The Executive has condemned the violence over recent days and has called for calm to be restored to our streets, and an end to violent protests. At a special meeting this morning, Ministers were updated on the situation over the last few days by the Chief Constable and have issued a statement. […]
NI Water has announced that from 1 April 2021, non-domestic water and sewerage charges will rise by 0.9% in line with inflation. NI Water Director of Finance & Regulation, Ronan Larkin, said, “We are acutely aware this is a challenging time for everyone and we do not want any business to feel extra […]
Justice Minister Naomi Long has announced plans to widen the current abuse of trust legislation to strengthen the law protecting vulnerable children. Minister Long indicated her intention to make the changes through an amendment to the Justice (Miscellaneous) Provisions Bill later this year. Naomi Long said, “I am fully committed to […]
A new report produced by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful brings up worrying signs regarding the issue of litter and dog fouling throughout the country during the pandemic. The Cleaner Neighbourhoods Report, which details the findings of the 2020 Northern Ireland Litter Survey, highlights an increase in the levels of litter and dog fouling […]
A money-back scheme on drinks bottles to help increase recycling is being considered by Environment Minister Edwin Poots. And in a move to boost the reuse of packaging material, he is also looking at a fee-based scheme to encourage producers to design and use packaging that is easier to re-use and/or recycle. “With […]
Health Minister Robin Swann has confirmed a public consultation will be held on policy proposals for a Statutory Duty of Candour. The consultation will open on 12 April and run for a period of 16 weeks. The Minister detailed the plans in a written statement to the Assembly. He also updated […]
Finance Minister, Conor Murphy has welcomed the launch of ‘The Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor: Current Profile, Potential for Recovery & Opportunities for Cooperation’ report. Minister Murphy was speaking at a virtual conference where the report was published. He said, “I want to commend the eight councils from the North and South for […]
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced £1million in funding for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland. Making the announcement, Minister Swann said, “Since this service was launched over three and a half years ago, it has become a critical component of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service’s emergency response. “Many people who have had […]
Environment Minister Edwin Poots has welcomed a new partnership that will fund training places for packaging technologists in a drive to find more sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics. Making the announcement that Vickerstock Recruitment will sponsor four students at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to study for a Diploma […]
Translink has launched a new virtual book club, Novel Journeys, to celebrate the benefits of reading. In partnership with independent bookstore ‘No Alibis’, Translink will recommend a title every month via social media, with a virtual event held every three months featuring guest panellists. The book club officially launched today with […]
