Categories
Community Education

Library Fines To Be Removed

Fines for overdue library books are to be removed with immediate effect, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced. Minister Hargey explained: “Libraries are a crucial resource at the heart of our communities. They serve as a place for people to access a wide range of services including books, newspapers, online resources, computers, printers, audio materials […]

Categories
Community Education

Be Safe, Be Seen on the Roads

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon is reminding pupils to be safe, be seen as they travel to and from school this autumn/winter. Launching this year’s annual Road Safety Teaching Aid calendar, Minister Mallon visited Glengormley Integrated Primary School to remind pupils of the importance of safe behaviour on the roads, particularly at this time of year […]

Categories
Education Politics

Increased Waiting Lists for Assessment Cannot Continue and Must Be Addressed – Aontu

Aontú Education Spokesperson and Representative for East Derry Gemma Brolly welcomes NICCY’s most recent report ‘More than a Number’ and urges robust actioning of recommendations as a matter of urgency. Ms Brolly began by commenting “I wish I could say that the figures for waiting times and numbers shocked within this report shocked me, however […]

Categories
Community

£3 Million to Support Communities Announced

An additional £3million is to be made available to local communities through the Community Support Programme, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced. Minister Hargey explained: “This funding distributed by the 11 councils will target local need by working in partnership with the local voluntary and community sector to ensure the delivery of better, more responsive […]

Categories
Community Health

Plans to Tackle the Harms Caused By Tobacco and Second-Hand Smoking.

Health Minister Robin Swann has outlined plans that will continue to tackle the harms caused to children and young people by tobacco and second-hand smoking. The Health Minister laid out his plans to prioritise and progress regulations on smoking in cars when children are present, as well as preventing the sale of nicotine inhaling products […]

Categories
Politics

Apply For a Fireworks Licence and Keep Communities Safe at Halloween

If your Halloween celebrations involve fireworks this year, make sure you stay on the right side of the law by applying for a licence. That was the message today from Justice Minister Naomi Long as she highlighted the need for people to act responsibly, comply with the law and use fireworks safely to help avoid […]

Categories
Community

Funding Increased to Support Delivery of New Homes

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has approved additional funding of up to £15million to ensure stability in the social housing construction sector following recent volatility in the costs of materials. Minister Hargey has stated that building more social homes, to the areas they are needed, is a priority as she works to address housing stress through […]

Categories
Community Crime Uncategorized

Practical Help Being Delivered in Communities Thanks to Assets Recovery Funding – Long

Practical help is being delivered in the heart of local communities thanks to the Department of Justice Assets Recovery Community Scheme, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. The Minister was speaking at an event in Belfast hosted by the Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) project, which was granted Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS) funding from January […]

Categories
Community

2021 CENSUS LAUNCHES TODAY

Households will be able to complete their 2021 Census which will help shape where essential resources, funding and services will be focused over the next decade. Census Day is 21 March. For the first time, the Census will be predominantly online and it is expected that the majority of householders will choose to complete their […]

Categories
Community

JOB FAIRS GO VIRTUAL IN RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced a series of virtual job fairs being piloted by the Department for Communities over the next few months. The innovative pilot programme has been introduced as an alternative to physical job fairs which have been suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions. The virtual job fair series will include regional, sectoral […]

Categories
Community

District Town Halls to Light Up to Mark World Down’s Syndrome Day

Newry , Mourne and Down District Council have agreed to light up Newry and Downpatrick town halls along with Belfast City Hall and Lisburn Town Hall to celebrate world Down’s Syndromeday on the 21st March. Down Syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in […]

Categories
Business Politics

FINANCE MINISTER WELCOMES ADDITIONAL £300 MILLION TOWARDS COVID RESPONSE

Finance Minister, Conor Murphy has welcomed the announcement from Treasury which provides a further £300 million for the Executive which can be used this year or carried forward into the 2021/2022 financial year. Commenting Conor Murphy said: “I welcome this additional £300 million which will be used towards our Covid-19 response. “Along with Finance Ministers […]