Roads Scheme Complete In North Down Area

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has commended Roads Service and its contractors for the successful completion of road schemes in 2012/2013 which accounted for £4.5million investment in the roads infrastructure in the North Down area.

Speaking ahead of the meeting between Roads Service and North Down Borough Council, Minister Kennedy said: "Throughout Roads Service my Department invested over £100million in structural maintenance, improving the many miles of road infrastructure across Northern Ireland in the last financial year.

"In particular in the North Down Borough Council area despite ever increasing demands on budgets, Roads Service invested over £4.5million in delivering a comprehensive range of road schemes and maintenance work.

"Roads Service is using its available resources highly effectively and continues to deliver quality public services in the North Down Area and across Northern Ireland."

New Premises For St Mary's Primary School Opens

Education Minister, John O'Dowd, has attended the official opening of the new £3.9million premises for St Mary's Primary School, Newcastle.

The new building, comprising 11 classrooms as well as a range of sports, library and other facilities, was completed in October 2012.

The Minister said: "St Mary's has been delivering quality education to the young people of Newcastle under one roof since the boys’ and girls’ schools amalgamated in 2001. These fantastic new facilities further cement the school’s place in the local area and represent an exciting new era.

"The state-of-the-art learning environment will enhance the school experience for everyone, assisting teachers greatly as they strive to bring the best out of the children. With around one-third of the pupils drawn from disadvantaged areas, these new facilities will play a huge role in improving the long-term life chances of children in the local area."

Commenting on investment in the wider schools estate across the north, the Minister said: "I am committed to investing in the local education infrastructure to ensure we have the right schools in the right places, with the ultimate aim to raise standards for all young people, regardless of their background. To this end, since taking office I have committed more than £350million to 40 new-build projects, covering all sectors and phases of statutory education."

Byrne Calls For Urgent Help For Farmers

During a debate in Stormont relating to Farm Incomes; Joe Byrne, MLA for West Tyrone and Vice-Chair of the Assembly Agricultural Committee, called on the local Banks in Northern Ireland to show more flexibility and outlined the need for extended credit facilities to many farm businesses that are in dire need of help at this time.

During the debate Mr Byrne emphasised the need for banks to recognise the current difficulties that many farmers face due to the weather related problems and the shortage of fodder.

The motion on falling farm incomes proposed by Joanne Dobson MLA (UUP) was amended by Mr Byrne in relation to Bank credit facilities. In reference to the Agri-food strategy report published last week, Mr Byrne called on Minister O'Neill to declare the Executive’s position on the need for £ 400 million pounds of government support over the next 3 to 4 years to kick-start the Agri-Strategy for the following 10 years.

Speaking after the debate Mr Byrne stated: "I put down the amendment relating to bank credit facilities because many farmers are in a precarious position financially, whereby many of them are operating at their credit limit but need further short term credit facilities to deal with fodder and feed shortages.

"My fear is that some banks will not be sensible and sensitive to some farmer's problems and unfortunately, some farm businesses may go bankrupt."

(CD/MH)