Ken Quits Assembly

A long-serving Ulster Unionist MLA is leaving the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ken Robinson has told his constituency association in East Antrim that he would not be putting his name forward for next year's Assembly elections. Meanwhile, former rugby star Trevor Ringland has quit the Ulster Unionist party. He left after its new leader said he had no intention of attending a GAA match with Mr Ringland saying that "Tom Elliot needed to reach out to the nationalist community".

NI Welcomed In USA

The NIO Secretary of State Owen Paterson MP has said that he is "hugely encouraged" by expressions of continued support for Northern Ireland from leading American political and business figures. Mr Paterson was speaking following his first visit to the US as Secretary of State. During the trip Mr Paterson visited Washington, New York and Boston. "The US is fully behind our efforts to work with the devolved administration to help Northern Ireland continue to progress towards long term political stability and economic growth. It was particularly encouraging to hear that those who try to thwart that progress will gain absolutely no traction in the United States," he said.

Bus Burning Slammed

The North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey has slammed the arsonists who destroyed a community rescue vehicle in Ballymoney, which was purchased in memory of 15-year-old James Elliot who died in a drowning accident last year. "The £50,000 vehicle, which was only recently commissioned for service and which I had the privilege of attending, was completely destroyed in the arson attack," he said. "This is a stupid, senseless, wanton act that has cost the entire community a valuable rescue vehicle that would definitely have contributed to saving lives." Mr Storey urged anyone who had seen anything or knew anything relating to the arson attack to please come forward and assist the PSNI in their investigations.

Camogie Congratulatins

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has congratulated the Antrim Camogie Team on winning their first All-Ireland Junior Camogie championship title since 1997 in a victory over Waterford in Ashbourne, Co Meath on Sunday. "This is a great achievement for everyone involved in the sport in the county. Special praise must go to team Manager Michael McCulllagh, and his staff for their dedication and commitment to the county team and sport has been second to none and sets a great example to all," he said.

Welfare 'In A State'

The SDLP Leader Margaret Ritchie has said any proposals for reform of the welfare state must be based firmly on concepts of social justice rather than ideological objectives. "Over the last number of months we have heard much discussion and debate about the Tory/Lib Democrats' proposals for welfare reform. It has been intimated for some time that those proposals will result in an eventual simplification of the benefit system. Those proposals have now been largely unveiled and will mark the first major departure in the organisation of the social welfare system since its establishment in the late 1940s," she commented. "Undoubtedly, the basis for such benefit reform must be a zealous desire on the part of the government to introduce not only their own centre right policies but also to reduce the deficit, as the benefits system depends on resources/money from the public purse. We will continue to fight injustice, poverty and deprivation and any attempts to widen and deepen disadvantage at Ministerial/Executive level at Assembly, Westminster and District Council levels," she insisted.

Piping Up For Prisons

The Pipe Bands from both the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and Irish Prison Service (IPS) performed together for the first time. The bands teamed up to entertain the crowd at the Magners Rugby League fixture between Ulster and the Glasgow Warriors at Ravenhill on Friday night. NIPS Director Robin Masefield, who attended the match, said it was a striking example of the close working relationship that exists between NIPS and the IPS.

(BMcC/GK)