£319,000 Resurfacing Scheme To Start In Co Antrim

Construction work is to start on a £319,000 road resurfacing project between Ballymena and Ballymoney in Co Antrim.

The scheme will widen 600 metres of carriageway along the A26 Frosses Road, as well as resurfacing a 1,200-metre stretch of the route in the vicinity of the Knockahollet Road Junction. Work will take four weeks to complete.

For safety reasons, traffic control will be in operation to facilitate the carriageway widening works from Tuesday, 11 September to Sunday, 30 September. Traffic control will be in operation to facilitate the carriageway widening works from 9.30am to 4pm and on Fridays from 9.30am to 3pm.

From Monday, 01 October to Friday, 05 October a lane closure will be in operation for traffic travelling south at the Kilraughts Road roundabout and the diversion is via Kilraughts Road and Drones Road. Traffic travelling north will proceed along Frosses Road through the works under Traffic Control. On 06 and 07 October, a full closure of the Frosses Road will be in place between the Kilraughts Road and Drones Road junctions.

Police Appeal For Witnesses To Arson In Lisburn

Police are appealing for information surrounding an arson attack in Roseville Park, Lisburn.

A white Mercedes car was set on fire in the area sometime between 3am – 6am on Saturday, 01 September. Damage was caused to the rear windscreen and two tyres were also slashed.

PSNI Lisburn said: "If you were in the area at the time or know anything relevant please contact police via 101 and provide reference 294 01/09/18. Alternatively to report anonymously please contact Crimestoppers via 0800555111."

Taoiseach Urged To Assert Govt's Role In Northern Ireland

The Leader of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland has called on the Taoiseach to assert the Irish Government's role as co-guarantor of previous agreements in order to help re-establish it.

Making the call, Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Michelle O'Neill was responding to comments made by Leo Varadkar at the Fine Gael 'think-in' in Galway.

She said: "It is disappointing to hear the Taoiseach bemoaning the fact that the North is still without an Assembly and Executive as if his government has no responsibilities for ensuring the right conditions are in place for a power-sharing administration to be re-established.

"The institutions of the Good Friday Agreement must be underpinned by the principles of equality, mutual respect and parity of esteem that are guaranteed by that agreement. That is not the case if the DUP, supported by the British Government, persist with denying rights and equality to citizens in the North.

"Leo Varadkar would not tolerate discrimination against the LGBT community, women, victims and Irish speakers in Dublin. He should not tolerate it in Belfast either.

"The Dublin Government should assert its full role as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement in order to help restore the political institutions and address directly the core problem of the denial of rights.

"Leo Varadkar has pledged not to abandon northern citizens in the context of Brexit. He also has responsibilities to them in terms of rights and his government, rather than engaging in party political attacks, should be showing leadership in securing and defending rights which are routinely delivered everywhere else on this island."

(LM/CM)