Other NI News In Brief

Not Ferry Good

The Strangford Ferry Service (pictured here by Adam McCalden) is alerting customers to the potential for some delays for passengers over May Day weekend, due to ongoing refit work on the additional ferry, which is usually brought into operation at peak times. The larger vessel, the MV Portaferry II, will be in operation over the holiday period. To increase the frequency of the service over this period, the ferry will run off schedule on a 'load and go' basis when necessary and additional staff will be available to assist customers preparing to take the ferry and manage traffic in both Strangford and Portaferry. However, queues are likely and passengers may experience a wait to board the ferry.

Orange Alert

The Orange Order has said it will protest to the NI Secretary of State and the Justice Minister over this week's restrictions to make them only play hymns at an east Belfast parade on Sunday. In its ruling, the Parades Commission said Abide With Me should be played, but the loyal order's Reverend Mervyn Gibson said the decision was the "thin end of the wedge". The annual parade, involving Ballymacarrett District LOL No 6, goes to Townsend Street Presbyterian Church from Templemore Avenue and back.

McGuinness Backs SF On Seanad

The Sinn Fein MP, Martin McGuinness, has congratulated the party's new Seanad members Trevor Ó Clochartaigh from Galway and Daivd Culinane from Waterford. "This brings our Oireactas representation to 16. It is a major advance on our previous strength in Leinster House. We now have significant representation in every part of Ireland. People see the leadership being provided by Sinn Fein and the stability that we have delivered over the past four years," he said.

Co Down Fraud Found Out

A woman was convicted at Newtownards Magistrates' court this week for claiming benefits she was not entitled to. Deborah Irwin, 47, of Morey Drive, Donaghadee claimed Income Support totalling £12,695 while failing to declare employment. She was given a three months sentence suspended for two years. She will also have to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Farmer Fined Over Pollution

A farmer was fined £400 plus £19 court costs at Lisburn Magistrates Court this week. Noel Adams, of Braniel Road, Lisburn, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway. On 24 April 2010, a Water Quality Inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency inspected the Braniel River at Braniel Road and observed that it was grossly polluted. It was discovered that pig slurry was being transferred by means of an umbilical hose for spreading on fields off Braniel Road. The Inspector found that there were a number of bursts in the hose and the effluent from one burst was running over the ground and into the waterway. At a second burst the effluent was running down the road, into road gullies and then entering the waterway. The slurry was being pumped from a farm owned by Mr Adams. A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

(BMcC/GK)