THE SDLP’s Mark H Durkan has met with senior DAERA officials amid concerns over the future of Civil Service jobs in Derry.The Foyle MLA said: “I am very annoyed that DAERA jobs have been moved from Derry to Ballykelly.
“These jobs, in the Carrier Bag Levy team and Marine team, were previously moved to Derry by SDLP Environment Ministers and it is, in my opinion, illogical and unfair to relocate them to the new DAERA Regional HQ in Ballykelly.
“The idea that the Department would decentralise to the North West was and is a good one, but it was about bringing new jobs here from Belfast, not shifting jobs from Derry and even Coleraine.
“My biggest worry was that over a hundred DAERA jobs at Orchard House would follow suit and this is something we should be vigilant and resistant to.
“Derry cannot afford to lose jobs. Some of us are, even in the absence of an Assembly, trying to redress the historical and stark economic imbalance in Northern Ireland and it is completely unacceptable that Government jobs have been siphoned out of Derry.
“I have been assured by DAERA’s Deputy Secretary that there are no plans to do this but, as we know, plans can change.
“While in the short term these jobs appear set to remain in Orchard House, it is imperative that political representatives and, most importantly, the hard-working staff are given concrete assurances on their future.”
