Paul Givan Named As NI s New First Minister DUP leader Edwin Poots has named Paul Givan as his choice for Northern Ireland s next First Minister.
The 39-year-old assembly member represents Poots own Lagan Valley constituency and backed Poots in his leadership campaign.
Traditionally, the party leader would also take on the role of First Minister, but as Mr Poots won the leadership of his party, he announced that he would not take on the role himself.
If approved by the Assembly Mr Givan would become the youngest person to lead Northern Ireland.
Mr Givan is due to take on the role from Monday 14 June.
June 9, 2021 12:38 pm
Ambitions to upgrade Northern Ireland’s recommended 82% reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero will cost an additional £900 million a year to achieve.
Civil servants warned the Stormont Agriculture Committee last week, the difference between at least 82% reduction and net-zero for Northern Ireland would actually only correspond to a 0.73% additional reduction in the UK’s overall emissions while irreversibly damaging the NI’s economy.
Cost to be borne by the Assembly
Colin Breen, DAERA’s director of environmental policy, explained on the basis of current evidence, it was likely the net-zero target outlined in the private member’s Climate Change Bill would be “highly damaging to the local economy” and would involve simply off-setting emissions with carbon credits rather than any real reduction.
Updated
Monday, 17th May 2021, 3:35 pm
Over the weekend the PSNI reportedly hand delivered at least 14 letters to individuals in Markethill about recent notified and unnotified parades in the area.
Police said the parades had breached parading legislation and Covid regulations and asked letter recipients to present themselves for interview. In recent weeks police have used a megaphone to warn participants in Markethill parades to disperse or face prosecutions.
But Mr Irwin claimed the actions of the PSNI in delivering letters to Markethill individuals stands “in stark contrast” to the police response to a pro-Palestinian parade in Armagh city centre on Saturday.
Submitting.
“Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK and Ireland with no legally binding greenhouse gas reduction targets.
“We know that Northern Ireland has an unfortunate track record of poor performance on climate. Our emissions are not falling at anywhere the same rate as those in the rest of the UK.”
She added: “Time is no longer on our side. We need to move far, and we need to move fast. Climate mitigation will impact on all aspects of people’s lives.”
The Bill, which also envisages to the establishment of a Northern Ireland Climate Office, has been supported by Sinn Fein, the SDLP, UUP, Alliance Party, People Before Profit and a number of independent MLAs.
BBC News
By Conor Macauley
Published
Stormont MLAs have agreed to move Northern Ireland s first ever climate bill to the next stage.
They voted 58 to 29 in favour after more than six hours of debate, meaning the proposed legislation will proceed to detailed scrutiny at the assembly.
It does not specify the level of reductions required in various sectors like agriculture, transport and energy.
The bill would also create the role of Climate Commissioner to oversee progress against those targets.
It is opposed by farmers, Agriculture minister Edwin Poots and his DUP party.
Mr Poots told MLAs it would be extremely detrimental to our economy .