Other News In Brief

Farmer Fined For Pollution Offence

A Farmer from L'Derry has been fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

Mr Paul O'Kane was fined £1,500 plus £15 Offenders Levy at Limavady Magistrates' Court.

On 26 June 2014, Water Quality Inspectors, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) inspected the Gelvin River adjacent to the Gelvin Road. The bed of the waterway was covered in a grey fungal growth. The polluting discharge was traced to farm premises on the Gortnagross Road owned by Mr Paul O’Kane. The Inspectors observed farm effluent flowing through a storm manhole on the farm; a dye test confirmed the effluent made its way to the waterway. The Inspector estimated that 750 metres of the waterway was impacted by this discharge.

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.

Funding Secured For A5 Upgrade

A £75 million funding package has been secured for the upgrade of the A5 project.

The A5 travels through L'Derry and Tyrone and passes through Strabane and Omagh before it meets the N2 across the border in the Republic of Ireland.

Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer the scheme has the potential to transform the economy of the north west of Ireland.

Mr McAleer said: "I welcome the fact that the Irish government have restated their support for the A5 project in this agreement.

"£75 million is now committed for this vital infrastructural project."

Work on the first section of the upgrade is to begin in 2017, as soon as the remaining planning issues have been resolved. It is expected to be complete in 2019.

£800,000 Family Fund Grant Welcomed

SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has welcomed the announcement that the Department of Health has granted £800,000 to the Family Fund after years of uncertainty around the service's future.

Mr Ramsey who is chairperson of both the All Party Group on Disability and the All Party Group on Learning Disability, said: "This announcement by the Health Minister is to be warmly welcomed. I am delighted that he has at last responded to the genuine fears of my and indeed his own constituents."

"Over 300 families with disabled children in my constituency and over 4000 families across NI use this fund to meet the cost living. Living costs for those living with a disability are roughly three times that of those living without.

"This in fact marks an increase in the financial support previously given to those at risk of being marginalised in society."

(CD)