Other News In Brief

£155,000 Road Resurfacing Scheme Begins In Belfast

Work has started on a £155,000 road repairs project on the Gilnahirk Road in Belfast.

A section of the route from its junction with King's Road to the junction with Kensington Road will be resurfaced to improve the surface quality of the footways and carriageway.

Work is scheduled to last six weeks, ongoing daily from 8am – 6pm, with lane and full road closures where necessary.

PM Called To Stop Portraying Brexit Backstop As Political Problem

The Prime Minister needs to stop portraying the Brexit backstop as a political and constitutional problem, Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MLA has said.

Dr Farry was speaking after taking part in an Alliance delegation meeting Theresa May, a discussion he described as "frank". He added they had also raised a number of other issues relating to the political impasse here.

"We had a very frank discussion with the Prime Minister. It is important she listens to all voices across the community in a balanced way," he said.

"On Brexit, we stressed the need for her to de-escalate the language around the backstop. In her remarks today, the Prime Minister ramped up the rhetoric and wrongly portrayed it as a political and constitutional problem, rather than presenting it in practical terms. The backstop is only necessary as a safety net until a better arrangement comes along. It is anything but a threat to the Good Friday Agreement, rather it recognises and protects Northern Ireland's unique circumstances.

"The UK Government has had plenty of time to find a genuine and realistic alternative to the EU's legal text on the backstop, but even at this late stage we are open to considering any different approaches maintaining an open border, protecting the GFA and empowering the local economy."

Belfast Trust Urged To Approve Street Triage Services

SDLP Councillor Paul McCusker has voiced his concern that the long awaited street triage services have still not been given the green light by the Belfast Trust. Last week the South Eastern Trust made the announcement that their multi-agency triage service was ready to assist service users.

The Councillor for the Oldpark DEA commented: "Whilst it is fantastic that the South Eastern Trust has reacted to the level of need in their area, it is frustrating that this service will not be replicated in all Trust areas across the North. Given that one-in-five adults deal with mental illness in Northern Ireland- that is 25% higher here than in certain parts of England- it is unbelievable that this service, widely adopted across the water, is given such low priority here.

"The SDLP have been consistent in our call for this service to be implemented by the Belfast Trust to assist those in crisis. These multi-agency schemes treat people at their point of need, where they are, without having to wait hours on end in often chaotic accident and emergency waiting rooms when they are extremely vulnerable. It involves collaboration between police officers and mental health professionals, to provide much more tailored care for individuals who have reached crisis point."

(CD)