Crossmaglen On Foot

NI's top cop has been flying the flag in the border town of Crossmaglen. Matt Baggott is the first serving Chief Constable to patrol the streets of the south Armagh republican enclave where officers still face particular problems in community policing. His short tour was less than a week after the Army defused a bomb in a car abandoned outside the police station in nearby Newtownhamilton and just three months after shots were fired by gunmen at Crossmaglen police station.

More MPs, Says DUP

The DUP has called on voters to increase its Westminster team from nine to 10 MPs. Peter Robinson said this was "in order to ensure Northern Ireland has a strong voice in the event of a hung parliament". Mr Robinson launched his party's manifesto which included a demand for Northern Ireland to be treated as a special economic zone within the UK. The party leader also said that this is the first time the DUP manifesto has concentrated on the economy as the primary issue - evidence in his view of how far Northern Ireland has come, he claimed.

Bus To Europe

Co Antrim-based Drumack Coachworks has secured its first business in Europe worth over £70,000, with support from Invest Northern Ireland. The coach building company, based in Rasharkin, has already begun exporting orders to the franchisees of international automotive company, Autosmart in France, Germany and Holland. Established in 1984 by owner Cyril Reid, Drumack Coachworks specialises in vehicle body building, tail lift installation, maintenance and repair for the commercial vehicle market. Invest NI offered £5,000 to Drumack Coachworks as part of a £19,750 investment to help support the company's export marketing activities.

NI Cars Seized In Donegal

People driving Northern Ireland registered cars in Co Donegal have had their vehicles seized during a customs crackdown. Irish tax and customs officials were checking if people now living in the Irish Republic, had properly taxed cars. On 14 and 15 April, 1,060 vehicles were stopped. Aside from 69 NI registered cars seized, a further 96 warnings were issued. Irish Revenue said the "rules were clear" and the non-payment of tax would be "vigorously pursued".

NI Helps Travel Backlog

The Stormont Transport Minister, Conor Murphy, has said that local transport providers are working hard to deliver rail, bus and ferry services to aid passengers affected by the volcanic ash situation. "I have been receiving updates from the key agencies responding to the challenges posed by this situation, and those transport bodies who are trying to facilitate alternative travel arrangements for those affected. Additional cross channel coach services are being operated by Translink in conjunction with Scottish Citylink, National Express and Eurolines," he said. "Translink is also working closely with P&O and Stena Line to deliver additional rail and bus services in order to meet the high demand from passengers coming off the ferries in Larne Harbour and Belfast." He said that he has also been in contact with Dublin on the position within Irish airspace and concluded: "My officials will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with transport providers, to ensure we have the capacity to accommodate the additional demand."

Care Home Opens

A new state-of-the-art care home has been officially opened in east Belfast. The Wesley Housing Association 38-bed Residential /EMI Care Home now including 20 dementia beds and 18 residential beds for the frail and elderly, dementia care, physical disability and sensory impairment persons unable to live independently. Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, opened the facility. The Association's Chief Executive, Beverley Surgenor welcomed this latest development and commented: "This vital new scheme provides high quality care and accommodation for the most vulnerable persons in our society and Wesley Housing Association is proud to contribute to the on-going solutions for dementia care requirements."

(BMcC/GK)