Following a campaign, along with the local traders, the MP for the area Margaret Ritchie has secured a commitment from the Department for Social Development to make available a further £59,000 to take forward the extension of the Public Realm improvement work into Market Lane. The MP said; “The Public Realm Scheme has been a [...]

Margaret Ritchie MP for South Down Launches St Patrick Tourism Development Plan Speaking at the Launch of the St Patrick Tourism Development Plan the MP for South Down said; “I have developed this plan in conjunction with local stakeholders and interested parties. This plan concentrates on ‘Patrick’ related tourism and seeks to identify further steps [...]

SDLP Leader and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has said that amendments to the Pensions Bill do not go far enough. Ms Ritchie was speaking following the third reading of the Pensions Bill in the House of Commons where she voted against the bill having listened to the concerns of many of her constituents, particularly [...]

Margaret Ritchie MP has requested the Minister for Social Development to consider the introduction of the Warm Homes Discount Scheme for Northern Ireland. Ms Ritchie said, “With the ever rising cost of fuel prices, more and more financial pressure are being levered upon vulnerable households. At present the Department’s primary tool in tackling fuel poverty [...]

Margaret Ritchie MP has requested the Minister for Social Development to consider the introduction of the Warm Homes Discount Scheme for Northern Ireland. Ms Ritchie said, “With the ever rising cost of fuel prices, more and more financial pressure are being levered upon vulnerable households. At present the Department’s primary tool in tackling fuel poverty [...]

“Following the completion of the Public Realm work which has greatly enhanced Downpatrick town centre, I now want to see expeditious progress on the re-development of The Gove area in the town centre. Following my request in April 2011 the Department for Social Development agreed to a project that would see a specialist team of [...]

“The £18million investment in bringing these 120 homes to completion is a great boost for our local economy and will meet the long awaited need for social housing in Newcastle. As a former Minister for Social Development I approved the scheme and ensured that money would be allocated that would deliver these 120 much needed [...]

SDLP MP MLA Margaret Ritchie has written to the Bank of Ireland and Down District Council regarding the condition of the former NI Electricity building at John Street, Downpatrick. Ms Ritchie stated, “This building, which has been vacant for some time, and is presently for sale, has become rundown and a site for vandalism. This [...]

“Listening to the contributors here today has been a bit like being taken back in time. Back on 6th October 2008, as then Minister for Social Development, I announced £3 million had been secured for a Public Realm Scheme in Downpatrick A few months later in June 2009 the proposals had been worked up and [...]

SDLP MP MLA Margaret Ritchie has written to the Minister of Health, Mr Edwin Poots MLA, to seek additional good quality and affordable childcare places in Northern Ireland. Ms Ritchie stated, “I have received a briefing paper from NICMA – the Childminding Association, which highlights the problems faced by many parents with the lack of [...]