15 May 2012

Other News In Brief

Poots Lends His Support To Brain Injury Awareness Week

Health Minister Edwin Poots has highlighted the often devastating impact a brain injury can have on a person’s life and the lives of their families and friends. Speaking during a visit to Reconnect, a local charity which delivers training and rehabilitation services to adults with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) from premises in the Castlereagh hills Minister Poots said: “Brain injury can bring with it countless symptoms and challenges including memory loss, mobility problems, personality changes and behavioural issues.

“It can also have a devastating and lifelong impact on the person concerned and their family and friends.

“In an instant, an outgoing, active and confident person can be transformed into someone who has difficulty moving, communicating, and even comprehending their new situation following their injury.”

The Minister continued: “In Northern Ireland there are approximately 2000 people a year living with the long-term effects of a brain injury.

“Services provided by organisations such as Reconnect are of vital importance in helping people to come to terms with their brain injury, and in providing the support they need to live fuller lives.

O’Neill Briefs MEPs On CAP Reform Response

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill today hosted a breakfast briefing in Brussels for Irish MEPs and selected COMAGRI MEPs to discuss her response to the CAP reform proposals.  Speaking after the meeting Minister O’Neill said: “This was a very constructive meeting I was able to highlight to MEPs the key elements within my response to the Commission’s reform proposals.

“In particular, I was able to discuss the detail of my suggestions for a smooth and orderly transition towards a flat rate support regime. I also presented my suggestions to simplify the proposed greening requirements so that they are more focused and easier to administer, while avoiding potential negative unintended consequences.

“We had a very useful discussion on my proposed alternative, and much simpler, approach to the active farmer test based on past production activity, as well as the need for maximum regional flexibility to tailor CAP support to meet regional needs.”

The Minister concluded: “We are still at the early stages of the CAP reform process and I am very pleased that I have been able to engage with MEPS in an extremely positive and constructive fashion. I intend to build on this engagement and to promote our views of how the CAP framework can be shaped to meet the needs of our local industry.”

Dallat Welcomes Upgrade Of A5 Road Network

SDLP East Derry MLA John Dallat has called for a renewed commitment to establish a regular rail service between Derry and Dublin during Assembly Questions to the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on cross-border issues.

Mr Dallat also welcomed the commitment to upgrade two sections of the A5 road network.

He said: "The rail network was badly fractured at the time of partition and starved of investment, indeed ripped up in many areas by the old Unionist regime. There is now clearly a need to begin talking seriously about re-establishing a decent inter-city service to Dublin and in the short term this can be achieved by re-opening the Knockmore line from Antrim to Lisburn.

"The time is long over-due for substantial investment in the all-island rail infrastructure. This has happened in the South but no significant investment has been made in the North to bring the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise Service to an acceptable intercity service and certainly the provision of a decent link between Derry and Dublin is long forgotten."

(CD)