Helen's Bay Redevelopment Rejected

Plans to convert a listed building into a housing development have been rejected. Newtownards firm R&A Developments had proposed to convert St Columbanus nursing home and build five new houses in part of the grounds at Craigdarragh Road in Helens Bay. Due to a road safety risk - visibility from the driveway to the main road was poor - the plans were blocked. Developer Bill Rush said the land affecting visibility belonged to someone else and would be uneconomical to buy.

McCausland Visits Somme Museum

Culture Minister, Nelson McCausland, has visited the Somme Museum in Newtownards to view the historical exhibitions on offer to the public. The Somme Museum opened in 1994 as an educational facility and tourist attraction. It examines Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic’s role in the First World War. During the tour the Minister said: "I welcome this opportunity to view the work carried out by the Somme Association, in particular I enjoyed learning of the local community involvement in the First World War. The Museum and the Somme Association have an excellent education programme which teaches schoolchildren about the part played by both Unionists and Nationalists in the Great War."

ATM Charge Proposals Panned

Proposals by Fianna Fail's Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to introduce charges for ATM withdrawls across the border have been met with wide criticism, and accusations of being a "cynical distraction". Mr Ahern's suggestion came on the heel of yesterday's robbery of an AIB branch and the abduction of a bank official's wife. The Justice Minister charges would discourage people from using cash and reduce pressure on banks to hold large amounts of it. However, the Labour Party's Pat Rabbitte TD said the proposal showed the Government was "out of touch". Speaking this morning, Minister Ahern said: "Just when you think that it is not possible for the members of this government to show themselves to be any more out of touch with the man or woman in the street, up comes Dermot Ahern with a proposal to penalise ordinary bank customers in order to combat tiger kidnappings."

(GK/KMcA)