Gordon Lyons

Strabane town centre.

Strabane town revamp

Gordon Lyons has described as ‘utter nonsense’ criticism that the expenditure of £6.5 million on temporary accommodation in Derry & Strabane last year was applying a ‘mere sticking plaster’ to the emergency housing crisis.

Lyons brands ‘utter nonsense’ claim £6.5m on temporary housing is ‘plaster’

Derry pensioners no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) are to receive a one-off fuel support payment of £100 between now and March.

Derry pensioners hit by Winter Fuel Payment cuts to get one-off £100

Communities minister Gordon Lyons with Make the Call outreach workers Angela Whyte (left) and Julie Taylor at a Make the Call outreach event in Carrickfergus Library

Make the Call helped over 900 access £4.6 million

A huge increase in housing stress has been experienced in Derry and Strabane over the past decade with a 77 per cent increase in people affected since 2014.

77% increase in people in housing stress in Derry/Strabane over past ten years

Derry & Strabane remains the North’s temporary accommodation hotspot with spending on exceeding emergency housing in the district exceeding £6.5 million over the last financial year.

Derry/Strabane is crisis housing hotspot with £6.5m spent in 2023/24

Gordon Lyons

Councillors condemn Gordon Lyons meeting with the Loyalist Communities Council

The salaries associated with 270 new jobs at the Lisahally Service Centre will provide people with more money to spend in the local economy, local MLAs have said.

Salaries from 270 new jobs will give people more money to spend, say MLAs

Gary Middleton

Gary Middleton welcomes Gordon Lyons’ announcement of 270 new jobs in Derry

The Housing Executive offices at Richmond Chambers.

NIHE focused on reducing emergency accommodation placements in Derry

Housing Executive Chief Executive Grainia Long

3,655 cases of mould reported to Housing Executive in Derry in four years

Politicians, charities, unions and others across the north are calling for a rethink.

Winter Fuel Payment cutbacks will plunge ‘thousands deeper into poverty’

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed the Winter Fuel Payment will be means-tested for the first time since it was introduced to help pensioners with their home-heating bills in 1997.

Lyons follows Rachel Reeves and introduces means-testing for Winter Fuel Payment

Concerns: Councillors Sandra Duffy and Shaun Harkin.

Rates support grant 'cut to shreds'

Defective blocks at a house in Donegal

Council asks Department for Communities to consider defective blocks redress

A home affected by mica blocks in Donegal.

Durkan fears 7 cases of defective blocks only ‘tip of potentially large iceberg’
Seven cases of defective blocks in homes in Derry and Strabane have been notified to the Department for Communities but a local MLA has warned this may be ‘the tip of a potentially large iceberg’.
Kevin Mullan

A home affected by defective blocks in Donegal.

MLA: People who believe defective blocks confined to Donegal ‘in for shock’

SDLP Councillor Catherine McDaid.

2 child UC limit ‘uniquely cruel’ and 'perverse'

SDLP Councillor Rory Farrell. DER1319GS-031

Rates Support Grant 'cut to ribbons'

Minister Gordon Lyons and Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson with NIFHA representatives at the launch.

Strategic action ‘needed now’ to halt housing crisis

Derry City CEO Sean Barrett was optimistic about the future of Brandywell after Stormont signed off on the sub regional stadia funding.

Derry City's impressive masterplan afoot says Barrett

The Mark Farren mural in the tunnel of the stand named in the late striker's memory.

Derry City's 'masterplan' coming to fruition

The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

£36.2m sub-regional stadia fund signed-off, Derry City & Brandywell to benefit

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured looking at the plans for the Factory Girls Sculpture in Derry with (L-R) Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Patricia Logue, Factory Girls representative Mary White and artist Chris Wilson.

Derry's new Factory Girls sculpture works to begin

Nearly 2,000 Universal Credit (UC) households in the private rented sector in Foyle had rents that exceeded the Local Housing Allowance last November, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has revealed.

1,980 Universal Credit households in private rented over Local Housing Allowance

There were 167 temporary emergency temporary placements in Derry/Strabane, out of a total of 395 across the North as a whole in the year to December 31, 2023.

42% of Housing Executive non-standard placements in Derry/Strabane

Flags and banners on a large bonfire to mark the Catholic Feast of the Assumption in the Galliagh area in 2021. Picture date: Sunday August 15, 2021.

Over £13k spent cleaning-up after Galliagh August 15 bonfire in five years
Over £13,000 has been spent cleaning-up after the August 15 bonfire in Galliagh over the past five years.
Kevin Mullan

SDLP Councillor Catherine McDaid.

Bring in paid carers’ leave 'without delay'

Poverty costs lives and does not affect everyone equally with 24 per cent of Derry people living in relative poverty, according to Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin.

Poverty costs lives with 24% relatively poor in Derry, says McLaughlin

A home affected by mica blocks in Donegal.

Mica blocks a Reserved Matter says Lyons in response to Derry register query

Purple Flag Co-Ordinator, Ceara Ferguson alongside PCSP Chair Sandra Duffy, Niall Doran Community Safety Warden and Jim Roddy City Centre Manager

Derry receives 'lifesaving support' from City Centre Initiative

Flooding on the Lecky Road.

£227k paid out to flood hit households and businesses over the past five years

DUP MLA Gary Middleton

Middleton asks Lyons to support bringing All-Ireland Pipe Band Championship back

Most Council meetings are held in the chamber in the Guildhall in Derry.

Elected reps must attend meetings in person

Woven staff L-R Jason Hardy, Head of Development; Peter O’Reilly, Head of IT; Katrina Smyth, Director of Development; Paula Ewart, Interim Executive; Ruth Mulholland, Head of HR; Judith McNamee, Head of Housing; Derek Johnston, Director of Finance and Corporate Services.

Housing Association announces £62m investment in NW

New homes under construction in Templemore.

Housing Crisis Taskforce for Derry & Strabane

A view of the Mark Farren Stand at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City confident of securing Mark Farren Stand funding

Gordon Lyons says he cannot make any decision on rates support for poorer councils until a budget for 2024/25 is agreed.

Gordon Lyons will consider Rates Support Grant uplift if money becomes available

Members of the DUP listen to Ulster Unionist Party MLA Robbie Butler at the recall of the Stormont Assembly on Wednesday.

DUP block power-sharing in Brexit protest for seventh time ahead of huge strike

Mel Chittock, Interim CEO Invest NI. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2307GS – 46

Invest NI ‘needs to work on a more collaborative basis’ acknowledges Interim CEO

Anti-fracking posters.

Gregory Campbell says ‘fracking’ must not be allowed if unsafe

At present only working parents who experience a stillbirth after the 24th week of pregnancy have a statutory entitlement to two weeks’ leave and pay.

NI Minister to legislate for Miscarriage Leave and Pay

A fracking ban has been held up due to the lack of a functioning Executive.

Fracking ban held up by lack of Executive

Kinnagoe Bay. The wreck of the Spanish Armada ship La Trinidad Valencera was discovered in 1971, by the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club, near the reef on the left. (Photo by Karl Brady)

Derry needs to fully exploit the rich legacy of the Spanish Armada

Foyle SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Refusal to remove cap on Derry uni places slammed

Thousands of students will be receiving their results today.

A-Level results Derry, Strabane, Limavady: How to access free webchat and phone ...

Dawn McLaughlin

Dawn McLaughlin and Ciaran Mulgrew to sit on Invest NI Board

A painting of a scene from the Spanish Armada.

Gordon Lyons urged to exploit tourism potential of the Spanish Armada

Large crowds along Derry’s quay at the Clipper festival in 2018.

Tourism Northern Ireland is providing £110,000 to Clipper

A ‘Northern Ireland – Embrace a Giant Spirit’ promotional event in Belfast last year.

‘Derry part of Embrace a Giant Spirit rather than the Wild Atlantic Way’

Magee College

Nursing tests push Magee enrolment figures up to highest among Ulster University...

An aerial view of the Shackleton site.

Gordon Lyons discusses Shackleton plans with MJM Group

Pictured at the official opening of North West Regional College's redeveloped Springtown Campus are: Shannon Cartin, Lecturer in Fabrication and Welding. Heather Cousins, Head of the Skills and Education Group, Department for the Economy, Gavin Killeen, Acting Chair of NWRC's Governing Body and Leo Murphy, Principal and Chief Executive, NWRC. (Pic Martin McKeown).

NWRC officially opens redeveloped Derry Springtown Campus

Drumacraig Road

Rural Derry road ruled out of Project Stratum because homes can already access h...

Sinéad McLaughlin

Gordon Lyons tells Sinéad McLaughlin to 'talk up' Derry as she questions FDI dis...