Robinson Backs Olympics

The DUP Leader and First Minister Peter Robinson (pictured) has visited the Rathgael Gymnastics Club in Bangor to promote the 'I AM BG' initiative and met with gymnasts who will be part of the British Gymnastics team at the 2012 London Olympics. He was joined at the event by Junior Minister and Strangford MLA Jonathan Bell. "Everyone across the country [has] started to look towards next year's Olympic Games in London," he said, adding "this also provided an opportunity to see first-hand the work of everyone associated with Rathgael Gymnastics Club and to pay tribute to them. Local athletes are fiercely proud to represent Northern Ireland, [as] there is no greater honour than to represent your country and wear the colours of the United Kingdom at a competition such as the Olympic Games," he said, adding that the 'I AM BG' initiative member/fan campaign was developed by British Gymnastics to show support for athletes and celebrate as a gymnastics community.

Invest Fairly: SF

Sinn Fein Enterprise Spokesperson, Phil Flanagan, an MLA for Fermanagh/South Tyrone, has called on the newly appointed Chair of Invest NI, Mark Ennis to focus on Disparities in Regional Investment. "I believe that one area that Invest NI has persistently failed to address is the imbalance in the level of funding offered to companies. While in the present economic climate all jobs are obviously to be welcomed it is clear that the majority of jobs being established outside the area have been low-wage and insecure. This has done nothing to raise living standards or tackle the poverty and inequality at the heart of our economy," he said, adding that Invest NI need to "move beyond the world of favoured clients" to provide more professional support to all businesses.

Lost In Translation

Ulster Unionist Party leader, Tom Elliott has called on the Department of Education to review their practice of printing transfer application forms in both English and Irish after it was revealed that only 20 people returned forms completed in Irish out of the 21,035 printed in 2011. The Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA said: "At a time when cuts are being made across the Department of Education I am concerned to learn of this significant waste of money. In 2011 the Department printed 21,035 Transfer 2011 application forms and accompanying information sheets in both English and Irish. In a written answer to my question on this matter the Minister has informed me that only twenty forms were completed and returned in Irish," he said, adding: "If such a low number are being returned in Irish then the sensible option would be that forms printed in Irish be sent out on demand."

(BMcC/GK)