Northern Ireland News for September 2023

Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
Former Police Officer Convicted In NI's First 'Stealth' Rape Case
A former police officers has been jailed in Northern Ireland's first conviction of "stealth" rape. At Laganside Crown Court, the man, who cannot be named in order to protect the victim's identity, wa...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
PSNI Delivers Hard-Hitting Road Safety Message
The PSNI have delivered a hard-hitting road safety message to hundreds of teenagers from Mid Ulster, as the Roadsafe Roadshow returns for another school year. The roadshow, devised by the PSNI Road P...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
New Safe Access Zones Come Into Effect
New Safe Access Zones have come into effect today, 29 September, at eight health trust sites across NI. The Zones are now in operation at premises run by five Health and Social Care Trusts. These ar...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
281 Species Of Wildlife At Risk Of Extinction In NI
Some 281 species of wildlife are at risk of extinction in Northern Ireland, according to the latest State of Nature 2023 Report, published by the RSPB. Following the publication, Alliance Environment...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
Autism NI Calls For Specialist Autism Mental Health Service
Autism NI has highlight the urgent need of a specialist autism mental health service in Northern Ireland, in a special event at Stormont. According to recent figures, autistic adults are nine times m...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
New Dedicated Diabetes Care Hub Opened In North Belfast
A new, dedicated information and support hub for people living with diabetes has been officially opened in north Belfast. Belfast Lord Mayor Ryan Murphy joined Diabetes UK staff to mark the official ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
Man Arrested In North Belfast Drug Search Operation
A 45-year-old man has been arrested on a number of suspected drug offences following a Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) search operation in north Belfast on Thursday, 28th September. The search, ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
Warning Issued Over Water Safety Amid Crayfish Plague Outbreak
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has issued a warning to both commercial and recreational water users to "enhance their biosecurity measures" after tests confirmed ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
SEAG Re-Open Transfer Test System For Late Registration
The Schools' Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) has announced that the transfer test system has been re-opened for parents who missed the Pupil Registration deadline. The Registration Portal has been r...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 29, 2023
Other News In Brief
Time Has Come To Move Forward – SF Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney has said that the time has come to move forward and make progress as the Windsor Framework becomes reality. The party's Brexi...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
New Anonymity Laws For Sexual Offences Cases Come Into Effect
A number of new laws to to safeguard the privacy and anonymity of the victims and suspects in sexual offence cases have come into effect today, 28 September. Announced by the Department of Justice, t...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
New Belfast Facility To Protect Vulnerable Witnesses
A new facility to ensures vulnerable witnesses giving evidence will not meet defendants within a court building, has officially opened in Belfast today, 28 September. The Belfast Remote Evidence Cent...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Belfast Region City Deal Projects Worth £430m Now Underway
Projects worth a combined £430 million have been agreed since the launch of Northern Ireland's first ever City Deal. Signed in December 2021, the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) Programme, funded by ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
NIFRS Launches New Recruitment Drive
The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has announced the launch of a new recruitment campaign, seeking people with 'commitment, fitness and enthusiasm'. The recruitment campaign for Whole...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Alliance Raises Concerns Over Newly 'Privatised' Transfer Test System
The Alliance Party has raised concerns over the "lack of accountability" in NI's new post-primary transfer test system, which has led to "significant concern and worry" for parents. Education Spokesp...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Appeal For Information After Man Shot In West Belfast
The PSNI have issued an appeal for information and witnesses after a man was shot three times in the legs in the Divismore Crescent area of west Belfast shortly after 9pm on Wednesday, September 27. ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Green Party Calls For Belfast Drug Consumption Room
The Green Party has renewed its call for the establishment of a drug consumption room in Northern Ireland following the opening of the first such facility in Glasgow. The new Glasgow facility is the ...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Men Jailed Over 'Terrifying' Threats To Kill Incident
Two men have been jailed after pleading guilty to making threats to kill. 36-year-old Jonathan Sterling, of Belfast and 41-year-old Stephen McLaughlin, of Belfast were both sentenced to 12 months, si...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Prison Service Praised For Response To Inspection Report
The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) has been commended for its response to concerns raised in a Chief Inspector report. In a newly published, follow-up report from the Chief Inspector of Crimi...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 28, 2023
Other News In Brief
Alliance Welcomes New Laws To Protect Sexual Violence Victims Alliance has welcomed the introduction of new laws to protect the privacy and anonymity of victims and suspects in sexual offenc...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Almost 1,300 Arrests Made In First Year Of VAWG Action Plan
Almost 1,300 arrests have been made in the first year of the PSNI's Tackling Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan. Introduced in September 2022, police have arrested 1,298 people under...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Safe Access Zones To Be Introduced From 29 September
The Department of Health (DoH) has announced that Safe Access Zones will be introduced at five health service locations across Northern Ireland on Friday, 29 September, 2023. The Safe Access Zones ai...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
SF Calls For Urgent Action On 'Rip-Off Fuel Costs'
Sinn Féin has called on the UK government to abandon its attack on public services and get on with cutting rip-off fuel costs for struggling workers and families. Caoimhe Archibald made the call as t...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Two Men Sentenced Over Piracy Of TV And Streaming Services
Two men have been sentenced Belfast Crown Court for a number of piracy charges following an operation by the PSNI and Sky. The operation, which took place between September 2018 and January 2019, inv...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Belfast City Airport Ranked UK's Most Punctual Airport
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has ranked Belfast City Airport as the UK's Most Punctual Airport for the first quarter of 2023. The CAA analyses data on arriving and departing scheduled and chart...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
People Urged To Not Miss Out On Winter Health Protection
Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer has urged people not to miss out on their winter health protection and to avail of the COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations. Making the call, Professor Sir M...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Man Arrested In Connection With Serious Assault In Larne
A man has been arrested in connection with a serious assault in Larne on Monday, 25 September. At around 10.35pm, two hooded men wearing dark coloured clothing, forced their way into a house in the B...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Appeal After Masked Men Attack Home In West Belfast
PSNI detectives have issued an appeal for information and witnesses following a report of a burglary in west Belfast on Monday, 25 September. At approximately 8.30pm, three masked men forced their wa...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Dublin Airport To Stage Emergency Exercise
Dublin Airport has announced that it will stage an emergency exercise on Thursday, 28 September to test the readiness of the airport and other agencies to deal with a major incident. Required under s...
Northern Ireland News, Sep 27, 2023
Other News In Brief
UUP Urges DUP To End Its Stormont Boycott The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has renewed their call for the DUP to end its Stormont boycott. Speaking at an event in the Edward M Kennedy Instit...