Other News In Brief

Morrow Contracts To Upgrade Underground Cable System In Co Antrim

Morrow Contracts has been appointed by NIE Networks to upgrade an underground cable system in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.

The work along the Mill road is to start on Monday, 20 March, and is expected to take around three weeks to complete.

Morrow Contracts will carry out the excavation and reinstatement associated with the laying of the new cables from the Shore Road to just beyond Old Mill Drive.

Shirley Devlin, NIE Networks Customer Relations Manager for the area, said: "This work will improve the reliability of the electricity supply in the surrounding area but, as with any major infrastructure project, there will be some traffic disruption while work is ongoing. Where possible, we have put measures in place to avoid working during peak traffic hours in the morning and evening and we apologise to residents and motorists for any inconvenience which may occur."

Talks Need To Step Up A Gear - SDLP

The SDLP said there has been no full plenary meeting involving all parties and both governments during talks to form a new power-sharing Executive.

Leader Colum Eastwood said: "Throughout the election campaign, we all asked people to come out and vote so that we could deliver on manifesto commitments and change their lives for the better. We asked for their votes to deliver a different kind of government. It is our responsibility now to do all in our power to return a power sharing government.

"We're now halfway through the time available for these negotiations and there still hasn’t been a full plenary meeting of all parties and both governments. There have been positive bilateral discussions and good will on all sides to negotiate a settlement that will deliver a return to government but we now need to take things up a gear."

UUP Welcomes No Rise In NICs For Self-Employed

Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott has welcomed the news that there will no rise in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for the self-employed over the course of this Parliament.

Mr Elliott was commenting after the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that he will not be going ahead with the planned increase announced in last week's Spring Budget.

The Fermanagh & South Tyrone MP said: "Last Wednesday, we learned that NICs for the self-employed would increase by 2 percent by April 2019. By the end of the week, the Prime Minister told the media that these changes would not be voted on until the autumn, and today we hear from the Chancellor that there will be no increases in NICs for the lifetime of this Parliament.

"Self-employed people, through their entrepreneurship, create jobs and wealth in our society, therefore today’s decision that they will not be penalised is welcome.

"In their 2015 General Election Manifesto, the Conservatives pledged there would be no rise in National Insurance, VAT or income tax during the lifetime of the current Parliament."

(CD)