Firms Praised For Dedication To Volunteering

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has praised local companies for their dedication to volunteering.

Forty companies from across Northern Ireland were acknowledged at an event in the Crumlin Road Gaol, for their dedication to Employee Supported Volunteering. The event organised by Business in the Community NI, celebrated and recognised those employers who have put Employer Supported Volunteering at the top of their scheme which operates to encourage employees to engage with their communities through volunteering. The event coincided with Give and Gain Day, the national day of volunteering.

Minister McCausland said: "Engagement with employers, through Employee Supported Volunteering, is important in providing opportunities for staff and employees to volunteer and it increases the capacity of voluntary sector organisations to meet their objectives through the sharing of skills, expertise, and resources."

Roads Service Commended

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has commended Roads Service and its contractors for the successful completion of road schemes in 2012/2013 which accounted for £3.5million investment in the roads infrastructure in the Castlereagh area.

Mr Kennedy said: "Throughout Roads Service, my Department invested over £100million in structural maintenance, improving the many miles of road infrastructure across Northern Ireland in the last financial year.

"In particular in the Castlereagh Borough Council area, despite ever increasing demands on budgets, Roads Service invested over £3.5million in delivering a comprehensive range of road schemes and maintenance work.

"Roads Service is using its available resources highly effectively and continues to deliver quality public services in the Castlereagh area and across Northern Ireland."

Agricultural Crime Unit To Be Set Up

Sinn Féin Agriculture spokesperson Oliver McMullan has welcomed the decision by Justice Minister David Ford that a dedicated agriculture crime unit is to be set up within the PSNI.

Mr McMullan said: "Last year I called for a dedicated unit to be set up to target specific crimes against the farming community as opposed to rural crime.

"The agricultural industry is the biggest industry in the North and farm equipment and livestock are very expensive so any crime against this industry is costly.

"As we are all aware farmers have been hit hard through weather conditions so they need to have proper protection against criminals.

"I welcome the fact that the Minister has now acted to set up a dedicated unit within the PSNI to tackle crimes against the farming community and hope that this unit can tackle the criminals that are preying on farmers and their equipment."

(CD/IT)