Other NI News In Brief

Energy Costs May fall

It has been revealed that gas and electricity prices in Northern Ireland are expected to fall in the autumn. The utility regulator Iain Osbourne said he would be "hopeful" of reduced prices if wholesale gas and coal prices remain low: "We have seen extreme volatility in the markets, so it's too early to know if they will stay down," he said.

Car Workers Sit-In Supported

Hundreds of people turned out for a rally in support of workers laid off at the Visteon plant in Belfast on Wednesday. Politicians, trade unionists, family members and supporters walked from Andersonstown in west Belfast to the nearby car components factory. Disgruntled former staff have refused to leave the centre until a row over redundancy packages is resolved and have staged a sit-in. Management announced eight days ago they were closing their three UK bases after incurring massive losses.

Assault Leads To Arrests

Two youths have been assaulted by a gang of men in east Belfast. The victims were walking in the Clonduff Drive area of Castlereagh around 10.30pm on Wednesday night when they were grabbed and forced into the back of a van. They were assaulted and sustained cuts and bruises during the attack. Two men aged 19 and 28 have been arrested.

Hit-And-Run Garda Victim Dies

Garda Robert McCallion, the 29-year-Garda who was injured in an incident in Co Donegal last month has died at Beaumont Hospital. Garda McCallion from Swinford in Co Mayo, died earlier this week surrounded by his family. He was knocked down and seriously injured on duty while investigating suspicious activity in Letterkenny and reports of a stolen car in the Tara Court area on March 26. Two men have since been charged in connection with the incident.

Robbers' Rope Trick Fails

An attempted robbery at east Belfast's Holywood Exchange on Wednesday failed, police have said. The three men involved tried to steal a cash machine from a shop at the complex by tying a rope from their car around the ATM and tried, unsuccessfully, to pull it out of the ground. The thieves reversed a silver car against fire doors at the front of the shop around 4.30am on Wednesday. They threatened a male member of staff with a hammer when he tried to intervene.

Irish Tax Hikes 'Permanent', Says Lenihan

The Republic's Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has said on national radio that the doubled income levies announced in this week's budget are to be made permanent taxes. Speaking on RTÉ's Today programme yesterday afternoon, Mr Lenigan said the 2%, 4%, and 6% levies on lower, middle and higher earners would be fully integrated into the PAYE system by next December's budget. During a debate over Tuesday's budget in the Daíl yesterday, many of the minister's new proposals have come under heavy fire from the opposition.

Clerical Abuse Report Will 'Shock Us All'

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin has said a forthcoming report into clerical sex abuse will "shock us all". The Most Rev Diarmuid Martin made the announcement during a homily delivered this morning at Mass in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. The report is due to be published this summer.

(BMcC/JM)