MSPs have recently returned to Holyrood after the summer recess, and I’m excited to get back the important work representing the people of North Ayrshire in parliament.
My first week back has already been a busy one, with my focus firmly on key local matters including the state of our ferry network and the ongoing challenge of tackling drug and alcohol deaths in the region.
One of the first issues I addressed in parliament last week was the state of our local ferry services.
For too long, the delays in the delivery of new lifeline ferries and the much-needed improvements to Ardrossan harbour have caused serious disruptions to local businesses and communities.
Islanders have struggled to make the most of what should have been a busy tourist season this summer due to the unreliable ferry services. This cannot continue, especially with the winter timetable fast approaching and the additional weather related uncertainty which comes with it.
I’ve been pressing ministers on their plans to fix these ongoing problems, as it’s absolutely vital that we have a functioning ferry service that meets the needs of everyone without further impact on livelihoods, both in Ardrossan and for islanders on Arran and Cumbrae.
I’ve asked ministers for clear assurances that the deadlines for ferry improvements will be met and that the service will finally meet the standards it should. People who rely on these ferries deserve nothing less.
It’s particularly frustrating that the Scottish Government continues to refuse to give residents a concrete commitment that Ardrossan will remain the main port for the Arran ferry despite persistent calls for certainty from MSPs across the divide and the brilliant campaigners working hard to save our ferry.
This uncertainty causes unnecessary disruption and harms our local economy, and I will continue to stand firm alongside local campaigners to ensure that years of hard work are not ignored by ministers.
But it’s not just transport issues on the agenda. The recently released drug and alcohol death statistics across Scotland are devastating.
Nationally, alcohol-related deaths are now at their highest since 2008, and the impacts being felt by families in North Ayrshire as much as anywhere else with at least 30 people dying from alcohol related harm in North Ayrshire last year.
Every one of these deaths is a tragedy, but entirely preventable, which is why I will be taking every opportunity in parliament to push ministers to expand and improve our local treatment services.
The key to tackling this crisis lies in providing comprehensive, locally accessible support services. People in North Ayrshire need ready access to the help that could save their lives, and that must be a priority.
That’s why I’m calling on the Scottish Government to urgently fund and deliver the support needed to prevent these needless deaths. We need more community-based solutions, and we need them now.
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