19 June 2009

Other NI News In Brief

Mourne Man Found

A major search operation that took place overnight has been called off after the missing man was found safe and well on Friday afternoon. The search began last night after he went missing in the Mourne Mountains. The man, 22, was staying at a caravan park near Carlingford Lough and failed to return on Thursday night. An Irish Coastguard helicopter assisted with the operation for a time before it returned to Dublin when the Coastguard arrived this morning to start doing a search along the beach.

Greenhouse Gases Targeted

Farmers are being urged to produce less gas and more growth from high sugar grass swards. A Northern Ireland seed merchant has put itself at the heart of a drive to increase milk and meat output off grass, yet reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. Samuel McCausland Ltd in Banbridge, believes their Aber High Sugar Grasses can increase milk production from grass by over two litres a day, give a 20% boost to weight gain in beef cattle and offer similar improvements in lamb growth. Paddy Boyd, a spokesman for Samuel McCausland explained that farmers reseeding now with Aber varieties benefit not only from lower cost production of milk and meat, but are well placed to meet forthcoming EU regulations restricting the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock enterprises. He said the increased efficiency means that less Nitrogen is released to the environment. It is also expected, but not yet proved that methane emissions are similarly reduced.

Larne Roads Receive £2.5m Investment

Larne is to benefit from a £2.5m roads investment scheme, it has been announced. NI Transport Minister Conor Murphy said the works will include improved visibility splays and junction radii at the Bridgend Road/Forthill Road, Ballycarry. This project is nearing completion. "It is also proposed to improve the junction visibility splays of the Browndod Road/Uppertown Road this financial year," he said. The Minister welcomed the announcement last November of the preferred corridors for the proposal to dual the A8 Belfast to Larne Road. "We would hope to announce a preferred route for the scheme in the next few months," he said.

Cancer Care For Construction Workers

A new leaflet has been launched to raise awareness of cancer prevention among construction workers. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland pamphlet highlights the preventability of two out of three cancers, and discusses how in most cases early detection gives the best outcomes. An estimated 8% of cancer deaths in men are work-related, the executive said. It also points out the potential for asbestos, silica and sunlight to cause cancer and provides information on how such exposures can be avoided. Information on smoking cessation and sources of help and information is also given. The leaflet is part of HSENI's ongoing campaign on workplace carcinogens which in 2009/10 will focus on asbestos.

(BMcC/JM)