NI Gears Up For Mountain Biking

Northern Ireland is building a reputation as the new go-to place for mountain bike adventure, Tourism Minister Arlene Foster has said.

The Minister was speaking at the official opening of Castlewellan Mountain Bike Trail, which brings the network of purpose-built mountain bike trails in Northern Ireland to over 100km.

The 25km cross-country trail and purpose-built pump track is situated in Castlewellan Forest Park and has the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the area.

Coupled with a further 50km trails network in Rostrevor, mountain bike enthusiasts and other visitors are expected to generate a significant impact to the local economy in the wider Mournes area.

Arlene Foster said: "Mountain Biking is one of the fastest growing adventure activities in the UK and in Northern Ireland there's been a revolution in the provision for the activity over the past few years. We now have over 100 kilometres of purpose-built trails across five centres - each with their own unique selling points.

"Northern Ireland is now building a reputation as the new go-to place for a mountain bike adventure, offering the best destinations and facilities in the UK and arguably among the best in the world."

SDLP Welcomes Move To Tackle Online Child Sexual Abuse

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has welcomed the Prime Minister's move to pressure internet companies to do more to remove illegal images of children from the internet – but has warned that this is too serious an issue for the sort of 'pop-up policies' we sometimes hear from David Cameron.

Mr Durkan, who last year became an IWF Champion – thereby supporting the work of the Internet Watch Foundation and its fight against child sexual abuse images and videos on the internet – said:

He said: "I welcome the fact that he is again given the issue Prime Ministerial attention.

"Indeed, more needs to be done to remove child sexual abuse images from the internet – not only in these islands but content hosted anywhere in the world.

"However, this is too serious an issue for the sort of pop-up policies that we sometimes hear from David Cameron which then disappear under a variety of excuses.

"The corporate interests which he has challenged may not take his threat to legislate 'if they don’t act effectively' all that seriously given that strong-sounding stances on standardised tobacco advertising, minimum alcohol prices, Leveson recommendations and energy tariffs have all been shrank back."

Minister Visits Omagh Riding For The Disable Association

Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has paid a visit to the Omagh Riding for the Disabled Association.

Omagh Riding for the Disabled Association is part of the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities which, for over 40 years, have been providing therapy, achievement and enjoyment for many through horse riding, carriage driving and show-jumping.

The Minister said: "I would like to congratulate all the riders I have met today especially those who recently won medals at RDA National Championships in Gloucestershire. I appreciate the advantages that horse riding, and other related activities, can bring to an individual, such as, helping riders to derive therapeutic benefits, develop life skills, engage in social interaction and enjoy the outdoors."

(CD/MH)