Pat Ramsey calls on Council to Seize New Opprotunity for Brandywell Development

There is a major opportunity for Derry City Council to take a lead in the development of the Brandywell Sports Ground through moneys available from Sport Northern Ireland and the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure.

Prior to the recession, The Brandywell Development Company, had been making good progress on their business plans for a sporting, retails and office complex at the grounds that would provide long term economic sustainability for the club. However, it is my understanding that in the current economic climate it is unrealistic to expect those plans to be progressed and they will have to be put on hold.

However, there are opportunities for other sources of funding. Some of them were recently identified in the SDLP economic document, New Priorities in Difficult Times, in which we identified £50 million of the money that had been earmarked for the Maze Stadium should now be reallocated to sports stadium improvements.

I have had a number of very positive and encouraging meetings with sports Minister Gregory Campbell, with Department of Culture Arts and Leisure officials, officials from Sport Northern Ireland and with officers from Derry City Council in relation to the development of the ground. It is clear that the Mr Campbell and his officials are very keen to see development at the Brandywell and they are very positive that they can make financial investments. We have identified alternative sources of funding for the club which would provide substantial moneys that would bring the stadium up to the standards that the fans and players have a right to expect.

Of course, this funding would not prevent or interfere with future developments by the Brandywell Development Company. Derry City Fans, officials and players have worked very hard to develop the club so that it plays at the highest level possible, both domestically and internationally. Given the standard of football and exemplary nature of the fans, it is right that they should have proper player and spectator facilities.

Derry City Council owns the Brandywell and, as landlord, the council has responsibility to take a lead on this. I have asked officials at Derry City Council to take a lead on this project, to develop a plan B and to seize the opportunity to develop the Brandywell stadium to a high standard.

New Economic Realities Need New Plans - SF and DUP Failing

SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey has dismissed the Finance Minister’s assertion that monitoring rounds replace the need for a revision of the budget.

The Foyle Assembly member said the process, which reallocates unspent money, is little more than tinkering around the edges.

"Responsible governments and business all over the world are revising their budgets and strategies to deal with the recession. The world has changed radically in the last year. Countries and organisations that recognise and adapt to that change are likely to get through the recession and emerge as leaders in the future.

"People can not understand the resistance of Sinn Fein and the DUP to overhaul the budget, targets, plans and strategies that were published by the Executive, prior to the recession.

"The assumptions that the Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy were based on no longer hold true. The targets for growth will not be reached. The money that was to be raised through selling public assets will not be raised. The target for new jobs will not be met.

"Northern Ireland needs to replace the existing strategy with a new for dealing with the recession and a new strategy for future growth. The SDLP has published a new discussion paper ‘New Priorities in Difficult Times’ which identified £400m of new money. Our document is not definitive and we will be presenting more documents detailing new strategies and investment into the future. This and future documents will demonstrate that the current strategies are wrong and should be replaced. They will demonstrate how money could be spent in ways that will give a much better return to the people of Northern Ireland."

Outrage at the Attack on Assembly Member Mitchel Mclaughlin’s Home

SDLP Pat Ramsey – "People are Outraged at the Attack on Assembly Member Mitchel Mclaughlin’s Home


“The people of Derry are outraged that another device has been left at the home of another elected representative in Derry.

“The people who are doing this are acting against the clearly expressed wishes of the people of this island. They have set themselves up as the enemies of the people and I join with all of the other people’s representatives in calling on them on them to stop their activities immediately.”