Andrew McMurray
South Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, various greenway projects are mentioned in your statement. Those projects are to be welcomed. Recently, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council announced a feasibility study, part-funded by DFI, for a greenway between Warrenpoint, Kilkeel and Newcastle.”
“<BR /> <BR />I hope that the Minister can respond to some of those concerns directly. As I said, Alliance supports the reclassification of trust ports in principle, and we understand that that requires a limiting of the Department's powers. However, I am convinced that we need to have stronger safeguards.”
“Reclassification requires limiting some of the Department's powers, particularly the power to issue directions to trust ports. Several of my constituents have raised that with me as a major concern, and Ms Ennis also referred to it.”
“I will speak first in my role as the Alliance Party's infrastructure spokesperson and then as MLA for South Down. I echo what the Committee Chairperson said about the approach to the Bill. From the outset, it should be said that we support the ports.”
“Kilkeel and Ardglass ports have great potential for ancillary industries, such as the maintenance and security of offshore energy production. I am on the record as repeatedly calling for more investment in those areas and championing the great benefits that the blue-green economy can bring to the fishing ports in my constituency.”
“That will drive the Northern Ireland economy, and it has the potential to aid and drive the economy in South Down. Belfast Harbour would, through its master plan, like to make large-scale investments in renewable energy infrastructure but is currently severely hampered in that regard.”
The complete record
Every one of 604 lines we hold for Andrew McMurray, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 13 of 13.
“I have been lucky enough to travel the world to mess about on many a river in a boat. While it is true that there is nowhere like home, in the case of our rivers, that is usually in the form of an effluent smell. There has been a demonstrable deterioration in the water quality of our rivers over the past 10 years. Our rivers, lakes and river estuaries cannot even be deemed to be of "Good" overall status; they are merely "Moderate". That marks a deterioration and is proof that we are failing to protect them and the habitats that they provide. All that is extremely concerning and indicative of the ecological breakdown that we face. We are simply not making any inroads on the issue. When we compare ourselves with our nearest neighbours, we see that improving the status of our rivers is possible.”
“Finally, I thank my wife, children, parents and wider family for their support and love at this time. <BR /> <BR />To the motion at hand: my former career was as an outdoor pursuits instructor. That stemmed from my passion for activities in the outdoor environment: surfing, climbing and mountain biking. Kayaking on rivers was my gateway into that lifestyle. As Ratty said to Mole:”
“I was a child of the Troubles, a teenager of the peace process, a young adult during devolution and a parent during power-sharing — or not sharing, as the case has been on occasion. Stormont's timeline has mirrored my own by way of seminal chapters. To say that it is both humbling and an honour to be here is an understatement. I hope I can contribute to the institution in ways that will benefit my constituents of South Down and everyone in our society because it is in the shelter of each other that the people live. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to my predecessor, Patrick Brown, for all the work that he has done. I thank my constituency and party colleagues for entrusting me to perform this role and everyone who sent a message of congratulations or offered a prayer.”
“Yes, this is my maiden speech, so I might go off topic. My grandparents lived in Massey Park, which is just round the corner from here. As a child in the '80s, I remember sledging here on a classically snowy winter's day and asking my father what went on in this grand and imposing Building. I was told, "Not much". Even without having any concept of the context of why not much went on, that felt to me, a child who was already in awe of these surroundings, to be an awful shame.”