Progressive Speakers

Last year's winner, Robyn Livingstone from Collegiate Grammar, Enniskillen, reflects on the topic 'Beauty – Is it more than skin deep?', one of seven subjects in this year's Soroptimist International's Annual Youth Award Public Speaking competition, supported by Progressive Building Society. It is open to all NI female students in Years 12 or 13. Students should contact their school, local club convener or call Rosemary Fuller on 028 9265 1088, by 17th October.

Cyclist Recovering

A young boy who was left fighting for his life in hospital after being struck by a car while cycling has been taken off the critical list and is now 'stable. Dean McCrory, 14, from Lisburn, suffered serious head injuries after being hit so strongly that his bike was broken into two pieces, which were flung up to 200 yards apart. The teenager was cycling to his Rathvarna home on Monday, September 20, when he was involved in an accident with a car at the Prince William and Knockmore Road junction in the city. He suffered head and leg injuries and was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where he remained sedated in intensive care. He underwent an operation the following morning.

Guards For Helmand

There will be a significant Irish presence on the front line this month as the 1st Battalion Irish Guards have flown into Helmand to start a tour of duty in Afghanistan. They will be working alongside the Afghan National Army in what is the 'Skins' first deployment to Afghanistan as a single unit.

Acting-up Criticised

The Alliance Education Spokesperson Trevor Lunn has expressed shock at the level of staff working in an acting capacity in Education and Library Boards here. Over a quarter of the staff employed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board are working in this capacity. "It is deeply alarming that so many staff are working in an acting capacity across our education boards. These figures are shocking and one has to ask whether they indicate uncertainty in our education system given the delay in the creation of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA). These statistics show that our education sector has been left in limbo because of the failure of some politicians to agree on ESA and the impact this instability is having on staff in Education and Library Boards is unacceptable. Progress is essential on ESA and all politicians must build consensus quickly so this body can be created as soon as possible," he said. "Politicians should not let this excellent opportunity be lost and should reach agreement as soon as possible."

Limavady College Cuts Loom

Lecturers and other staff at the North West Regional College in Limavady have been warned to expect job cuts. The college management announced that in light of looming public service funding cuts, redundancies should be expected although the exact number of jobs under threat is not yet known. "This issue was discussed by management and College staff during a recent general staff meeting at the College. The actual number of redundancies is not yet known," said a recent statement. "During discussions, staff and management at the college voiced their intentions to do everything in their power to minimise these redundancies, and provide every possible assistance to staff that may be affected."

Campaign Targets Asbestos Risks

'Know your building, know your responsibilities' is the message to non-domestic dutyholders, from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) with today’s launch of its new asbestos 'duty to manage' campaign. The hard-hitting educational campaign targets dutyholders which broadly defined are those who own or manage commercial buildings, including factories, warehouses, shops and offices. The campaign, which is being delivered in partnership with Northern Ireland's 26 District Councils, aims to remind dutyholders of their legal obligation to manage the risks from asbestos. Nearly 60,000 premises across the province are set to receive an information pack from HSENI from this week which incorporates a basic eight-step guide to help manage the risks from asbestos. The guide also stresses the importance of maintaining an up-to-date asbestos register for buildings.

UUP Target Poverty

The Ulster Unionist MLA Billy Armstrong has said that both Sinn Fein and the DUP need to adopt a consistent and realistic approach to welfare reform in order to rebalance the system which currently removes incentives to work and contributes to cycles of unemployment and poverty which benefit no-one. "We have entrenched patterns of worklessness and child poverty that undermine prosperity and opportunity for too many people. Over half of those claiming income support have done so for more than five years, whilst long-term unemployment is estimated at 40% of total unemployment," he said. "We now have a welfare system that is extremely complicated and which discourages people from getting back to work. People and parents are often better off staying on benefits than finding a job. In such circumstances it is understandable that they do not seek work."

(BMcC/GK)