Other News In Brief

Work To Start On Resurfacing Project In Limavady

Work is to start on a £285,000 road resurfacing project in Limavady, L'Derry.

The work, whiich will being on Monday, 09 April, will take place on the A2 Seacoast Road between the junction of Bishops Road and Benone Leisure complex.

The 2,700 metre long resurfacing scheme includes the provision of localised surface water drainage improvements and will improve the running surface along the entire length of the scheme.

Due to the nature of the works it will be necessary to close Seacoast Road during the working week from Monday 9 April to Friday 20 April. To minimise disruption to commuters, traffic control will be in operation before 9.30 am and after 4pm on week days. There should be no significant traffic restrictions during weekends to facilitate journeys in the area.

Diversion routes will be signed and local access for residents will be maintained at all times during the works.

Call For Action To Provide Funding For Age Sector Platform

DUP Parliamentary Party Leader Nigel Dodds has contacted the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to take action to provide future funding for Age Sector Platform.

The action follows the announcement by the Department for Communities that they are unable to approve a funding package in the absence of a Minister.

"Age Sector Platform is recognised throughout Northern Ireland for its tremendous work in promoting and defending the interests of our older people.

"I have been delighted to work alongside Age Sector Platform for many years in securing and defending free universal travel, the pension triple lock and the winter fuel allowance.

"It is not acceptable that older people throughout Northern Ireland are being held to ransom by Sinn Fein's continued redlines and refusal to form an Assembly and Executive on a fair and equitable basis."

NI's Hospitality Sector Is Being Held Back By Restrictive Licensing Laws - UUP

Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen has highlighted that after years of broken promises and false hope, Northern Ireland's hospitality sector is still being held back by restrictive liquor licensing laws.

Mr Allen said: "Whilst issues around alcohol licensing laws are not just restricted to Easter opening hours, it is at this time of year when Northern Ireland's archaic rules are most evident.

"Northern Ireland has been trying to modernise its laws for at least the last 10 years, and whilst I certainly don't want to see the wholesale deregulation of liquor licensing, I absolutely believe the system desperately needs to be made fit for purpose for the 21st century.

"Just as the Assembly collapsed in January 2017, an important Bill – the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill – was making its way through the legislative process and was just about to be further amended and improved by the Communities Committee. The last 15 months and the subsequent policy and legislative vacuum at Stormont however have instead simply represented yet another lost opportunity for our local tourism and hospitality sectors.

"There are issues other than just opening times needing reform - at present there is an imbalance between the alignment of alcohol and entertainment licensing systems which is consequently making enforcement of late opening hours almost impossible at times for the police.Importantly also, Northern Ireland's mirco-breweries – a local industry just on the edge of major growth – still have little formal recognition and are greatly limited by laws preventing them from selling at source or even at farmers markets."