Northern Ireland News for January 2003 : Page 3

Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
Environmental groups have open mind over wind farm
Local environmental groups have said that they are keeping an open mind on plans for an offshore wind farm at Tunes Plateau, off the north coast of Northern Ireland. The RSPB, Friends of the Earth, W...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
EDF 'can make a real difference to economy' says Pearson
The NIO Economy Minister has praised the work of the Economic Development Forum (EDF) saying its work can make "a real difference to the economy of Northern Ireland". The Minister was speaking at the...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
Smuggler from Northern Ireland jailed for three years
A Northern Ireland man has been jailed for three years for organising a major cigarette smuggling run. Michael Doherty (34), from Strabane, Co Tyrone, was arrested by Customs officers at his home las...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
Armagh to stage Holocaust remembrance day
The Market Place Theatre in Armagh is set to stage Northern Ireland's first Holocaust Commemoration day on Monday January 27. The event, which is being hosted by the Office of the First Minister and ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
Police make two major drugs seizures
Ecstasy tablets worth around £25,000 have been seized in two separate searches last night. In Belfast, £5000 worth of ecstasy tablets and cannabis was been recovered after a car was stopped and searc...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 24, 2003
PSNI to recruit 1,500 part-time officers
The PSNI are set to recruit 1,500 part-time police officers for community policing throughout Northern Ireland – although the selection process will not be made under the 50:50 basis which the Patten ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Former pupil compensated over pregnancy exclusion
A Northern Ireland girl has been awarded more than £6,000 in compensation after she was banned from attending classes at her convent school for getting pregnant. Margaret McCluskey, now aged 21, was ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Irvine fails to gain Jordan drive
Formula One could be without its most colourful character this season after Ulster born driver Eddie Irvine failed in his bid to sign with Jordan. Thirty-seven-year-old Irvine had been in talks with...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Pensioner 'badly shaken' after arson attack
An elderly woman has been described by police as "badly shaken up" after an arson attempt was made on her house in the early hours of this morning. Several hundred pounds worth of damage was caused t...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Car crime victims' group lobbies Downing Street
A number of local political representatives and a west-Belfast based pressure group have met the Home Office minister in London today to urge the government to bring in tough measures against car crim...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Bomb defused at Stormont building
A bomb at the Stormont headquarters of Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture has been defused. British army technical officers dealt with what has been described by police as a “crude, anti-pe...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Ahern and Blair begin critical peace drive
Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has described his talks with the Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street as the starting point in a drive to resolve the issues of police reform, demilitarisation and ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Ombudsman to probe Lowry dismissal allegations
The Policing Board has confirmed that allegations surrounding the dismissal of Special Branch head Bill Lowry will be investigated by the Police Ombudsman. Bill Lowry, who retired from his post as t...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Viper announce £400,000 Middle East contracts
A Coalisland-based manufacturer of screening and recycling machinery has announced it has won initial contracts worth £400,000 from Qatar. Viper International revealed the news following an Invest No...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
North Belfast pipe bombs linked to loyalist feud
Two pipe bombs which exploded at separate bars in north Belfast last night have been linked to the loyalist feud. The first device was thrown at the Cavehill Inn, on the Cavehill Road, damaging a win...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 23, 2003
Government renews Terrorism Act for coming year
The government has confirmed that the Terrorism Act 2000 will be renewed in Northern Ireland for the coming year. In a speech to the House of Commons yesterday, Secretary of State Paul Murphy confirm...
Business News, Jan 22, 2003
Social Security Agency takes first Step to Excellence
The Social Security Agency was the only public sector organisation in Northern Ireland this year to receive top marks in the Steps to Excellence quality scheme. It follows an independent assessment a...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Giving pets the gourmet option
Moy-based pet food manufacturer, John Mackle Ltd is to invest over £2 million in consolidating its position as a key player in the pet food market. The investment will entail the immediate replacemen...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Omagh bomb families lodge £10m damages claim
Lawyers acting for the families of the Omagh bomb victims have lodged documents in the Dublin High Court today indicating that the sum of damages sought will top £10 million. The civil action is exp...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
South African man in custody after cannabis seizure
A South African national has been remanded in custody following a cannabis seizure at Belfast International Airport worth an estimated £53,000. Gabriel Jacobus Frederick Erasmus, 48, appeared at Belf...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Duo plead guilty to explosive charges
Two men have pleaded guilty today of plotting to cause explosions in London and Birmingham in 2001. Thirty-year-old James McCormack and 19-year-old John Hannan, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing t...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Belfast sex shop owners prosecuted
Three Belfast city centre sex shops have been fined and charged in relation to the trading of adult videos and DVD's without a licence. The Gemini, Private Lines and MissTique stores were all fined ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Man remanded in custody following Bangor murder
A man has been remanded in custody for three weeks after being charged with the murder of a man in Bangor at the weekend. William Moore, 34, also known as 'Billy the Boxer', is accused of killing Ric...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Holy Cross priest targeted for death threats
Father Aidan Troy, the priest who guided Holy Cross school through the darkest days of loyalist protests, has revealed that threats against his life have been made in recent days. Fr Troy was attendi...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Two shot in separate paramilitary-style attacks
Two men have been shot in separate paramilitary-style attacks in Co Antrim and Co Down last night. At around 9.40pm, a 19-year-old man was abducted by a gang of four men as he walked along the Glena...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Social economy is untold success story says Pearson
At a conference yesterday, NIO Minister Ian Pearson praised the voluntary sector for its input into Northern Ireland's thriving social economy as an "untold success story". The conference, entitled ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 22, 2003
Latest road fatality on Ulster’s roads named
Ulster’s roads have claimed two more victims overnight, bringing 2003's death toll to 15 in the first twenty-two days of the year. In County Antrim a man died in a crash near Glarryford Cross on the ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 21, 2003
700 Irish troops prepare for Gulf deployment
Up to 700 troops from Irish regiments are on their way to the Gulf region after the Defence Secretary announced the largest single deployment of British troops since the Falklands War in 1982. In th...
Business News, Jan 21, 2003
NI organisations celebrate success at European level
Northern Ireland must develop a culture that puts innovation, productivity and quality excellence at the top of the business agenda, according to Stephen Kingon, the Chairman of the Northern Ireland C...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 21, 2003
Water service reform needed says NIO Minister
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Angela Smith has said that the current arrangements for water and sewerage delivery would have to be reformed to ensure that future water charges are fair and af...