SMEs On Agenda

The Assembly Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has this week addressed the Federation of Small Businesses. At a reception in Stormont, the Minister stressed the critical importance of small and medium sized enterprises to the Northern Ireland economy and recognised the important contribution they make in generating over £11bn in Gross Valued Added with a turnover in excess of £34bn. Arlene Foster reaffirmed her support for the sector and highlighted the £15million Short Term Aid Scheme that she announced last week. Pictured from left are the Chairman of FSB Wilfred Mitchell, the Minister Arlene Foster and National Chairman of FSB, John Walker.

Bangor Road Gets Its 'Specs' On

A new speed camera system is having an impact on traffic on the main Bangor to Holywood Road. The police have said that the Speed Enforcement Camera System (Specs) - which was rolled out on the A2 last year - has made people drive "more responsibly". In the three years before the system was introduced there were three deaths, 27 injuries and 180 minor injury accidents. In the last year there was one serious injury and 30 minor injury accidents, they said.

Invest NI Funds University Business Developments

Invest Northern Ireland has offered £3.5 million to help bring university-based research to the commercial market and unlock significant economic benefits last year. Through its Proof of Concept programme, Invest NI is helping Queen's University, Belfast and the University of Ulster take forward 35 innovative projects that aim to develop new products and processes for a diverse range of highly competitive industry sectors. Areas being investigated range from high speed communications and software development to healthcare and the environment, with projects focusing on, for example, next-generation network security solutions and the latest techniques for diagnosing diabetes.

Adams Slams SF Coalition Remarks

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has slammed comments by the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, accusing him of insulting republican voters. Fine Gael's Director of Elections claimed the party would be prepared to consider working with Sinn Féin in a future coalition government, but Mr Ahern has described the comment as "stomach-churning" given that Fine Gael "considers itself a law-and-order party". However, Mr Adams said today that the minister was well aware that Sinn Féin was working very hard in the interests of peace.

Teacher Training Figures Revealed

The NI Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has approved the overall intakes to initial teacher education for the forthcoming academic year. The overall number remains the same as that set for the 2008/09 academic year (at 643). However, within this overall number there are changes to the numbers allocated to each of the five providers, including recognition of the need for more teachers for the Irish-medium sector. "I have given careful consideration to the recommendations set out in the Report on the Review of Teacher Education produced by the Assembly's Committee for Employment and Learning," she said, noting that increasing demand for Irish-medium education means the number of places for St Mary's University College has been increased to include 10 additional places for students who wish to teach in Irish-medium schools, while Stranmillis College has also been allocated an additional 10 'BEd' primary places.

Donegal Coast Ferry Stolen

A lifeboat crew was yesterday rammed after they helped intercept a stolen ferry boat. The vessel was taken in the early hours of Tuesday morning from the pier at Arranmore Island - three miles off Co Donegal and then beached on the mainland. A man was being quizzed by Gardaí on Tuesday night after the passenger ferry was stolen off the north-west coast. See: Arrest Follows Ferry Theft

(BMcC/JM)