Kingspan Lights-Up

Portadown-based company, Kingspan Renewables, has been announced as the winner of the Green-Tech category in the InterTrade Ireland All-island Innovation Awards. Gerard Whelan, Managing Director for Kingspan Renewables, Andrea Fordham, Marketing Manager, Kevin McNamee, Finance Director and John Reid, Design Engineer are shown here with their Varisol light, which has been designed to revolutionise the world of solar thermal technology, thanks to its unique features. Using high performance polymer materials, Varisol, is the world's first completely modular vacuum tube solar collector. Each solar vacuum tube has a Varisol connector attached, allowing each tube to simply click together bringing solar hot water to almost any size or shape of building.

Queen's Republic Visit Welcomed

DUP Leader and First Minister Peter Robinson, has welcomed the announcement that Her Majesty The Queen is to visit the Republic of Ireland. "The news of a visit by Her Majesty to the Irish Republic will be welcomed by all right-thinking people throughout the United Kingdom and that country as a positive development. It is a sign of the normalisation of relations between our two countries that such a visit by our Head of State will be taking place. I would urge Republicans to afford Her Majesty the same degree of respect shown by people in the United Kingdom to Mary McAleese. It is not necessary to agree with the institution of monarchy to show respect, just as I have with the elected president of the Republic of Ireland. I have no doubt that the Irish people will warmly welcome our sovereign to their country who has through her long and devoted public service been an excellent ambassador for the United Kingdom," said the First Minister. Amid news that the Pope is also expected in Ireland - in 2012 - the Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has commented that the visit is "premature". See: Queen's Republic Visit Welcomed See: Papal Visit Expected In 2012

Woman Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A woman was convicted at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Friday for claiming benefits she was not entitled to. Sarah McDaid, 26, of Millfields, Ballymoney was fined £225 and ordered to pay court costs of £73 for failure to declare employment while claiming Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and Housing Benefit totalling £2,312. She is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Pizza Man Assaulted

A pizza deliveryman was attacked when he stopped to ask for directions in west Belfast early yesterday morning. Three men climbed into his car when he stopped in Stewartstown Avenue and demanded his keys and after he refused, the man was hit on the head with a screwdriver. The car was found burnt-out around an hour later in Glenveagh Driver. Police have appealed for anyone who may have information on the hijacking to call 0845 600 8000.

Alcohol Prices In Focus

Social Development Minister Alex Attwood and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey will today launch the consultation on a minimum price for alcohol. The two Ministers are advocating that the minimum price for a unit of alcohol, be it in off licences, pubs or registered clubs, should be between 40p and 70p. The exact minimum price will then be determined following the outcome of consultation. Given there are approximately 11 units of alcohol in a six pack of beer, that would mean the minimum price of a six pack would be £4.40 if the 40p per unit was adopted and £7.70 if the 70p figure was adopted. For Chardonnay wine, with ten units of alcohol, the minimum price could not be below £4 at the very least. Minimum pricing is part of a government drive to reduce irresponsible drinking, reduce binge drinking, reduce anti social behaviour and in turn reduce a significant drain on the Health Service. It is estimated that alcohol abuse costs society as much as £900m a year.

Co Derry House Fired On

A house in Co Londonderry has been hit by two shots fired on the Muldonagh Road, Claudy at about 5.40am on Monday. One shot hit the front door, the other went through the living room window. The man who was in the house at the time was not injured.

Child Minders Qualify

NICMA - the Childminding Association - is celebrating the fact that it is on course to create 400 new childcare places through an innovative rural childminding scheme. The pilot project, which was funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Rural Childcare Programme, was designed to help tackle the shortage of childcare places in many rural areas. Some 135 individuals have successfully completed a special training programme, designed and managed by NICMA, and are now in the process of being registered as childminders. The achievements of the project and its participants will be marked this evening at a special event at Parliament Buildings when certificates will be presented to some of the individuals who have completed the programme. NICMA's Director, Bridget Nodder, said the charity is delighted that it has been able to enable some rural parents to access high quality childcare more easily.

(BMcC/GK)