Other News In Brief

NI Community Groups Improve Local Environment

Three community groups in Northern Ireland have been congratulated for improving their local environment.

Ardboe Community Projects, Moortown St Malachy's GAC and Tobin Youth Centre were allocated funding through the Department of Environment's Challenge Fund.

Ardboe Community Projects will engage families and school children in discovering, and raising awareness of, Lough Neagh's important natural environment. Tobin Youth Centre will convert disused land into a vibrant community garden, promoting environmental education across all generations. Moortown St Malachy's GAC will improve biodiversity on their grounds, with the help of many volunteers, increasing environmental awareness in the community.

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said: "It is tremendous to see people in Dungannon and Cookstown coming together to produce innovative schemes to enhance their local environment.

"I commend them for it. Recently I announced that 33 community groups across the North were successful in obtaining Challenge Funding for their projects."

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Craigavon Magistrates' Court.

Christopher Young, 32, claimed Income Support and Carers Allowance totalling £2,040 while failing to declare employment. He was given a five month prison sentence suspended for three years.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Call For Other Parties To Take Part In Talks Process

Alliance MLA Stephen Farry has said other parties need to sit down and begin the talks process, as currently, Northern Ireland has "half a government and talks about talks".

Speaking before an Alliance delegation met with the British and Irish Governments, Mr Farry said there should be no preconditions for all-party talks to begin.

Mr Farry said: "People are becoming increasingly frustrated that we have yet to formally sit down as five parties to discuss the challenges facing Northern Ireland.

"Alliance wants to see every issue that is currently undermining the integrity of the political institutions or calling into question the sustainability of devolution discussed and put on the talks agenda.

"In turn, no outcome from those talks which is not sufficiently comprehensive will not obviously have sufficient political agreement to provide a resolution and a new refreshed start for the Assembly."

(CD/JP)