Bank Buys Outlet

A leading NI bank is 'moving into retailing' with news that the Ulster has taken control of The Outlet shopping centre outside Banbridge. The £70m site is the biggest factory shop in Ireland and opened in 2007. A spokesman for the bank said yesterday that it had promised to work with the centre management to secure its long-term success. The Outlet has 82 stores, employing approximately 500 full and part-time staff from the Banbridge area. The business is continuing to trade normally. An official statement said that: "West Register (Northern Ireland) Property Limited, a specialist property asset management company wholly owned by Ulster Bank, has purchased The Outlet, Banbridge," after the owner, Guernsey-based developer, John Farmer, ran into recession-based financial problems.

Hilden Blaze 'Deliberate'

The Stormont Environment Minister has said that the fire at Hilden Mill in Lisburn was started deliberately by vandals. More than 60 firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out at the five-floor derelict textiles mill in May. Yesterday, Alex Attwood said: "My Department has been advised by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, that the fire was caused by vandals who had entered the building, and set fire to plastic cables on the third floor."

Sex Crimes 'Better Managed'

The management of sex offenders in Northern Ireland has now improved, with recommendations made in previous reports implemented, while agencies involved in public protection have also improved in performance and consistency. That's according to a new report released on Monday by the Criminal Justice Inspectorate that praised the new system introduced in 2008 for looking after the more than 1,100 offenders living in communities across NI. Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice, Dr Michael Maguire, said victims issues must remain a priority for all involved with the arrangements, but said workers should not become focused solely on the process of risk management. The report goes on to make 13 further recommendations aimed at consolidating the progress made to date and said that the Prison Service in NI still needs to make its programme for challenging the behaviour of offenders better.

Diabetic Kids In Focus

The North Antrim DUP MLA and Chairman of the Assembly Education Committee Mervyn Storey has given his support to the campaign by Diabetes UK NI to have a change to the current guidelines in relation to the administration of medication in schools particular with regard to children who require insulin injections to manage their diabetes. "Regrettably this issue remains unresolved despite calls from parents, teachers and those involved in the administration of Education," he said. "The current guidelines clearly state: 'responsibility for the provision of medication lies with the parents' so there is no legal duty upon staff to administer medication, rather it is a voluntary role. It has to be said that there is some good practice in schools however this is more the exception than the rule," and went on to say there is "an urgent need for the Minister for Education to address this issue".

'Peace' For Magee

Over 70 international experts, policy-makers, researchers and peace activists are at the Magee campus of the University of Ulster this week for the 12th INCORE International Summer School. Professor Deirdre Heenan, Provost and Dean of Academic Development at Magee, welcomed the participants from 17 countries as far afield as Nigeria, India, Zambia, Sudan, Austria, Australia, Canada, America, Holland, Finland, Portugal, Spain, and Germany. The international delegates will be joined by local practitioners and scholars for an intense week of reflection on state-of-the art learning and practice in managing, resolving and transforming conflict. The Summer School led by INCORE staff and other international experts is well established and the international networking opportunities provided over the years has built into a network of nearly 600 practitioners worldwide. 

Agri-Security Promised

The NI Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill MLA has confirmed her intention to maintain the Fortress Ireland strategy to protect both the local agriculture industry and wider economy. The Minister was commenting on the announcement nationally that from 5 July 2011, Britain is to change from a Bluetongue Lower Risk Area to a Bluetongue Free Area, the Minister said: "This is encouraging news and I am conscious that this will ease some of the burden on local industry. I would like to thank the industry for their partnership and co-operation in maintaining our Bluetongue freedom. Indeed the Fortress Ireland strategy was successful in keeping the island of Ireland free from Bluetongue during the outbreaks in Britain and mainland Europe." Emphasising the need to remain vigilant, the Minister continued: "There remains a risk of introducing Bluetongue here by importing susceptible animals from areas in continental Europe that are still subject to Bluetongue controls. Therefore my message to farmers is to think carefully before importing from any Bluetongue restricted zone."

(BMcC/GK)