Derry's Year in review: January 2023

Derry’s 2023 started on the worrying note that cancer waiting times in the North were the “worst on record”.

The charity Cancer Research UK said the figures for the previous six months, released by the Department of Health showed targets were continuing to be missed.

Margaret Carr, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager in the North said: “We should be deeply concerned that the last six months are the worst on record for cancer waiting times targets in Northern Ireland.

“Waiting times for first treatment following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer, with a 62 day target, showed only 39.5% started treatment within 62 days for the quarter ending September 2022, compared with 46.1% in the quarter ending September 2021.

Relatives of the Bloody Sunday victims at the annual Remembrance Service. 

“Delays with diagnosis and starting treatment may make it more difficult to treat cancer successfully and can cause significant anxiety for patients."

As if that was not enough, Derry ratepayers learned they were facing the ‘biggest rates rise in decades’.

Ratepayers in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area were looking at the prospect of a 12% increase in the incoming financial year.

A special meeting to discuss the situation took place on January 13. It was attended by council staff, councillors, MPs Gregory Campbell and Colum Eastwood, and MLAs Gary Middleton, Ciara Ferguson, Pádraig Delargy, Mark H Durkan and Sinéad McLaughlin.

Council was also considering a wide range of cuts to its services in an effort to reduce its annual expenditure.

A number of these cuts had already been agreed, others required a decision and the remainder had not yet been agreed.

The proposed more controversial cuts which had yet to be agreed include banning weekend cemetery burials; introducing a charge for Council’s bulky waste service; increasing cemetery charges; and reducing bin collections to six out of the 13 currently designated Bank Holiday collections.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel with concerns also being raised regarding the “stark, systemic underfunding” of education in the North of Ireland, by the chief executives of the main education bodies here.

In an open letter to the British Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris, and the head of the civil service, Jayne Brady, the seven chief executives cited evidence provided by the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Their letter said: “The Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis evidenced that since 2009-10, spending per pupil has been consistently highest in Scotland and generally lowest in NI.”

The annual remembrance service to commemorate those who were killed on Bloody Sunday was held at the Rossville Street monument, at the end of January.

Following the event there was an unveiling of a plaque dedicated to the Derry Corps of the Order of Malta.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP also announced he would nominate the families of Bloody Sunday victims for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr Eastwood, who was among those attending Sunday's 51st anniversary commemoration events, said he could think of no better tribute to the families given their commitment to peace and reconciliation during their long fight for truth and justice.

Earlier in January, Dissident Republican groups were challenged to stop their “futile campaigns” and “internecine hatred” by former Sinn Féin national chairperson, Mitchel McLaughlin.

Speaking at a commemorative event to mark the 50th anniversary of IRA Volunteer James (Junior) McDaid, Mr McLaughlin addressed the Dissident Republican groups directly.

“What I would say to them from this platform, speaking at the Junior McDaid commemoration, is that there is another way. Join the conversation about what type of agreed Ireland we are all going to live in.

“Stop the futile campaigns that you are engaging in. Stop the internecine hatred. An example of what I am talking about happened this morning.

“There was a tree planted in Junior’s memory at the spot where he died and it has been dug up already and left at the Sinn Féin door.

“Is that anything that a Republican should be involved in? It is a disgrace. It is disgusting and it should stop,” said Mitchel McLaughlin.

The former Assembly member and Derry City Councillor added: “So, I would say to any of us who have any contacts, family, friends, or otherwise, to explain where we are at now, to explain that a united Ireland is within reach albeit may take five or 10 years.”

Altnagelvin's Emergency Department - alongside emergency departments across the North experienced immense pressure as patients face unprecedented waiting times, in January.

The public were advised on several occasions of long waits at Emergency Departments due to capacity issues.
The Western Trust said: “We would ask the public to please consider whether our ED is the best place for them to attend for their particular condition before making the journey to ED.

"If you are suffering from an emergency or life-threatening condition, including a mental health emergency, then please call 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department without delay.”

Post-covid, the owner of a small business in the city has asked customers to pay by cash where possible in the future.

David Dunne, owner of the iconic fish and chip shop Brendan’s on Spencer Road said the charges he was facing from card machine and app operators had become an “unaffordable” expense for “a small business with a small team of staff”.

Section of the large audience at the 'Save Radio Foyle' public meeting in Derry's Guildhall in January 2023.

David, who runs the chippy and adjoining café with his wife, Cathryn, daughter of the eponymous Brendan, said they had always tried to keep their prices as low as they possibly could for their customers.

As January closed, local politicians were accused of “seeming quite happy to accept some crumbs from the table” of the North’s Belfast-centric economic policy.

The stinging criticism came from Creggan community worker, Conal McFeely. It followed the revelation, no Derry projects received second round British Government Levelling-Up funding, even though a number submitted applications.

Speaking to Derry News, Mr McFeely said the Belfast-centric status quo needed to be challenged.

“It is not being challenged in the North West and that is a criticism of our local politicians who for the most part seem quite happy to accept some crumbs from the table.”