Gordon Lyons MLA
@gordonlyons1
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DUP MLA for East Antrim. Minister for Communities.
Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
Joined March 2011
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Delighted to be able to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales to Carrickfergus today.
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Thanks Kate. Bad editorial approach by BBC NI. Very unreasonable. We have lodged a complaint with the BBC. Feel free to do likewise.
Striking contrast on
@BBCNewsNI
between the interviews with
@gordonlyons1
and
@moneillsf
@gordonlyons1
constantly interrupted by
@endamcclafferty
(could hardly finish a sentence) while
@moneillsf
allowed a free ride with no interruptions
#BBCbias
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Fantastic evening in Carrickfergus at the Massed Bands of the Irish Regiments.
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Another generation lauding the evil actions of terrorists and not a word about innocent victims and the many Christmases that were taken from them and their families. Time to build a better NI, looking forward rather than celebrating those who sought to kill and destroy.
This Christmas I want to extend my personal thoughts to the families of our fallen volunteers.
We remember the sacrifice and commitment of those who went before us every single day, but at Christmas we particularly pause to remember.
Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh Go Leir ❤️🎄
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For clarity, this is entirely without foundation and no such memo exists. I look forward to a retraction and correction of the record.
New DUP Minister Gordon Lyons has sent a memo instructing staff not to use the word ‘football’ when referring to Gaelic games. The word ‘football’ it says, “is to be used to describe ‘soccer’ only” and the word ‘soccer’ is forbidden.
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BREAKING NEWS: First Minister Arlene Foster confirms that Santa WILL still be visiting Northern Ireland this year!! 🎅
Thanks to Jacob from Larne for writing to Arlene on this very important issue.
Christmas isn’t cancelled! 🎄
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So hard to comprehend that Christopher is no longer with us. We have lost a colleague and a friend but his family have lost a husband and father. God bless them all.
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Revealing use of language by Varadkar today. So the backstop isn’t about trapping GB in the customs territory but it is about trapping NI in it?
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So a book made its way to Fermanagh so that means everything is ok. Total failure to recognise the real problems that exist. Condescending and belittling to those who are struggling.
🚨Update on NI Amazon packages, which according to FM aren't getting to either 'Unionists or Nationalists' (unclear re Others)
I ordered
@DUPleader
a book on Amazon. It arrived at her constituency office in just over 36 hours....
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Sinn Fein have a cheek to complain about the prorogation of Parliament, meaning that it will be sitting for 4 less days than would otherwise have been the case, when they have been responsible for the Assembly being closed for the last two and a half years.
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The EU delivers a hard border between NI and ROI. They tossed aside the Protocol and triggered Article 16 when it suited their interests.
@GOVUK
shouldn’t hesitate in doing the same to protect Northern Ireland’s businesses and consumers.
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Varadkar’s comments from earlier this year. As far as the Irish Govt are concerned, the backstop was never going to be temporary - it was a trap to keep NI in the customs union.
Revealing use of language by Varadkar today. So the backstop isn’t about trapping GB in the customs territory but it is about trapping NI in it?
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The government was more than happy to let NI hang in the air for 3 years when SF refused to form an executive. Repeated refusal to do anything on health, housing, education or economy from Westminster.
It’s an issue best done by Stormont but *if* it falls then none should be surprised if Westminster steps in. We can’t and won’t let NI hang in the air
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I’ve just spoken with our Bann candidate, Dawn Huggins, who was the victim of physical intimidation at Macosquin polling station this morning and told she was not welcome in the area. There are no no-go areas for the DUP or any party in this election. 1/2
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Northern Ireland has taken over the UK pavilion
@expo2020dubai
! A fantastic opportunity to showcase the people, talents and innovation of NI!
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The wait will soon be over! Tomorrow I will announce the opening and closing dates for the portal for applications to the High Street Scheme.
#SpendLocalCard
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Stephen doesn’t get it. His push for the rigorous implementation of the protocol will result in chilled sausages not being able to move from one part of the UK to another.
There is NOT a ban on sausages. Issue is with chilled meat. EU prohibits chilled food imports from rest of world but allows frozen. EU now faced with dealing with a close neighbour, i.e. UK, that insists on dealing with EU on same basis as a country on other side of world.
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The celebration, commemoration and reflection of NI’s centenary needs to be positive and inclusive. It will shape the vision for the new century and new opportunity for us all. Nationalist complaints about inclusion show how they can’t cope with such an approach.
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Engagement is welcome but it can’t just be with the usual suspects- those in ‘civic society’ who argued for the protocol - but with the actual businesses and individuals who are impacted by it.
Looking forward to meeting with NI civic society and business groups at the earliest opportunity w/
@michaelgove
&
@MarosSefcovic
to discuss the NI Protocol.
Essential to give the people of NI the opportunity to outline all outstanding issues directly.
Lots of work still to do.
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Leaving the Executive Office today. Grateful for the opportunity to serve and for the many dedicated people in NICS I worked with.
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Assembly to meet at 1pm tomorrow. Time to get focused on real issues. Time to get NI moving forward again.
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Delighted that my Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Bill, first introduced by
@DianeDoddsMLA
, has passed the final stage in the Assembly today. Much needed support for those who lose a child.
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If this money came as a Barnett and we had to set up our own scheme, it would take months to get it to consumers, even if legal issues were addressed. Quickest way is for Treasury to give money to energy suppliers,(as in GB) which is the option the government are now looking at.
Shameful and rather convenient deflection.
This money would ordinarily come as a Barnett Consequential. A functioning Executive and Assembly would have full scope on how to spend it qnd if necessary to legislate around any barriers.
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It’s time for Air Passenger Duty to be scrapped.
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Outrageous and despicable comment on a day when 22 people died and over 500 injured.
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Three elite athletes ready for the off 🏃♂️😂
Great to welcome Mo Farah to Larne ahead of tomorrow's Antrim Coast Road Half Marathon!
#Mobot
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The IRA was responsible for the slaughter of innocent men, women and children. There is always an alternative to murder.
EXCLUSIVE: 7 in 10 nationalists agree with Michelle O’Neill that there was 'no alternative' to the IRA campaign. A
@lucidtalk
poll finds 69% believe 'violent resistance to British rule during the Troubles' was the only option - just 25% disagree.
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I will be making a statement to the Assembly this afternoon about the reprehensible actions of P&O last week.
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Yup…
Gordon Lyons: 'We are going to have a particular challenge with congressman Neal'
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Then why did Alliance not nominate someone to sit on the working group? Every party had the opportunity. Alliance failed to engage.
I thought political unionism wanted to reach out and engage with other voices on the future of the union.
@allianceparty
is open to engaging constructively in all respectful discussions. Seems a missed opportunity and closed minds, and a single political narrative.
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I’m dog sitting this guy today… all part of the service I provide to my constituents 😂
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The Marching Bands of Clover, South Carolina are welcomed to Larne 🇺🇸
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🛍 Today I am pleased to announce some key dates for the launch of the £100 High Street
#SpendLocal
Card! 💳
September 27th - The Online Portal for applications will open.
October 4th – First tranche of cards issue to people who have successfully registered.
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Thanks to every one of the 1,436,094 people who have applied for the Spend Local Card. This will be an incredible boost to local businesses. 46% of cards have now been dispatched to applicants as of this morning.
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Had another mtg today with
@GOVUK
ministers about the impact of the protocol on NI. At these daily meetings, I raised the problems that it has created for traders, pet owners, guide dogs and deliveries to NI. I urged the gov to recognise the impact &the need to find solutions
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Delighted to be in the Netherlands today supporting NI businesses who are aiming to export for the 1st time with help from Invest NI’s Going Dutch programme. Previous participants have been helped to export goods worth £25m. Looking forward to similar success for new businesses
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Out in Larne tonight again for
@DianeDoddsMEP
ahead of tomorrow’s election. Thankful for all the pledges of support so far. Message has been clear- time to leave the EU and on the same terms as the rest of the UK.
#Dodds1
#RejectTheBackstop
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No milk snatching on my watch 🥛
Agriculture Minister
@gordonlyons1
confirms almost 200,000 pupils in NI will be able to drink around 1 million litres of subsidised milk for the next 2 years. More info:
@Education_NI
@Ed_Authority
@ruralsupport
@DairyCouncilNI
@UFUHQ
@nilga
@BelfastHourNI
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I’ve witnessed first hand Arlene Foster’s determination and her commitment to making NI a better place. She truly cared about this place and wanted the best for its people. It was a pleasure to work alongside her and I wish her and her family every blessing for the future.
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Pleased to announce that, following discussions with officials, I have ensured that InvestNI will be able to lift its pause on new financial support for businesses. The draft budget created huge uncertainty for my dept, and any new budget settlement must recognise the importance
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Just finished a very positive meeting with
@nadhimzahawi
and
@KwasiKwarteng
. UK government will deliver the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme as promised. I believe this will be delivered this November. This was always the quickest and easiest way for it to be done.
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Amazing crowds at Stormont this evening. Great to see so many people, especially so many young people, standing up for life and against the imposition of abortion from Westminster without the consent of the people here.
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Attended a meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee this morning on behalf of
@dupleader
. Emphasised the importance of the UK Internal Market and the need to secure a deal that works for businesses, citizens and consumers in Northern Ireland.
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Northern Ireland was represented today for the first time at a World Expo. A fantastic opportunity to showcase all we have to offer!
@InvestNI
@InvestNI_IMEA
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My goodness, if this is what a “largely peaceful” protest looks like, what needs to happen for it to be considered violent?
27 police officers injured during largely peaceful anti-racism protests in London
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This is really good news for
@belfastairport
and NI. Having been in discussions with Fly Atlantic since last year it’s great to see it progress to this stage. Work has commenced on a Route Development scheme that will further improve intl connectivity.
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Despite misleading media reports today, I have ensured that Northern Ireland remains part of the process for hosting Euro 2028 and I am determined that not only are we part of a successful bid, but that we host matches here in Northern Ireland. ⚽️
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Dawn has not been deterred. Many thanks to the canvassers from other parties who called the police to her aid. 2/2
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Almost 1.3m people have now applied for the £100
#spendlocalcard
, with 786,876 of those applications completed. Great news for businesses who will be supported by it!
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I want to build a healthy economy where there is opportunity for everyone, regardless of where you are from. But it’s simply wrong to say that there hasn’t been attention to or investment in the North West. It may not fit your agenda, but these are the facts.
Sharp exchange at Assembly as Minister Gordon Lyons rejects claim by SDLP's Sinead McLaughlin that he made "snide" remarks over job-creation in Foyle constituency.
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A wee reminder of what the Belfast Agreement (which SF say they support) says...
Boris Johnson parachuting in and out of the north will never change the fact that the British Government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland
#Time4Unity
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The everyday consequences of the protocol for local business. And yet some want it rigorously implemented!
Grim tidings at Stormont today, as a haulage boss indicated that the protocol is such a “bureaucratic nightmare” it may finish off his firm within months:
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Very welcome news that a shipment of PPE has arrived in Belfast this morning from GB.
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That’s a wrap on a jam packed couple of days, but a privilege to be able to represent Northern Ireland in Dubai, developing links, supporting companies, promoting tourism and exploring new opportunities for business and investment.
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MV Princess Victoria - 70th Anniversary
A poignant and fitting service of remembrance in Larne today as we marked the 70th Anniversary of the tragic sinking of the MV Princess Victoria.
We continue to remember the 135 lives lost and those who are still grieving.
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😍
Flying over
#Carrickfergus
, Northern Ireland this morning as part of Armed Forces’ Day events in June. Image by Corporal Adam Fletcher.
#RedArrows
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First event in NY this morning was breakfast with travel trade, media contacts, airlines and other stakeholders about all that Northern Ireland has to offer as a tourist destination. Great to see so much interest for 2022 and beyond!
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This scheme wouldn’t have happened without the work of
@DianeDoddsMLA
who recognised the impact covid had on local businesses and initiated this scheme to provide what will be a much needed boost.
🛍 Today I am pleased to announce some key dates for the launch of the £100 High Street
#SpendLocal
Card! 💳
September 27th - The Online Portal for applications will open.
October 4th – First tranche of cards issue to people who have successfully registered.
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Half way there… as of today over £70million has been injected into our local economy as a result of our
#spendlocal
high street card scheme! Remember, spend it all, spend it now, spend it local.
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This is causing a lot of anger. Help is needed and the military can provide it. That should be welcomed.
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Thanks to
@larnefc
for the invitation. The sub regional stadia funding, agreed in 2011, is long overdue. The
@CommunitiesNI
minister needs to make progress on this urgently.
We were delighted to welcome Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, along with Gregg McKeen from
@mea_bc
, to Inver Park yesterday. During their visit, we outlined our stadium plans and explained how the Sub Regional Stadia funding will provide our club and our town with facilities (1/2)
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Respect and equality for all!*
*Unless you are a senior officer in the PSNI
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This is a really exciting development for tourism in NI. The GOT Studio Tour will bring hundreds of thousands more visitors here each year who will get the opportunity to explore all we have to offer.
.
@Economy_NI
Minister Gordon Lyons Economy has visited the new Game of Thrones Studio Tour and met two of its Northern Ireland stars, Ian McElhinney and Ian Beattie. The Minister hailed the new tour as a game-changing tourist attraction.
Read more:
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“…all human life has value and dignity, because…we are all made in the image of God. We believe that our worth & identify derives from this principle, rather than a subjective judgement about quality of life, & the ability to make a contribution to wider society.”
After MLAs
@niassembly
voted against the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill this evening
@PCIModerator
said that the Bill's rejection ‘sends a profound message to society about the value that is placed on all human life.’ Full statement:
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Nonsense. The United States is a key ally and we look forward to meeting Mr Mulvaney tomorrow.
MLA
@GerryCarrollPBP
has urged Sinn Féin and DUP not to meet US Envoy Mick Mulvaney
He says “ I think the FM and DFM made a mistake in welcoming the appointment of Mick Mulvaney as US Special Envoy, and I urge Executive parties not to normalise his tenure by meeting with him.”
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Really useful conversation with Senator
@mazieforhawaii
on all things Northern Ireland today at the Soda Bread Competition on Capitol Hill.
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It’s always good to welcome students to Parliament Buildings- today I had some great discussion with young people from Ohio and Michigan. A really well informed group who are a credit to their schools.
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Good to meet with EU ambassador to the UK
@ValedeAlmeidaEU
this morning on behalf of
@dupleader
. Highlighted the importance of the UK internal market and the need to ensure NI’s place in the UK is respected.
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We have now issued 844,860 links for the High Street Scheme and of those, 400,567 applications have been completed by applicants. An incredible response to this scheme. People in NI are clearly keen to support local business with their
#spendlocalcard
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What a fantastic achievement! Well done to all those who worked so hard to make this happen and make Northern Ireland proud! I have written to
@CommunitiesNI
Minister
@DeirdreHargey
asking her to host a reception at Parliament Buildings so we can mark this incredible success.
Birmingham 2022 you were special ⭐️
This has been Team NI’s most successful Commonwealth Games EVER with a new record of 18 medals won, as well as PBs, SBs and a few new Irish and Ulster records set.
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Great news! This will hopefully continue as the roll out of the vaccines to the over 65s progresses 💉
🚨 WOW 🚨
Northern Ireland administered 20,847 first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine yesterday, smashing the previous daily record of 11,866. That's 1.11% of the population *in a single day*
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Thanks to my colleagues for tabling this motion that will come before the Assembly today. Looking forward to supporting it and standing up for the rights of those with disabilities. Thanks also to
@HeidiCrowter95
for her leadership on this issue!
❌ Abortion ❌
I, alongside colleagues tabled a motion in the NI Assembly tomorrow (Tuesday) welcoming the intervention by disability campaigner Heidi Crowter and rejecting the Westminster abortion regulations which extend to all non-fatal disabilities.
Full statement below👇🏻
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Facebook and WhatsApp might be down, but our
#spendlocalcard
portal is still open! So far 1,027,405 people have completed their applications. Apply here:
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Thanks to Jade from Skinners Bakery in Holywood for these tasty treats for my visit yesterday promoting the High Street Stimulus Scheme. Hoping these become a permanent customer favourite!
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@TrevorLunnLV
Hi Trevor, happy to confirm that no such edict exists- the story is without foundation. Hope you are keeping well!
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Nigel Dodds has given a lifetime of service to our party, to unionism and to Northern Ireland. I have no doubt that he will continue to be a determined and effective advocate in the House of Lords. Thank you
@NigelDoddsDUP
.
@NigelDoddsDUP
announces he will not be standing again for the position of DUP Deputy leader. Says standing would be “incongruous & inappropriate” since he cannot vote for the leadership posts since Peers are not part of the electoral college.
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Huge thanks to Arlene Foster for coming to our Stew Night and agreeing to be quizzed by Sammy Wilson. Thanks also to everyone who came along and showed their support.
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More votes, more seats, more influence... More for Northern Ireland!
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Lyons and Giraffes 🦒 Great to be at
@BelfastZoo
yesterday to highlight the Good to Go scheme.
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Awful to hear of this threat against my colleague David Hilditch
@davyh_crfc
. A really decent guy who tirelessly serves his community. We are all behind you Davy!
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NI’s food and drink is among the best in the world. Pleased to be able to support today some of those who are exporting into markets in the region. Exciting opportunities ahead.
.
@Economy_NI
Minister in UAE to support Northern Ireland companies at world’s largest food expo
@Gulfood
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Two fantastic
@duponline
councillors elected for Knockagh in
@mea_bc
! Well done
@__marccollins__
and
@petekjohnston
😀
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Another fantastic jobs announcement for NI.
✅ 232 jobs
✅ £7.8m in salaries for local economy
✅ Average wage of £34,000
✅ Expansion of financial services sector
✅ A vote of confidence in NI and our talent
Great to welcome
@gordonlyons1
, Economy Minister to mark the opening of our Belfast office 🎉
Discussions included how our recruitment has surged ahead of initial projections, with 50 employees already in role!
@InvestNI
@Economy_NI
📸
@matt_presseye
#Banking
#Fintech
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Regardless of whether social distancing can be maintained, gatherings of more than 6 aren’t permitted. Everyone must adhere to them.
Police say up to 2,000 people were at the Black Lives Matter rally in Belfast.
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For clarity, I never said that all restrictions should be lifted on 22nd October and I’m pleased the
@BelTel
have now corrected the erroneous headline.
Asked about
@gordonlyons1
comments in the
@BelTel
saying all restrictions ahould be lifted by Oct 22,
@moneillsf
says it’s “unhelpful” for a DUP minister to go on solo runs without consulting with the rest of the
@niexecutive
.
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Thanks to my wonderful staff for not letting me forget what day it is. 😆👴🏻
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