Sextuplet Passes Away

One of Ireland's first sextuplets has died. It was revealed today that one of Nuala Conway's four girls - born along with two boys on 22 May - passed away at a local hospital. Their publicist Max Clifford (pictured) confirmed the news and said: "Our hearts go out to the mum and dad and we hope that the others are going to be fine," he said. Mrs Conway, from Co Tyrone, gave birth to Ursula, Austin, Shannon, Karla, Eoghan and Kerrie in Belfast. It was Kerrie who died.

Local Drivers 'Belt-Up'

The Northern Ireland Seat Belt Survey 2009, published last week, shows that most drivers and passengers continue to wear seatbelts. The overall observed seatbelt wearing rate has increased from 95% in 2008 to 96% in 2009. This figure for drivers represents the highest rate recorded since the current series of Northern Ireland Seat Belt Surveys began in 1994. It is estimated that about 10 lives would be saved each year and 90 serious injuries prevented if a 100% wearing rate was achieved.

Plastic Bag Use 'Binned'

Customers of leading supermarkets in Northern Ireland have successfully reduced their use of plastic carrier bags by 38%. The good news emerged last week when new figures were released by the British Retail Consortium. However, the figures also show that Northern Ireland is trailing 10% behind the UK as a whole (48%) and that a massive 12 million bags a month are still being used. Shoppers are therefore being urged to take simple steps to boost the campaign and avoid the bags ending up as landfill such as keeping a bag tucked in a jacket pocket to be always prepared or keep them in the car boot so as not to go into a shop without them.

DUP Welcome For Priest's Comments

A leading DUP politician has welcomed comments by a Catholic educationalist who criticised the ending of academic selection. In an interview with the Irish News Fr Ignatius McQuillan said that if Catholic grammar schools become comprehensives more parents will send their children to non-catholic schools - in spite of Catholic bishops being ordered to phase out selection. The DUP's Mervyn Storey said the comments showed "growing opposition" to non-selective schooling: "I have always believed that the nationalist parties, the SDLP and Sinn Féin, were out of step with a large section of the nationalist community over the issue of academic selection," he added.

Record Educational Spending

Northern Ireland's Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has announced that total spending by the Department of Education in 2008-09 hit record levels at almost £2billion. The Minister noted that an extra £115million was spent last year on education services compared to 2007-08. "I have made full use of the resources available to me by the Executive last year and can report over 99% spend on both the resource and capital budgets. This is a record level of spend for education services and has ensured the continued delivery of high quality services throughout the whole of the education sector."

(BMcC/KMcA)