Review of the Year 2024: December – Magee Taskforce publishes milestone report and action plan
By Kevin Mullan
Published 23rd Dec 2024, 12:59 GMT
Updated 23rd Dec 2024, 12:59 GMT
In December a former British Army paratrooper accused of murdering two people and attempting to murder five others in Derry on Bloody Sunday pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing at Belfast Crown Court.
Soldier F, who had been granted anonymity, was returned for trial charged with the murder of William McKinney and James Wray and the five charges of attempted murder in Derry on January 30, 1972.
Zara Watson, Jade McLaughlin and Laura Higgins enjoying Wednesday's Bingo. : .
An application was previously lodged to have the case dismissed, however the defence’s application was unsuccessful, which resulted in the arraignment going ahead.
The Magee Taskforce urged the Executive to commit £291million in capital funding for new developments to deliver 10,000 students at the Derry campus by 2032.
Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Magee Taskforce, Mayor of Derry, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, Nicola Skelly, Vice-Chair of the Magee Taskforce, Economy Minister, Conor Murphy MLA and Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor, Ulster University. Press Release and Report Attached **Photos to Follow at approx.. 2pm** The Ulster University Magee Taskforce presented its final report to the Economy Minister today. Pictured are (left to right): Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Magee Taskforce, Mayor of Derry, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, Nicola Skelly, Vice-Chair of the Magee Taskforce, Economy Minister, Conor Murphy MLA and Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor, Ulster University. Ulster University Magee Taskforce presents action plan to Economy Minister Magee expansion plan will ‘deliver the most significant step-change ever to economic and social justice in Derry.’ The Magee Taskforce has delivered its report and action plan for the expansion of Ulster University’s Magee campus to 10,000 students. The report was presented to the Minister today at an event which included many of the stakeholders who have helped shape it. The Magee Taskforce was established by the Economy Minister Conor Murphy in March to develop a plan which would deliver on the New Decade New Approach agreement reached between the British and Irish Governments and local parties in 2020. The report includes: a summary analysis of the economic impact of developing the campus to 10,000 students; a plan for how this can happen as well as specific plans for new teaching facilities and confirmation of the range of subjects that will be delivered onsite; proposals for widening participation to embed the new facility among the people of the City and estimates of how much this will cost; proposals for integrating the Action Plan with wider City developments including the accelerated development of a Destination City, Destination Campus agenda; and a model of governance that the Taskforce proposes should operate to oversee delivery
The Taskforce delivered its final report for the expansion of Ulster University’s Magee College campus on Monday afternoon.
Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Magee Taskforce said it was a ‘major milestone’ and laid the groundwork for the delivery of ‘the most significant step-change ever to economic and social justice in Derry’.
The influential Inishowen fiddle player Dinny McLaughlin ‘Whiteharra’ passed away at the age of 89.
He had the ‘mind of a genius’ and the ‘fingers of a surgeon’ and was central to a renaissance of music, dance, language and culture in Inishowen, Fr. Francis Bradley told mourners at his funeral.
Dinny McLaughlin ‘White Hara’ had the ‘mind of a genius’ and the ‘fingers of a surgeon’ and was central to a renaissance of music, dance, language and culture in Inishowen, mourners were told at his funeral.
Jacqueline Gallagher, of Advice NW, warned Derry was experiencing a ‘profound cost of living crisis’ with ‘a prevailing fall in living standards’ after Advice North West reported over 22,000 crisis queries last year.
The manager of the Derry citizens’ advice service issued the stark observation after the organisation published its annual report for the 2023/24 financial year.
