Northern Ireland News for January 2002

Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Man seriously injured in road rage assault
A man has been seriously injured and another man arrested in what has been described as a "road rage" incident in Londonderry. The assault happened in the Waterside area of the city, when the two mot...
Business News, Jan 31, 2002
NI companies showcase products in Paris
Nine Northern Ireland companies have exhibited with considerable success at an international Museum Expressions show in Paris. The local companies had the opportunity to showcase their products befor...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Trimble and Durkan meet EU President in Brussels
In response to criticism levelled at the Executive the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, have come out in strong defence of the recently opened £500,000 Northern Ireland office in Brussels. S...
Business News, Jan 31, 2002
PIK Engineering receive Innovation West District award
Irvinestown based PIK Engineering have been recognised as one of the region's most innovative businesses. The company have been awarded a District award in the Innovation West awards competition by F...
Business News, Jan 31, 2002
Catering College merger consultation launched
The Department for Employment and Learning has announced that the proposed merger of the Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College (NIHCC) at Portrush with the University of Ulster (UU) is being put...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Minister launches IT and Telecoms Show at Belfast Odyssey
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Sir Reg Empey has launched the 2002 IT and Telecoms Show at Belfast's Odyssey Arena. The IT show, which kicked off on Thursday January 31, also saw ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Irish Catholic orders to pay €128 million to victims of abuse
Ireland's Roman Catholic religious orders are to pay €128 million to a compensation fund for victims of abuse in state-backed institutions. The brokered package took over a year of talks between the...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
John Hume honoured with Ghandi Peace Prize
Former leader of the SDLP and Nobel Laureate John Hume will be honoured in India with the Ghandi Peace Prize. The award, to be made on Friday, February 1, was made in recognition of the contribution...
Business News, Jan 31, 2002
Harland and Wolff issue warning over workforce
Harland and Wolff (H&W) have warned that unless it successfully secures new orders, it will be forced to make further cuts to its workforce. In an official statement released on Thursday January 31,...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Investigation begins into Carlingford Lough fishing tragedy
Police and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have begun a full investigation into the sinking in Carlingford Lough of the Kilkeel-based fishing boat Charisma, which left a 22-year old ma...
Business News, Jan 31, 2002
Low wages leave many farmers below poverty line
Northern Ireland farmers are still living below the poverty line despite watching their profits increase by 64 per cent on average. This is the second year in a row that farmers' incomes have risen ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Drugs finds in north and east Belfast
A quantity of drugs with an estimated street value of £70,000 have been recovered in Belfast. The Police Service of Northern Ireland's drugs squad recovered a substantial haul of cannabis resin in a ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Delegation from Craigavon meets with Enterprise Minister
With a number of recent jobs losses in the Craigavon area, a delegation from the area met with Enterprise, Trade and Development Minister Sir Reg Empey to discuss employment problems in the area. ML...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Royal Mail monopoly could see liberalisation
The Royal Mail's monopoly over UK postal services could be about to come to an end within four years if recommendations made by industry regulator Postcomm are implemented. Postcomm has described Co...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2002
Sir James Galway opens new wing at Belfast City Hospital
Belfast-born flautist Sir James Galway was in the province on Thursday January 31 to open the new haematology wing at Belfast City Hospital. The internationally renowned musician opened the unit whic...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Alliance meet Blair to discuss Assembly voting strategies
The leaders of the Northern Ireland Alliance Party have meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair at Downing Street to discuss voting procedures in the Assembly and the amnesty for terrorists in Northern Ir...
Business News, Jan 30, 2002
Sainsbury reveal recruitment drive in retail expansion
Sainsbury's has announced an expansion programme which will see the supermarket chain take on 10,000 new employees during 2002. The new jobs are to be created as part of a three-year strategy aimed ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Stormont Trade Minister brands organised crime a "curse"
Key representatives from the fields of business, construction and banking came together this week to take part in talks on the effect of organised crime on local industry. The Minister for Enterpris...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
LEDU under Stormont accounts watchdog spotlight
Several senior civil servants from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment have been taken to task by the Stormont Public Accounts Committee. DETI Permanent Secretary Bruce Robinson; Alan ...
Business News, Jan 30, 2002
Indian high commission workshop promotes business
A top diplomat and a senior representative of Indian industry have both urged Northern Ireland companies to grasp the "massive business opportunity" for local products and professional services in the...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
B&Q approval creates jobs confidence in Holywood
The green light has been given for the creation of a new B&Q store at the out-of-town Harbour Exchange shopping complex in Holywood after five fraught years of negotiations over planning permission. ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Minister promises to revolutionise libraries by 2003
The Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister, Michael McGimpsey has promised that by the end of 2003, everyone in Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to electronically log on in their local library. ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Ulster GAA unveil £100m four-year plan to upgrade grounds
The Ulster Council of the GAA has announced an ambitious five-year £100 million plan which will focus on improving stadiums and grounds throughout the province. The Strategic Plan for Ulster GAA 200...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Man dies and two hospitalised in fishing tragedy
A 22-year-old man has died in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, after a fishing boat - the Kilkeel based Charisma - capsized and sank today in Rostrevor Bay, Carlingford Lough. The man has been named local...
Business News, Jan 30, 2002
Ballycastle-Campbeltown ferry route re-opened to tender
The Ballycastle-Campbeltown ferry service, which closed down in July 2000, will be opened again to tenders from private companies. In a joint initiative by the Scottish Office, Scottish Executive an...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Northern Ireland Executive opens European offices in Brussels
David Trimble and Mark Durkan arrived in Brussels on Tuesday January 29, to put their seal of approval on a new £500,000-a-year office designed to spearhead Northern Ireland's interests in Europe. J...
Business News, Jan 30, 2002
BP and E.ON go ahead with Veba Oil sale
In a deal worth $2 billion BP and E.ON have agreed to sell upstream assets of Veba Oil to Petro-Canada. BP have announced that an agreement has been reached with E.ON to go ahead with their plan to ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Bank of Ireland to invest £6m in flagship Belfast branch
The Bank of Ireland has announced a £6 million investment in a flagship Belfast city centre branch. According to the Bank of Ireland the investment is set to create a branch designed to set new stan...
Business News, Jan 30, 2002
Satellite broadband scheme set to boost local business
Aramiska has been selected to participate in a pilot satellite broadband scheme for businesses funded by the Industrial Research & Technology Unit in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Under the scheme Sate...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2002
Minister launches action plan to reduce antibiotic use
The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Bairbre de Brún has launched a three-year antibiotic resistance plan at the Health Promotion Agency in Belfast. Speaking in Belfast on Wedn...