sinead Beare Principal Christ The Redeemer PS
• Tony Gallagher QUB

*Please note that due to clashes with other events, the date for SDLP Youth Conference has changed from 27th June to 5th September 2009. We hope the new date suits better for our members, supporters, speakers and exhibitors. Please find an updated invitation with new deadlines for motions/nominations.*

Dear Member

I am delighted to announce the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 5th September from 10am to 6pm at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. All party members are invited to the Conference, and we would ask you to confirm your attendance early.

The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

At the conference, the SDLP Youth Executive for 2009/10 will be elected and we are now inviting members of the party aged 30 and under to nominate themselves to run for the positions. The eight posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, Universities & Colleges Officer, and International Officer.

The election will take place between 10am and 1pm at the conference, with counting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced thereafter. The election will be operated using the PR-STV system. To be entitled to vote, you must be a paid-up 2009 party member, aged 30 and under, on 1st September 2009.

The deadline for submitting motions for conference or nomination to run for election to the Executive is extended until 5pm on 21st August 2009, but we would still urge you to submit these as soon as possible.

If you wish to attend conference, run for election, or submit motions please contact Janine Irvine on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie

Regards,

Peter Armstrong
Chair

Katherine McCloskey
Vice-Chair

—————————————————————————————————–

Important Dates
Deadline for submitting motions 21st August 2009 5pm
Deadline for election nominations 21st August 2009 5pm
Deadline for paying membership to HQ 1st September 2009
Date of conference 5th September 2009

Dear Friend

This is a reminder that the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 27th June 2009 at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast.

All party members and supporters should have received invites to the Conference, and we are asking that you to confirm your attendance, submit motions, and put forward nominations for Youth Executive as soon as possible by contacting Janine Irvine on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie.

Since we have been busy electioneering, we have extended the deadline for Submitting motions and Election Nominations to Monday 15th June 2009 5pm.

Election Nominations - The Youth Executive posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, Universities & Colleges Officer, and International Officer. I would encourage all members to consider running for a position, or suggesting members that you think should run.

Submitting Motions - The motions passed at Youth Conference help us to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year. Motions passed at Youth Conference are put forward to Party Conference and in many cases become SDLP party policy.

Regards,

Peter Armstrong

Chair
SDLP Youth

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is protesting outside Laganside Courts on Thursday 11th June 2009 at 9.30am to support Suzanne Breen the Northern editor of the Sunday Tribune newspaper. Please join them to show your support for the protection of journalists and their sources.
The SDLP Executive vowed to support Suzanne Breen on 9th June.

Support Suzanne Breen on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= … 092&ref=nf

Sign the petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectsources/

Background:

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=1226

SDLP Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly has said a threat from a man in a balaclava armed with an air gun will not deter her from serving her constituents.

Ms Kelly was confronted by a man at Kilwilkie Gardens in Lurgan on Tuesday evening who told her to get out of the town or she would be shot. Ms Kelly was helping to canvass the area ahead of the upcoming European Election.

She said: “We had two teams of canvassers in Kilwilkie and I did notice a crowd of young fellas in a car pull up. They drove off again so I thought nothing of it until I heard someone say my name and saw a young man in a balaclava, who told me in no uncertain terms that I was to leave the area or I would be shot. He had what seemed to be an air gun. He also threatened another member of my party and pointed the gun directly at his face.

“Let me make this very clear to those people who think they can intimidate me or my party - they will not. This is an affront to democracy. I am proud to be an elected representative for this area and a young thug like that will not deter me from my work.

“This type of person offers nothing to the community. There was a teenage girl with me helping me canvass. This person thinks he’s being a big man by threatening us, but he’s the opposite. A coward is too good a word for him.

“The matter is now with the PSNI and for the safety of those with me I decided to finish canvassing for the evening after the incident. This, however, will not stop me from doing what I was democratically elected to do - to serve the community. I wish it to be known that the SDLP fought for civil rights and we will not let an incident like this keep us from helping the good people of Lurgan.”