NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY TAKES ITS WORK TO BALMORAL SHOW

The Northern Ireland Assembly is bringing its work to the Balmoral Show where a range of Assembly Committees will be hosting events focusing on rural issues.

Speaker of the Assembly, Mr William Hay MLA said: “The Balmoral Show gives the Assembly and its Committees a real opportunity to engage with one of Northern Ireland’s most important constituencies: the rural community.

“Over the past year, the Assembly has sought to engage more actively with all the people of Northern Ireland and put into place a programme of roadshows and other activities. Taking part in the Balmoral Show gives the Assembly, its Committees and MLAs a further opportunity to listen to people’s concerns on a wide range of issues.”

The Assembly Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development will be holding a meeting and ‘rural roadshow’. The roadshow will allow people to put their questions to Committee members and discuss the issues that are of greatest concern to the rural community.

The Environment Committee will be highlighting road safety issues and there will be an exhibition of a ‘souped up’ car and a demonstration of how such modifications can be carried out safely.

The Regional Development Committee will be there to hear people's views on rural transport to inform the Committee's work on its Sustainable Transport Inquiry, the review of the Regional Transportation Strategy, and in preparation for legislation on the reform of public transport.

Young people will be a particular focus for the Assembly’s activities at the Show. The Committee for Employment and Learning will focus on access to further education and training and will highlight the importance of regional colleges to provide innovative training schemes, such as the FE college sector’s new ‘green’ training initiative that will support job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

The Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee will host an event on townlands that will enable people to find out more on the townland they belong to, as well as view crafts made by local artisans. The Public Accounts Committee will also be coming along to explain how MLAs examine Government spending to get value for your money.

The Assembly is also discussing plans to develop a Youth Assembly and is eager to hear people’s views on what the future Youth Assembly should do, how it will work and who its members should be.

For more information on the Northern Ireland Assembly’s visit to the 2010 Balmoral Show, go to www.yourassembly.com or follow us on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/NorthernIrelandAssembly) and twitter (http://twitter.com/niassembly).

ENDS

Media enquiries should be addressed to:
Debra Savage
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Telephone 028 9052 1405
Mobile : 07920 864221
Email: debra.savage@niassembly.gov.uk