Northern Ireland News for December 2013

Business News, Dec 20, 2013
Call For Lagan Valley A&E Status To Be Clarified
Alliance Lisburn Councillor Stephen Martin has called on the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust to urgently clarify what they plan for Lagan Valley Hospital emergency department, following new...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
Drug Dealer Ordered To Repay £23k
A 27-year-old man sentenced to prison earlier this year for drug dealing has been ordered to repay more than £23,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Joseph Leslie Pitts, 27, of Sparrows Lane, Eltham...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
Man Sentenced Over Sexual Assaults
A man has been sentenced at Newry Crown Court to 14 years in prison for a series of sexual assaults in the Newry and Warrenpoint areas in 2002 and 2006. Sean Heaton will also be placed on the sex off...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
Four Men Sentenced Over Sham Marriages
Four men have been given suspended prison sentences at Belfast Crown Court for involvement in sham marriages. A PSNI investigation uncovered "systematic abuse" of the EU immigration system in which c...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
China 'Key Market' For Agri Food
Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has said China is a "key market for agri food growth" in Northern Ireland. She made the remark following a meeting with members of the Chinese People’s Political...
Business News, Dec 20, 2013
China 'Key Market' In Agri Food
Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has said China is a "key market for agri food growth" in Northern Ireland. She made the remark following a meeting with members of the Chinese People’s Political...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
Sod Cut At Banbridge Health Village Development
The first sod has been cut in the development of a new £16m health and care and day care centre. As part of Banbridge Health Village, the new Health and Care Centre will accommodate around 220 staff ...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
Casement Park Development Approved
A new stadium at Casement Park in west Belfast has been given the go-ahead. Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) will now build a new 38,0...
Recruitment News, Dec 20, 2013
150 Technology Jobs Boost For Dublin
The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D., has welcomed the announcement by Liberty Mutual Insurance Group of the creation of 150 new jobs in the company's Blanchardstown office. The new j...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 20, 2013
Other News In Brief
Men Arrested Over Attempted Police Murder Two men have been arrested by detectives investigating the attempted murder of police officers in west Belfast. Shots were fired at three officers as...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
Graveyard Body Post-Mortem 'Inconclusive'
A post-mortem conducted on a body found in a Didcot graveyard has been unable to confirm if it is that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson. Police had said that they believed the body discovered in ...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
Pair Found Guilty Of Lee Rigby Murder
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale have been found guilty of murdering soldier Lee Rigby. Fusilier Rigby was killed as he made his way back to Woolwich barracks in south-east London on 22 May. ...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
Investigation Launched Into Apollo Theatre Roof Collapse
An investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of part of the ceiling at London's Apollo Theatre. 76 people have been left injured, seven of them seriously, when a...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
MPs Call To Ban Payday Loan Adverts From Children's TV
Payday loan advertising on children's television should be banned, a committee of MPs have said. A report from the Business Select Committee says that exposing children to adverts for payday loans co...
UK National News, Dec 20, 2013
Other News In Brief
Wensleydale Cheese Given EU Protection Wensleydale cheese has been granted EU protection, meaning that only cheese produced in the Yorkshire Dales can use the name Yorkshire Wensleydale. Prot...
Business News, Dec 19, 2013
Minister Enhances Fermanagh's Business Base
Fermanagh's business base will be enhanced by two new economic development programmes, Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster has said. The Minister was speaking as she launched the ...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
Power Restored To 10,000 Homes
Northern Ireland Electricity has restored electricity supplies to around 10,000 customers after gale force winds swept across northern and eastern parts of Northern Ireland last night. Northern Irela...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
Jack And Grace 2013's Most Popular Names
Jack and Grace have been announced as the most popular names given to boys and girls in 2013. The announcement came as the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency published its annual report ...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
Police Find Body In Jayden Parkinson Search
A body has been found in a disturbed grave by detectives investigating the disappearance of teenager Jayden Parkinson. Following a tip police had begun investigating a grave site at the cemetery of A...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
Other News In Brief
Crumlin Irish School Development Approved Planning approval has been granted for an Irish speaking school in Crumlin. Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach has operated in Crumlin for over ten years in pr...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
Civil Service Gender Pay Gap Narrows
There has been a narrowing of the gap between male and female salaries in Northern Ireland's Civil Service since 2012. The average basic full-time equivalent salary of female staff is now 2.2% lower ...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
Cable Rules Out Ban On Zero-Hours Contracts
A ban on zero-hours contracts has been ruled out by Business Secretary Vince Cable, who has said they offer employers "welcome flexibility". Mr Cable was launching a public consultation on the use of...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
Search Resumes For Sailor Pulled Overboard
A man has fallen from a cargo ship moored on the River Trent in North Lincolnshire on Wednesday, as winds hit 90mph in parts of the UK. A search operation launched yesterday had to be called off due ...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
Victoria Square Bomb - Men Released
Two men arrested in connection with a bomb attack in Belfast city centre have been released unconditionally. A 34-year-old and 44-year-old were arrested in north Belfast on Wednesday. The attack occ...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
11-Year-Old Girl Killed After Car Mounts Pavement
An 11-year-old girl has died in London after a car mounted the pavement, hitting her and her mother. According to reports the incident happened at The Common in Stanmore, at around midday on Wednesda...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 19, 2013
NI House Prices To Increase By 4%
Northern Ireland house prices are to rise by more than 4% over 2014, according to a new report from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Despite the increase, Northern Ireland prices wi...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
Outdoor Smoking Ban To Be Enforced In Somerset
Taunton Deane Borough Council in Somerset have announced a smoking ban for children's outdoor play areas. A pilot scheme of the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control will be launched in Tau...
UK National News, Dec 19, 2013
Other News In Brief
Work To Resume On 'Bradford Hole' The construction of a stalled Bradford shopping centre is to resume in January, the developer has said. The 12-acre building site has been untouched since Fe...
Recruitment News, Dec 19, 2013
Recruitment For Gateway Scheme To Begin In January
Fine Gael Cork South West Deputy, Jim Daly, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, that recruitment for the Gateway scheme, which is a Cork-based initiative...
Northern Ireland News, Dec 18, 2013
Policing Parades Costs £26m
Alliance Policing Board member Chris Lyttle has described as "shocking and unsustainable" news that that the cost of policing parades and parades-related protests between April and October 2013 has am...