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Regular Visitor Testing at Care Homes

Visitors to all care homes across Northern Ireland will be encouraged to undertake twice weekly Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests. Making this testing available for all asymptomatic visitors, that is those not displaying any symptoms, is an important additional mitigation in the fight against the virus, and is part of the Department of Health’s ongoing […]

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MALLON COMMITS £17MILLION FOR ROADS RECOVERY FUND IN 2021/22

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced £17million for a Roads Recovery Fund from her 2021/22 capital budget. Earlier this month the Minister announced her high level budget commitments for the new financial year which included investment of £223.1m in our roads’ network.  The £17m funding for the Roads Recovery Fund will be used to address […]

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Precipice Politics – Workers Party

Even by Northern Ireland standards, the past week has been a political car crash. The DUP all but imploded, Sinn Fein went to the Westminster Parliament – which it boycotts on ‘principle’ – asking the British government to introduce an Irish Language Act, the Assembly teetered on the verge of being collapsed and all the […]

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TOWN AND CITY CENTRE INVESTMENT HELPING THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES IN THEIR RECOVERY – HARGEY

A £19.3million funding programme to support town and city centres recover from the impact of Covid-19 has helped thousands of businesses across councils, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has said.  Launched in August 2020, initial funding for the Covid-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme was for measures such as shop frontage and awnings/canopies; outdoor furniture; heaters and queueing […]

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MINISTER UNVEILS £700M PLAN FOR TACKLING WAITING LISTS

Health Minister Robin Swann has launched a new Elective Care Framework for Northern Ireland, setting out a detailed roadmap for tackling hospital waiting lists. The Minister today said he wanted to “restore hope” to people waiting for hospital care in pain and discomfort. The Framework proposes a £700m investment over five years. It sets out […]

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WORKING PARENTS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO STATUTORY PARENTAL BEREAVEMENT LEAVE AND PAY – FREW

Ensuring working parents have access to statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay is the right thing to do, Economy Minister Paul Frew said today. The Minister was speaking as the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Bill reached its second stage in the Assembly. Mr Frew said: “Working parents who experience the loss of a child under […]

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Six-Figure Damages for Man Abused by Paedophile Priest at Newry School

A man abused for years by a paedophile priest at a Co Down school is to receive a six-figure sum in damages, the High Court heard today. The pay-out to Tony Gribben forms part of a settlement reached in his lawsuit over the historic sexual and physical assaults he suffered at the hands of the […]

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SWANN PRAISES VACCINE TAKE-UP INITIATIVES

Health Minister Robin Swann has applauded initiatives to support vaccination take-up. A targeted programme of pop-up clinics is being rolled out to different locations in Northern Ireland, helping local communities access vaccines. Separately, GP practices will be getting in touch with patients aged 50 and over who have so far not come forward for their jabs. […]

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Council Targets Dog Fouling in New Responsible Dog Ownership Campaign

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has just launched a new public awareness campaign to tackle the issue of dog fouling and raise awareness of ‘Responsible Dog Ownership’ in our district. The campaign has been developed in partnership with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful,which is an independent charity dedicated to creating a cleaner, greener and more […]

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Council Welcomes ‘30 Parks in 30 Days’ Campaign

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has welcomed a new litter campaign by McDonald’s in Northern Ireland, aimed at tackling litter in parks, on paths and along roadsides in towns across the province. The ‘30 Parks in 30 Days’ campaign will see McDonald’s employees undertake 30 litter clean-ups in parks and nature areas across Northern […]

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Delays to Road Works ‘Massive Blow’ For Impacted Council Areas – Kimmins

Liz Kimmins has expressed her frustration that road resurfacing works in four areas, including Newry Mourne and Down, have been delayed due to a legal challenge. The Newry and Armagh MLA stated: “The fact that road resurfacing in the four council areas of Newry Mourne and Down,  Mid Ulster; Derry and Strabane; and Omagh is being delayed […]

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Organised Crime Exploiting Vulnerable People

“Illegal money lenders don’t care about their victims, they are only interested in exerting control and exploiting vulnerable people for their own gain,” Justice Minister Naomi Long has said.  She was speaking as The Northern Ireland Executive Programme to Tackle Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime launched its latest ‘Ending the Harm’ public awareness campaign, which will focus […]