Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Charlie Casey said: “As Chairperson and First Citizen of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council I would like to convey a message to all citizens of the district in these unprecedented times.
The current battle against the global coronavirus outbreak is a time of huge concern for us all. The next few months will undoubtedly be tough, especially for those socially isolating, those facing reductions in household income and of course all our local businesses.
I do not underestimate the worry that must be felt in so many households across Newry, Mourne and Down.
In order to help our medical experts fight the spread of this virus, I appeal to you all to be responsible and to continue to follow Public Health Agency advice in the coming weeks. All of us must practice social distancing and stay at least two metres apart if we have to leave the house. I particularly appeal to the young people in our district. Please do not congregate. Please stay at home. Please keep in touch via social media instead. The lives of so many people in our district depend on it.
I must say I have already been uplifted by the generous spirit of unity, and the many examples of care and compassion which have seen communities come together in Newry, Mourne and Down.
The theme I chose for my year in office is ‘Supporting Families’ and now more than ever we need to look out and support each other with generous and compassionate citizenship. I have no doubt that community spirit will remain to the fore as we work to keep all members of our community safe, especially the elderly, vulnerable or marginalised.
I want to reassure our residents that the Council has emergency and business community planning in place for the delivery of critical services during any emergency. Staff have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the delivery of essential services such as our waste collection service.
I welcome the government initiatives announced to help support businesses and individuals who will be adversely affected in this very difficult period and we will do all we can as a Council to help.
We should keep in mind with gratitude everyone across Ireland and the UK who is currently working on the frontline to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, particularly those in our emergency services and hospitals.
As this is a rapidly evolving situation, I advise you to keep an eye on our social media channels for the latest updates.
We will continue to keep you updated as a Council and I look forward to keeping in touch with you all.”
