The UUP has hit out at a Sinn Fein MLA for criticising the DRD Roads Service (Transport NI) and its staff .
MLA Phil Flanagn is being accused by MP Tom Elliott of implying the organisation had effectively acted in a sectarian manner.
Tom Elliott was speaking after Mr Flanagan last week tweeted: 'Roads Service wouldn't know there was a (GAA) match on. They know where the 12th was this year though. New surfaces for Kesh for it.'
Mr Elliott MP said: "Phil Flanagan is known to be one of the most gaffe prone politicians in Northern Ireland when it comes to social media, and this is certainly not the first occasion when he has made outlandish remarks on the internet. What makes these latest remarks more serious however is the fact that this time he has disgracefully smeared an entire reputable public organisation that provides employment right across Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
"By so publicly comparing the supposed attitude of Transport NI to the Twelfth of July celebrations in Kesh and the all-Ireland GAA quarter-finals at the weekend, the Sinn Fein MLA really was engaging in the worst form of gutter politics. With all the problems Northern Ireland still has, the last thing we need is people trying to stir-up divisions in areas where they simply do not exist.
"Mr Flanagan is correct to highlight that Kesh has benefited from improvements to its road infrastructure, but so too have other villages right across Fermanagh, not to mention the many miles of rural roads in-between. The Kesh project will benefit all who use the village, including the many tourists who visit the area. This investment is proof of Ulster Unionist Minister Danny Kennedy's commitment to investing in areas across Northern Ireland despite the budgetary pressures he is facing.
"In fact if Phil Flanagan and the rest of his Sinn Fein colleagues were not determined to throw away over two million pounds every single week in fines as a result of their U-turn on implementing welfare reform, then even more money for investment and public services could be made available locally."
(CD)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
20/11/2024
MDE has been awarded the electrical services contract for the Clondalkin School Development Project in Dublin. Working alongside Cunningham Contracts Ltd., the company will serve as the specialist electrical contractor for the construction of new facilities for Gaelscoil na Camóige, Gaelscoil ...
20/11/2024
In celebration of European Week for Waste Reduction, the Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) has launched an environmental education programme to promote zero-waste principles among young people. Three schools from the ABC Borough—St Francis Primary School in Lurgan, St Patrick's Primary ...
20/11/2024
Work has begun at hospital sites across Northern Ireland as part of preparations to eliminate car parking charges by May 2026. Health and Social Care Trusts are installing the necessary infrastructure for a new traffic management system, following the passing of the Hospital Parking Charges Act by ...
20/11/2024
Fine Gael has accused Sinn Féin of abandoning its commitment to protect consumers from rising energy costs, claiming that the party's policies could lead to increased costs for 2.1 million customers. The criticism comes after Sinn Féin's alternative budget last month proposed retaining the ...
20/11/2024
SDLP Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Patsy McGlone has urged Minister Andrew Muir to take decisive action to protect the environment, rather than launching additional reviews. The comments came after Minister Muir announced a review into environmental governance during an ...
20/11/2024
Alliance Strangford MLAs Kellie Armstrong and Nick Mathison, along with Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly, recently visited the tidal research experiment at Queen's University Marine Laboratory (QML) in Strangford. The project, funded by the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE), is ...
19/11/2024
Phoenix Energy has been awarded an international standards accreditation from the British Standards Institution (BSI) in recognition of its inclusive service approach for customers in vulnerable situations. The certification highlights Phoenix Energy's commitment to providing fair, flexible, and ...
19/11/2024
Seating Matters is investing £3.7 million to enhance and improve its manufacturing facilities in Limavady and L'Derry. The company is aiming to support its bold strategy to triple revenue by 2027. Making the announcement while visiting the company's Limavady site Economy Minister Conor Murphy ...
19/11/2024
SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has urged the Minister and the Executive to take immediate action to address problems within Northern Ireland Water. Mr Durkan warned that the current state of the wastewater system is creating significant delays for infrastructure projects across ...
19/11/2024
Galway City Council will hold a public information evening on affordable housing on Monday, November 25, 2024, from 4pm to 8pm at the Connacht Hotel, Old Dublin Road, Galway. The event will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about how affordable housing operates. Council staff will be ...