NIPSA NEWS THE NEWSPAPER OF THE LEADING PUBLIC SERVICE TRADE UNION
Trust’s new working proposals – ‘outrageous’ – See page 2
Strong support for J10 strike – pictures and report – See page 3
Concern over DVA’s Voluntary Exit Scheme – See page 4
August 2014 Tel: 028 90661831 www.nipsa.org.uk
EOII internal competition ‘welcomed’ by NIPSA – See page 5
Action pays off for health payroll staff – See page 6
Success at last as Exploris secures regional funding
NIPSA has strongly welcomed Finance Minister Simon Hamilton’s announcement that the Executive has earmarked £900,000 in capital funding for the Exploris Aquarium and Seal Sanctuary in Portaferry. The union also backed Ards Borough Council’s decision in principle to accept the offer of funding. The drive to secure funding has been long and arduous with NIPSA setting up a campaign group made up of trade unions, local councillors, NIPSA members and local residents. At first NIPSA had made representations on behalf of its members to the council as it was debating the closure of the facility. However, the union quickly understood that a broad-based community campaign was needed to keep Exploris open. Given the council’s financial position and the fact it provided a service to the whole of Northern Ireland, NIPSA took the view the Northern Ireland Executive had a responsibility to fund Exploris as a regional service. Subsequently, NIPSA made representations to the DETI and DOE committees. On September 29, 2013, NIPSA organised a public meeting which was well attended by local residents, MPs, MLAs, local councillors, NIPSA members and other interested groups. Following speeches and arguments from the floor, the meeting unanimously voted to seek regional funding for Exploris and for it to be retained as a public service. A pressure group – Save Exploris Aquarium Campaign (SEA) group – was set up led by NIPSA. It consisted of several trade unions, local politicians, NIPSA members, local campaigners and other interested parties. On many dark nights throughout the winter months, the SEA campaign group met to review what actions were being taken. A strategy was developed to seek to secure regional funding as the only way to secure the future of Exploris in the long term. A source told NIPSA News: “Every week there seemed to be a new and higher hurdle to jump but the SEA group members debated, argued and reached consensus on the way forward determined to find a solution.”
NIPSA ‘Save Exploris’ supporters on hearing the decision to save the aquarium
But SEA, however, was not the only group in the campaign. The source continued: “This created a whole other dynamic which the SEA group had to deal with taking into account that the other groups were seeking to save Exploris albeit in a different way, which unfortunately did not meet the objectives of the public meeting resolution.” Some local residents set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to save Exploris which in no small way helped enormously with the campaign. The next step in the campaign was getting a motion passed supporting regional funding at Stormont. The Alliance party put forward a motion. However, it did not specifically seek regional funding. This created a major problem for SEA as the Alliance motion had the support of a number of campaign groups. NIPSA and the SEA group lobbied a number of political parties. The Ulster Unionist Party came to the rescue with an amendment to the motion. At Stormont the motions were hard fought. However, with the support of the UUP, SDLP and Sinn Fein, the Alliance motion fell. The amendment was then tabled but this time the Alliance party also supported the amended motion and the UUP motion passed. This was a decisive point in the campaign and there looked to be light at the end of the tunnel. After several months, the Northern Ireland Executive agreed to provide capital funding of ap-
proximately £900,000. DOE minister Mark Durkan also agreed to fund the Seal Sanctuary up to £120,000 on an ongoing basis. NIPSA Official Antoinette McMillen told NIPSA News: “This is good news for Exploris staff, for the local community and for all in Northern Ireland. This outcome vindicates fully the united campaign by NIPSA along with community supporters of Exploris to keep this important facility operating fully for the future. “NIPSA wishes to thank the Assembly members, Ministers and other political representatives for their support for this campaign.” NIPSA Deputy General Secretary Alison Millar added: “This has been a long and difficult campaign for all involved. However, NIPSA and the Save Exploris Aquarium campaign for regional funding has borne fruit and will secure the future of this excellent regional facility to be enjoyed by generations to come.” NIPSA and other campaign group members attended a special meeting of Ards Borough Council on Wednesday, August 6, and will continue to lobby the new North Down and Ards Council to ensure the future of Exploris “gets over the line”. After a long and often arduous campaign to keep Exploris open and as a public service facility NIPSA, together with other members of the SEA Campaign Group will continue to work on behalf of Exploris staff, the local community and all citizens of Northern Ireland to realise the full potential of this valuable regional asset.
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