Workers Party North Belfast

23/08/2024

Palestinain Solidarity March in Belfast tomorrow, leaving Writers Square at 1pm

04/07/2022

25/06/2022

Stand up, fight back! ✊🏻🚩

26/04/2022

***Statement from the Workers’ Party northern region***

The Workers’ Party have taken the decision not to stand in the NI assembly elections this May.

This decision was taken after careful consideration with branches, candidates and the Ard Comhairle.

As a Party we felt that due to limited activity during the pandemic, along with our own internal issues during that period, it would be much more effective for us to concentrate our efforts towards the local elections next year.

The Workers’ Party are not endorsing any Party or candidates in the forthcoming election however we would strongly encourage workers to use their vote to vote for parties who have shown a genuine and practical interest in improving the lives of the working class across all sections of society and who have shown a willingness to engage in open debate on all issues, including issues regarding an all Ireland economy and all issues relating to the constitutional question and the future of the island.

We also ask people to note that any party purporting to use the Workers’ Party name during this election are not the legitimate Workers’ Party. We in no way support the candidates using this banner, and would ask people to ensure that they take this into consideration when casting their vote.

11/02/2022

The Workers’ Party welcome the su***de prevention infrastructure due to begin this summer, piloting at Divis and Clifton Street bridges but we still require serious investment into our mental health services according to Gemma Weir, Workers’ Party North Belfast.

“While these preventive measures are very welcome there is a lot more to be done to tackle the root problem. Last year the statistics were shocking, showing a 30% increase over four years.”

“Official figures released for 2020 showed a total of 168 people took their own lives. Early figures for 2021 show 71 su***des between January and March alone. These are incredibly concerning numbers.”

“Research shows us, and it is unsurprising, that su***de rates are three times higer in deprived areas. Currently North Belfast has the worst provision of services in the whole of the North and the highest mental health and su***de rates.”

“We require not only serious investment into mental health services but we require a strategy that is not only fit for purpose but that will be fully implemented. We need to ensure training is available to our teachers, community workers and employers to support anyone with mental health issues and we need to prioritise public health messaging around awareness and reduce stigma.”

“As the spiralling cost of living pushes more and more workers into poverty this issue is only going to increase. We must act now before we are in crisis.”

14/01/2022

Regina Coeli House in West Belfast is the only women-only hostel in Northern Ireland providing accommodation and support to the homeless, those with addictions, mental health challenges or survivors of domestic abuse. The 21-bed facility faces the threat of impending closure as the Legion of Mary, w...

14/01/2022

13/01/2022

The Workers’ Party send their deepest condolences to the family of Ashling Murphy who was murdered in Tullamore yesterday and have called for governments, north and south to begin to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls with the seriousness it requires.

Gemma Weir, Workers’ Party representative for North Belfast said:

“This is just a shocking death and we send our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Ashling’s family and friends.”

“In Ireland, between 1996 and 2021, 244 women have died violently with 18 children dying alongside their mothers. Statistics in NI show that it is the most dangerous place on the continent for women, with more domestic violence murders per capita than anywhere else. In 2021 alone seven women were murdered as well as a toddler and baby. That’s seven women and two children in 12 months!”

“At our Ard Fheis last year we unanimously carried a motion condemning violence against women and girls in all forms. We noted the prevalence of domestic violence and abuse across all sections of society, North and South which has dramatically increased during Covid lockdowns and which has been called the ‘shadow pandemic’ by the United Nations.”

“Resources for survivors of domestic abuse are severely lacking with thousands of women and children unable to access emergency refuge accommodation and as we can currently see the Executive have no desire to fix this. At this very moment it is a shameful indictment on the Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey and her Government Party, Sinn Féin that they are not addressing the impending closure of the one womens-only hostel in the whole of the north.”

“Ending the scourge of violence against women must be a priority to ensure a healthy society. At a very immediate minimum we require an increase in funding and capacity in domestic violence refuges; A waiver scheme for survivors who should not have to pay the minimum charge for legal aid when applying for court protections; for employers across the island to implement domestic violence workplace policies and for this to become a statutory requirement for all employers, and the development of new guidance in consultation with teachers about gender equality. But most importantly we must double our efforts to ensure that women are safe when they go about their daily business and not in fear of their life.“

13/01/2022

📰 🗞 Uachtaráin Michael McCorry in this week’s Andersonstown News 🇮🇪🚩

08/01/2022

As teachers unions describe the situation for schools in the north as ‘dire’ it is vital that the Minister for Education ensures that the roll out of air infiltration units is completed quickly and efficiently according to Gemma Weir, Workers’ Party Castle DEA.

“We are in a situation where some schools have windows painted shut which seriously hinders any efforts to keep staff and students safe. Many schools are having to move to online learning in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus but that aside a major concern is temperatures in schools. The only way classrooms can have good ventilation is to open windows. Open windows in January is obviously going to make things extremely cold and uncomfortable for staff and students meaning there is a desperate need for air infiltration monitors.”

“We are in a situation where air infiltration units have been rolled out in the Republic yet here in the north a significant number of schools are yet to be provided with these. How is that possible? Teachers want to keep schools open, they are acutely aware of the need for students to not miss any more school but they also have to ensure their own safety and that of students. The Executive are not helping them to do this. Two years on and we have still not learned any lessons.”

“Rolling out C02 monitors helps no one, teachers who already have these in their classrooms are simply receiving the information that there is no circulation in the room; the need for air infiltration systems is therefore critical.”

“It is paramount that the Education Minister sets out a clear plan for keeping schools open and which puts the safety of staff and students at its core. It is apparent that the Executive are leaving it to individual schools to manage as best they can, however this is going to leave us with massive differences in provision to students with some schools unable to remain open due to staff shortages and others who will be relatively unaffected.”

“Once again the Executive have abdicated their responsibility, hiding behind risk assessments, putting the responsibility on individual principals and boards, no plan in place and no clear guidance on when or how schools should stay open. Our teachers and students deserve better.”