Other News In Brief

Farmer Fined For Pollution Offence

A farmer has been fined after pleading guilty for making a polluting discharge to a waterway at Omagh Magistrates Court.

Mr Ivan Jobb was fined £250, plus an offenders levy of £15.

On 05 June 2014, Water Quality Inspectors (WQIs), acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), entered a farm on the Ballynahatty Road, Omagh and observed silage effluent flowing across the farm yard to a grass verge. The WQIs identified a manhole and observed silage in the drain and effluent was discharging via the inlet pipe. Having walked the line of the pipe, the effluent was observed discharging into the waterway. The farm was owned by Mr Jobb. After some discussion Mr Jobb ordered the WQIs off his farm. The length of waterway impacted by the discharge was in excess of 1400 metres.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

SDLP Welcomes 'Sensible' Parades Commission Decision

SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness has described the Parades Commission determination on this year's Tour of the North parade as "sensible".

Mr Maginness said he hopes it sets the tome for this year;s marching decision.

He said: "At every stage of this dispute all that the parishioners of St. Patrick’s and the residents of Carrick Hill have asked for is to be treated with respect. In light of numerous breaches of previous Parades Commission determinations this decision was the only sensible course of action available to the Commission."

Education Minister Called To Explain School Enrolment Decision

Ulster Unionist Party education spokesperson Danny Kinahan MP MLA has expressed "surprise" at the perceived difference in the way two County Armagh secondary schools have been treated in their applications to increase first form enrolments.

Mr Kinahan said: "Markethill High School and St Paul's High School Bessbrook, faced with parental demand for places in their first form (Year 8), both recently applied for what is known as a temporary variation in their admissions numbers.

"Markethill's application to the Department of Education was turned down, whilst St Paul’s was successful. However, according to answers to Assembly questions, St Paul's was originally turned by the Department on 14 May, only for that decision to be overturned by the Minister on 28 May.

"Minister O'Dowd needs to explain why he reviewed and reversed the St Paul's refusal decision but not Markethill High School."

(CD/MH)