Other NI News In Brief

Toxic Assets Debated

The Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has quashed fears that the Republic of Ireland's so-called "bad bank" could lead to a property price slump in Northern Ireland. Reports had suggested that as much as €20bn of assets set to be managed by the Republic's National Asset Management Agency (Nama) were in Northern Ireland. However, Mr Wilson (pictured) said the Republic's Minister of Finance, Brian Lenihan, had told him this figure was substantially lower at €4.8bn.

Botanic Gardens Blooms

Belfast's picturesque Botanic Gardens will be the destination for gardeners and gastronomes alike this weekend. Belfast City Council's eighth annual 'Garden Gourmet' extravaganza takes place on Saturday and Sunday (19 and 20 September). The colourful centrepiece is the Autumn Flower Show, the biggest in the Province. Now in its 28th year, it will see displays of thousands of colourful prize blooms, alongside exhibits of amazing monster-size vegetables and prize-winning fuchsias, fruit, roses, bonsai, cacti, and other delights from local gardens, allotments, greenhouses, wine cellars and bee hives. There also will be an opportunity to sample an extensive menu of local produce, as well as food from around the world, with local chef, Wendy Donaldson, sharing tips and recipe ideas.

Alvor Death Man Buried

Thousands of mourners yesterday attended the funeral of Londonderry businessman Paul Houston who was killed while on holiday in Portugal. St Mary's Church in Ballybrack, Co Donegal was so full that the service had to be relayed outside to the hundreds of people unable to fit in the church. The body of Paul Houston, 51, who owned Houston's Shoes in Derry, was found in Alvor in the Algarve region on 6 September. The police there are treating his death as suspicious and have opened a homicide inquiry. It is believed he was the victim of a mugging.

Newry Waste Facility's 'Name Game'

A high school student has finished as runner-up in a competition to name Newry and Mourne's new waste management project. Upon completion the project will create new waste management facilities that will allow the district council to meet landfill reduction targets set by central government and the EU. Failure to meet these targets will result in significant fines being levied across the region, which will ultimately be passed on to the ratepayer. Created by the Southern Waste Management Partnership (SWaMP2008) the naming competition has increased school children's knowledge of waste issues and the impact that it has on the environment, the council said.

Stout Success

St Patrick's Day revellers in New York next year will be toasting Ireland's patron saint with a new 'Belfast Black Dry Stout' developed by Whitewater Brewing Company in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains. Based at Kilkeel in Co Down and assisted by Invest Northern Ireland, Whitewater, a small artisan brewer of 'handcrafted' ale, lager and now stout, has signed a distribution deal in New York that will see its products on sale in bars and off licences in early 2010. The contract is the brewery’s first venture into the huge US marketplace. Invest NI has assisted the company’s growth in areas such as marketing. The new Belfast Black Dry Stout was launched in Northern Ireland last month and has already attracted widespread interest within the local hospitality industry.

SDLP Goes Organic

Foyle MP and SDLP Leader, Mark Durkan has visited the North West Organic Co-Operative in Killaloo and the MacDonnell farm on Gorse Road, Claudy, in support of Organic Fortnight (September 5-20). "It was a pleasure to visit the North West Organic Co-Operative and the MacDonnell farm to see for myself how a different approach can be taken to producing our food. This high quality organic produce is distributed locally and importantly cuts down on so-called 'food miles', and the organic option provides choice not only for customers but also for farmers and their families," he said. "Unsurprisingly, farmer and consumer interest in organic farming has never been higher. At a time of hardship for many farmers the expanding organic market offers a positive way forward."

(BMcC/KMcA)