New £5.4m Islandmagee Primary School Officially Opened

Education Minister Paul Givan has officially opened the new £5.4 million, five-classroom school building for Islandmagee Primary School.

The significant capital investment has enabled the school to consolidate onto a single site, providing children and staff with a modern, energy-efficient learning environment.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony Minister Givan said: "It was great to celebrate the opening of the new facility at Islandmagee Primary School. It is a truly landmark day for the school I am delighted to be here to celebrate with them today. The total capital investment of over £5.4 million will help to improve the school experience for generations to come."

He commended the efforts involved in the project: "There has been considerable work to get to this stage and I would like to commend all of the team involved in the design and construction of this state-of-the-art facility which will have many benefits for the school community of Islandmagee."

"I wish the staff and school management every success for the future and look forward to revisiting the school in future to see pupils thriving and achieving in this new facility," the Minister added.

Man Arrested In Connection With Easter Monday Events In L'Derry

Detectives from the Police Service's Serious Crime Branch have arrested a 66-year-old man in connection with events that took place in Derry/Londonderry on Easter Monday, 21st April 2025.

The man was arrested on suspicion of Managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation, and Aiding and Abetting failure to comply with a condition imposed by the Parades Commission.

He remains in custody at this time.

Police have stated that the investigation is ongoing.

O'Toole Criticises Finance Minister For "Inaction" On Business Support

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA has accused Finance Minister John O'Dowd of shirking his responsibility to support businesses in Northern Ireland, following revelations about the Executive's response to a cost of doing business review.

Mr O'Toole's comments came after Minister O'Dowd confirmed that the primary action following the much-publicised review would be to forward the findings to the UK Government, rather than instigating a clear Executive response.

Speaking after the Minister appeared before a Stormont committee, South Belfast MLA Mr O'Toole said: "When the Minister appeared before committee today, I challenged him on the steps he and his department are taking to support businesses following the findings of his report. The Minister made much of this study but it's clear there will be no action from the Executive other than forwarding this document to the Treasury. This is preposterous given the heavy press and expectations created by this study."

Mr O'Toole highlighted the severe pressures facing local businesses. "We are all aware of the huge pressures facing businesses across Northern Ireland. From the recent rise in employers' national insurance contributions to increasing rent, rates and bills many business owners are contemplating a difficult future, while others have already made the decision to close their doors, leaving staff out of a job."

While acknowledging the need for more financial support from the UK Government, the Opposition Leader criticised what he described as recurrent excuses for Executive inaction. "The UK Government does need to do more to support this place financially – we all agree on that. However, it is galling to see the same excuses trotted out time after time for Executive inaction. The Minister refuses to act to support businesses, the same way he won't look at fiscal devolution or funding and reforming Northern Ireland Water – with disastrous consequences for the public."

He warned of further negative impacts if local action is not taken: "While the Minister stands still more businesses will go bust as the number of people unemployed grows. Our water quality will continue to decline as key infrastructure projects stall. Nobody expects the Executive to solve all of these problems alone, but at the very least they should be exploring options for supporting businesses instead of hiding behind the same old excuses."