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16/03/2010
Other NI News In Brief
Runway Inquiry Takes Off
A public inquiry is to be held into controversal plans to extend the runway at George Best Belfast City Airport, Environment Minister Edwin Poots has said. The airport wants to extend the north east end of the runway by 590m while retracting 120m from the south west. Local residents have welcomed the decision with Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW), which represents residents in east and south Belfast, and in north Down, being "delighted that the controversial proposal will now be subject to rigorous scrutiny". "An extended runway would mean an international airport right on Belfast's doorstep," said Liz Fawcett, a spokesperson for BCAW. "While we had hoped that Mr Poots might have rejected this ludicrous proposal outright, we're very glad that it will now be subjected to robust scrutiny."
Prison 'Madhouse'
Rising numbers of mentally ill prisoners will present "an enormous challenge" to the authorities with a call today for Northern Ireland to open a high security hospital for prisoners with serious mental health problems. That's according to a Criminal Justice Inspectorate report which said 78% of male prisoners on remand and 50% of female prisoners have personality disorders. It said Northern Ireland's prisons hold a number of people with mental health problems who, it could be argued, should not be there.
Lagan Drama
Around 40 members of the emergency services were yesterday involved in pulling a 26-year-old woman from the River Lagan in Belfast. A rescue boat managed to locate her in the water – between the Queen's Bridge and the Lagan Lookout – and hauled her to safety with rescuers clutching on to the woman at the side of the boat. The rescue operation involved police, river rescue wardens, the Fire and Rescue Service and ambulance crews.
Ulster Scots On BBC
BBC Alba's current affairs series, Eòrpa returns this week with more compelling European stories. Presenter Iain Macinnes reports on Irish language policies in the North and South of Ireland. With calls for a language act in Northern Ireland to secure official recognition for the Irish language, Eòrpa explores whether its possible to separate language issues from politics, and how an Irish language act may affect the status of Ulster Scots. Iain travels to Galway, to find out about the ambitious targets the Irish government has for raising the numbers of Gaeilge speakers. Eòrpa will be broadcast on Wednesday 17 March at 8.30pm, in Gaelic with English subtitles.
Border Post Slammed
The SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley has welcomed a consumer body report highlighting inefficiencies in cross-border post delivery and called for rapid action to fix the problem. "A letter sent from Jonesborough in this constituency to Ravensdale less than a mile away in the Irish Republic has to travel 200 miles. First it gets collected and sent to Belfast for sorting, then it is transferred to Dublin along with all the post and it gets sorted again and sent to Dundalk for final sorting and delivery. The report notes that this process can take three days but local experience suggests it could be longer in both directions. Here is a simple issue of North South co-operation, local sorting on both sides of the border, which could improve quality of life and boost the economy," he said, noting that border areas already suffer from multiple infrastructural disadvantages which are "difficult to deal with, but sending their post on a tour of the country is a problem which could be dealt with easily and cheaply".
Save Townlands: Minister
Stormont Minister Michelle Gildernew has said townland names are an important part of rural identity. She was speaking after responding to an Assembly question from MLA Barry McElduff urging the preservation and promotion of townland names across the north of Ireland. "They are a significant part of our shared local heritage and I am keen to support their promotion and preservation," she said. "My department will continue to support the use of townland names and to take this forward, my Department is moving to include townland names within the addresses of all DARD offices. This is a response to an initiative being undertaken by the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure," she said.
Canada Calling
The Canadian High Commissioner, Dr James Wright, will visit Northern Ireland this Thursday. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, on the theme of Canada's Experience of Multiculturalism. The lecture takes place in the Loughview Suite, Jordanstown campus, at 6pm.
Caravan Price Troubles
A Kilkeel caravan park owner, John McKibben was this week fined £600 at Newry Magistrates' court for failing to display prices on caravans for sale. In a case brought by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr McKibben, trading as Leestone Caravan Park, was convicted on three charges brought under the Price Marking Order (Northern Ireland) 2004. In June 2009 Trading Standards officers visited the premises of Leestone Caravan Park, they were shown three mobile homes that were for sale, none had a price displayed. Trading Standards officers had previously visited Leestone Caravan Park on three separate occasions in an effort to get compliance with pricing legislation.
(BMcC/GK)
A public inquiry is to be held into controversal plans to extend the runway at George Best Belfast City Airport, Environment Minister Edwin Poots has said. The airport wants to extend the north east end of the runway by 590m while retracting 120m from the south west. Local residents have welcomed the decision with Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW), which represents residents in east and south Belfast, and in north Down, being "delighted that the controversial proposal will now be subject to rigorous scrutiny". "An extended runway would mean an international airport right on Belfast's doorstep," said Liz Fawcett, a spokesperson for BCAW. "While we had hoped that Mr Poots might have rejected this ludicrous proposal outright, we're very glad that it will now be subjected to robust scrutiny."
Prison 'Madhouse'
Rising numbers of mentally ill prisoners will present "an enormous challenge" to the authorities with a call today for Northern Ireland to open a high security hospital for prisoners with serious mental health problems. That's according to a Criminal Justice Inspectorate report which said 78% of male prisoners on remand and 50% of female prisoners have personality disorders. It said Northern Ireland's prisons hold a number of people with mental health problems who, it could be argued, should not be there.
Lagan Drama
Around 40 members of the emergency services were yesterday involved in pulling a 26-year-old woman from the River Lagan in Belfast. A rescue boat managed to locate her in the water – between the Queen's Bridge and the Lagan Lookout – and hauled her to safety with rescuers clutching on to the woman at the side of the boat. The rescue operation involved police, river rescue wardens, the Fire and Rescue Service and ambulance crews.
Ulster Scots On BBC
BBC Alba's current affairs series, Eòrpa returns this week with more compelling European stories. Presenter Iain Macinnes reports on Irish language policies in the North and South of Ireland. With calls for a language act in Northern Ireland to secure official recognition for the Irish language, Eòrpa explores whether its possible to separate language issues from politics, and how an Irish language act may affect the status of Ulster Scots. Iain travels to Galway, to find out about the ambitious targets the Irish government has for raising the numbers of Gaeilge speakers. Eòrpa will be broadcast on Wednesday 17 March at 8.30pm, in Gaelic with English subtitles.
Border Post Slammed
The SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley has welcomed a consumer body report highlighting inefficiencies in cross-border post delivery and called for rapid action to fix the problem. "A letter sent from Jonesborough in this constituency to Ravensdale less than a mile away in the Irish Republic has to travel 200 miles. First it gets collected and sent to Belfast for sorting, then it is transferred to Dublin along with all the post and it gets sorted again and sent to Dundalk for final sorting and delivery. The report notes that this process can take three days but local experience suggests it could be longer in both directions. Here is a simple issue of North South co-operation, local sorting on both sides of the border, which could improve quality of life and boost the economy," he said, noting that border areas already suffer from multiple infrastructural disadvantages which are "difficult to deal with, but sending their post on a tour of the country is a problem which could be dealt with easily and cheaply".
Save Townlands: Minister
Stormont Minister Michelle Gildernew has said townland names are an important part of rural identity. She was speaking after responding to an Assembly question from MLA Barry McElduff urging the preservation and promotion of townland names across the north of Ireland. "They are a significant part of our shared local heritage and I am keen to support their promotion and preservation," she said. "My department will continue to support the use of townland names and to take this forward, my Department is moving to include townland names within the addresses of all DARD offices. This is a response to an initiative being undertaken by the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure," she said.
Canada Calling
The Canadian High Commissioner, Dr James Wright, will visit Northern Ireland this Thursday. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, on the theme of Canada's Experience of Multiculturalism. The lecture takes place in the Loughview Suite, Jordanstown campus, at 6pm.
Caravan Price Troubles
A Kilkeel caravan park owner, John McKibben was this week fined £600 at Newry Magistrates' court for failing to display prices on caravans for sale. In a case brought by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr McKibben, trading as Leestone Caravan Park, was convicted on three charges brought under the Price Marking Order (Northern Ireland) 2004. In June 2009 Trading Standards officers visited the premises of Leestone Caravan Park, they were shown three mobile homes that were for sale, none had a price displayed. Trading Standards officers had previously visited Leestone Caravan Park on three separate occasions in an effort to get compliance with pricing legislation.
(BMcC/GK)
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31 August 2021
53-Year-Old Dies In Custody At Maghaberry Prison
A 53-year-old has reportedly died in custody at Maghaberry Prison, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has announced. The Department of Justice has reported that the prisoner died on Saturday 28 August, that his next of kin have been informed and that the death was not covid related.
53-Year-Old Dies In Custody At Maghaberry Prison
A 53-year-old has reportedly died in custody at Maghaberry Prison, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has announced. The Department of Justice has reported that the prisoner died on Saturday 28 August, that his next of kin have been informed and that the death was not covid related.
31 August 2018
Man Dies In Maghaberry Prison
A 22-year-old man has died while in custody at Maghaberry Prison, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has reported. The Department of Justice has confirmed that the man died in custody on the morning of Thursday, 30 August. The man's next of kin have been informed. The PSNI, Coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have been informed about the death.
Man Dies In Maghaberry Prison
A 22-year-old man has died while in custody at Maghaberry Prison, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has reported. The Department of Justice has confirmed that the man died in custody on the morning of Thursday, 30 August. The man's next of kin have been informed. The PSNI, Coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have been informed about the death.
14 September 2016
Staff At Maghaberry Prison Watched As Prisoner Self-Harmed
Staff at Maghaberry Prison in Lisburn have been criticised after they failed to intervene while a prisoner blinded himself, according to a Prison Ombudsman report. Sean Lynch, 23, was being detained at the prison in June 2014 and inflicted "extreme and shocking" injuries through self-harm over a three day period.
Staff At Maghaberry Prison Watched As Prisoner Self-Harmed
Staff at Maghaberry Prison in Lisburn have been criticised after they failed to intervene while a prisoner blinded himself, according to a Prison Ombudsman report. Sean Lynch, 23, was being detained at the prison in June 2014 and inflicted "extreme and shocking" injuries through self-harm over a three day period.
26 October 2009
Prison Arts Celebrated
Northern Ireland prisoners have won two first prizes and landed more than 29 awards in a prestigious UK-wide competition for prison arts. Artwork from Maghaberry and Hydebank Wood was among 150 original visual pieces on display at the annual Koestler Awards Exhibition which previewed at the Royal Festival Hall in London today.
Prison Arts Celebrated
Northern Ireland prisoners have won two first prizes and landed more than 29 awards in a prestigious UK-wide competition for prison arts. Artwork from Maghaberry and Hydebank Wood was among 150 original visual pieces on display at the annual Koestler Awards Exhibition which previewed at the Royal Festival Hall in London today.
13 June 2005
The 2005 Birthday Honours List for Northern Ireland
The full list of recipients of honours in the 2005 Birthday Honours list for Northern Ireland is as follows: Knighthood: Mr Hugh Orde OBE, Chief Constable, Police Service of Northern Ireland - for services to Northern Ireland. CBE: Mr Robert David Stewart Campbell, Belfast - For Political and public service.
The 2005 Birthday Honours List for Northern Ireland
The full list of recipients of honours in the 2005 Birthday Honours list for Northern Ireland is as follows: Knighthood: Mr Hugh Orde OBE, Chief Constable, Police Service of Northern Ireland - for services to Northern Ireland. CBE: Mr Robert David Stewart Campbell, Belfast - For Political and public service.
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
