Archived News

05/11/08 - Ritchie impressed with Canadian 'Super E Housing Programme'
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA met a delegation of Canadian officials to hear about the Canadian ‘Super E Housing Programme’.

29/10/08 - New £8million housing scheme in Newtownabbey
Margaret Ritchie announced a significant boost for social housing in Newtownabbey.

29/10/08 - Consultation launched on Belfast’s “undiscovered historic site”
Margaret Ritchie published for consultation, a draft Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) on the regeneration of Crumlin Road Gaol and Girdwood Park.

28/10/08 - £3million modernisation boost for communities
Margaret Ritchie announced the first grants from a new ‘modernisation’ fund to help the voluntary and community sector modernise their services.

27/10/08 - Major funding boost for Ballyclare
Margaret Ritchie announced almost £450,000 funding towards a regeneration scheme to revitalise Ballyclare town centre.

27/10/08 - Minister Ritchie congratulates ‘Go Ahead’ Newtownards residents
Margaret Ritchie visited Newtownards to see how the dedication of local people has improved their area.

27/10/08 - Launch of Employment and Support Allowance
Today sees the launch of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) which replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support, paid on incapacity grounds, for all new customers.

23/10/08 - Minister Ritchie opens Northern Ireland’s first carbon neutral home
Margaret Ritchie opened Northern Ireland’s first carbon neutral home, a home that costs literally nothing to run.

23/10/08 - Ritchie opens play area at Mount Zion House, Lurgan
Margaret Ritchie officially opened a new covered play area during a visit to Mount Zion House, Lurgan.

23/10/08 - Ritchie announces economic boost for Craigavon and Portadown
Margaret Ritchie announced funding of over £1million for economic development projects in Craigavon and Portadown.

23/10/08 - Twenty two families to benefit from Lurgan housing intervention - Ritchie
Twenty two homes, formerly for the private market, are being purchased direct from a builder in Lurgan, for social housing.

21/10/08 - Ritchie welcomes start to £915,000 project in Clady, Portglenone
Margaret Ritchie today welcomed the start of work on a new business centre in Clady near Portglenone.

20/10/08 - Neighbourhood Renewal implementation continues in the North West - Ritchie
Margaret Ritchie announced £4million for community projects in the North West’s most disadvantaged areas.

17/10/08 - Ritchie addresses the Northern Ireland Housing Forum
Margaret Ritchie spoke to delegates at the Northern Ireland Housing Forum about the New Housing Agenda for Northern Ireland

17/10/08 - Minister Ritchie celebrates completion of £3.8million facelift for Newcastle Town centre
The £3.8million revamp of the centre of Newcastle was officially opened today by Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie.

16/10/08 - Minister Ritchie seeks action on fuel poverty
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today called for action to address fuel poverty

16/10/08 - Help with unclaimed benefits
Margaret Ritchie, the Minister for Social Development, has published results of the Benefit Uptake Programme showing people are better off on average by £50 weekly.

15/10/08 - Ritchie and McGimpsey open new £2million housing scheme
Ritchie and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey have opened new housing in Belfast for people with profound disabilities.

15/10/08 - Delivering continued development through Neighbourhood Renewal in South Belfast
There are to be a number of exciting developments in South Belfast, which should come to fruition over the next few years.

15/10/08 - Minister Ritchie says implementation of Neighbourhood Renewal continues
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced funding of over £7m for Neighbourhood Renewal in Belfast.

06/10/08 - Ritchie welcomes private finance boost for Co-Ownership Scheme
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA welcomed the news that the Co-Ownership Scheme has secured private finance.

06/10/08 - Value for money now topping the housing agenda- Ritchie
Taxpayer’s money will now build more houses than before, as a result of Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie’s new housing procurement strategy.

06/10/08 - Minister Ritchie announces £3 million Regeneration Scheme
The scheme will be Partnerhip between the DSD, Roads Service and Down District Council.

02/10/08 - Urgent clearance for fuel poverty package now needed - Ritchie
Margaret Ritchie the Minister for Social Development has indicated her intention to push ahead with her recommendations for tackling Fuel Poverty this winter.

01/10/08 - Ritchie views £8million regeneration exhibition in Derry
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, viewed a public exhibition of the £8million regeneration scheme for Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place in Derry City Centre.

01/10/08 - Ritchie welcomes completion of £1.1million upgrade of Derry city centre streets
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA officially announced the completion of works to transform the Newmarket and Linenhall Street area of Derry.

30/09/08 - New payments for mesothelioma sufferers
Legislation for a new scheme to provide financial support to sufferers of mesothelioma within weeks of diagnosis comes into effect on 1 October.

29/09/08 - Minister Ritchie congratulates North Belfast youths
The efforts of local youths who hosted an artistic performance at Crumlin Road Gaol are praised.

25/09/08 - Minister Ritchie opens new housing scheme for Dunmurry homeless
Margaret Ritchie opened a new £2.7m housing scheme for homeless people at Cloverhill in Dunmurry.

24/09/08 - Minister Ritchie announces £1.4million environmental facelift for Newtownards Road
Margaret Ritchie announced £1.4million environmental improvement scheme to revitalise the Newtownards Road in East Belfast.

23/09/08 - Minister Ritchie announces study for Laganside regeneration projects
Margaret Ritchie announces the commissioning of two studies to make recommendations for further regeneration of Belfast’s riverfront.

19/09/08 - Ritchie helps reduce vandalism in Downpatrick
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, today welcomed the alley-gating scheme, which will reduce vandalism, in Kennedy Square in Downpatrick.

19/09/09 - Ritchie supports new housing for Ballyhornan
Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie today highlighted the need for new housing in Ballyhornan, Co Down.

17/09/08 - Minister Ritchie meets Newry residents
Margaret Ritchie visited Ardcarne Park in Newry to discuss regeneration proposals for the estate.

17/09/08 - Ritchie welcomes redevelopment boost in Newry
Margaret Ritchie visited Newry to see at first hand regeneration schemes in the Canal Street and Greater Linenhall areas.

17/09/08 - Ritchie opens Mayobridge Environmental Improvement Scheme
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, officially opened the Mayobridge Environmental Improvement Scheme.

16/09/08 - Boost for energy efficiency in rural homes
An increase of £400k to the Warm Homes budget to fund energy efficiency improvements for rural homes announced

15/09/08 Housing Executive Board Members announced
Four Board members, nominated by the Northern Ireland Housing Council in 2007, have been re-appointed for a further year until 4 November 2009.

11/09/08 - Ministers launch cross border social housing schemes
Housing Ministers Margaret Ritchie MLA and Michael Finneran TD, launch three new social housing schemes across the North West.

10/09/08 - Minister Ritchie visits Eco Homes in Enniskillen
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA visited Enniskillen to see at first hand Eco Homes for older people.

10/09/08 - Minister Ritchie praises Enniskillen community representatives
Margaret Ritchie praised the work of community representatives in Enniskillen during a visit to the Kilmacormick Resource Centre.

10/09/08 - Ritchie visits new £24million housing scheme in Lisburn
Margaret Ritchie launched the latest phase of a new social housing scheme at Windermere, Ballymacoss.

10/09/08 - Ritchie calls for halt to robbing children
Margaret Ritchie has launched a new campaign to win the hearts and minds and to get money for children from Non-Resident Parents.

04/09/08 - Ritchie addresses Ballynafeigh conference
Ritchie further demonstrated her commitment to a Shared Future by delivering the keynote address in a conference on shared neighbourhoods.

04/09/08 - Ritchie welcomes £4million boost for first time buyers in Derry
Margaret Ritchie welcomes North and West Housing Association’s commitment to providing £4million for first time buyers.

02/09/08 - Affordable Housing - A Northern Ireland first
Minister Margaret Ritchie launches the Own a Home Scheme in Portadown

27/08/08 - Minister Ritchie praises childcare facility....
Social Development minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today opened a new community childcare project in the Ballee area of Ballymena.

26/08/08 - Minister Ritchie's personal touch for Gallows resident.
Minister Margaret Ritchie today received a warm welcome when she called on a resident of Gallows Hill, Omagh, to personally present her with an emergency alarm system.

26/08/08 - Propoals for the future of Omagh on display
DSD Minister, Margaret Ritchie, visited Omagh District Council’s Offices today to view draft proposals for the future of Omagh.

21/08/08 - Don’t miss out on winter fuel cash!
Margaret Ritchie made a rallying call to people aged 60 or over, who have not received a Winter Fuel Payment before, to check if they are eligible.

20/08/08 - Minister Ritchie commits £50,000 funding to support local community activity
Minister Ritchie announced a further year’s funding of £50,000 for the ‘Laganside Community Activity’ scheme

20/08/08 - Ritchie showcases housing in Northern Ireland to Shadow Secretary of State
Margaret Ritchie showcased a number of housing initiatives in Northern Ireland to Owen Paterson MP, the Shadow Secretary of State.

19/08/08 - Minister Ritchie opens multi use games areas
Margaret Ritchie officially opens two new Multi Use Games areas in Ardowen and Parkmore in Brownlow.

19/08/08 - Major new initiative to support shared housing
30 shared neighbourhoods to be developed over the next three years

12/08/08 - Draft masterplan for Ballymena town centre unveiled
A draft masterplan for Ballymena town centre, funded by the Department for Social Development, was launched for public consultation.

11/08/08 - Minister Ritchie launches equality impact assessment
The Minister for Social Development launched an Equality Impact Assessment on the Draft Regeneration Framework for the Northside of Belfast city centre.

06/08/08 - Minister commits events funding to Belfast's Laganside
Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, MLA, today announced a further years funding of £250,000 for the ‘Laganside Events Grant’ scheme.

06/08/08 - Regeneration boost for Strabane town centre
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie today announced a funding boost of £165,000 towards the development of Strabane’s Lower Main Street.