Other NI News In Brief

Innovation Grows Jobs

Stormont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has this week launched Invest Northern Ireland's new £2.7million Innovation Vouchers Programme, which will help small businesses use innovation to grow and succeed. Pictured alongside the Minister is Patrick McCann, Managing Director of Orchard County Foods, which used its £4,000 from Invest NI earlier this year to develop a new product which is expected to increase annual sales by £1million and will also create an additional nine jobs, taking the workforce to 50.

Road Death Tragedy

One man has died in an accident near Magherafelt. The one vehicle crash on the Aughrim Road happened around 6.45am on Tuesday morning which closed the road between its junctions with the Creagh and Shore Roads for most of the day. The SDLP's Mid-Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone has expressed his sympathy and passed on his condolences to the family of the man killed. Mr McGlone said he was deeply saddened by the tragic death of the man who was personally known to him.

Oral Cancer In Focus

The Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) is using November's Mouth Cancer Awareness Month, to encourage people to be aware of the early signs of mouth cancer and to seek medical help if they have any concerns. The theme of this year's campaign is 'If in doubt – get checked out'. In Northern Ireland, approximately 175 people are diagnosed with mouth cancer every year, with over one third dying from the disease. Gerry McElwee, Head of Cancer Prevention, UCF said: "We're aiming to raise public awareness of risk factors and early warning signs of mouth cancer. It's alarming that about 70% of mouth cancers are detected at a late stage because people don't know the warning signs. This often results in lower chances of survival, however early detection transforms survival chances to more than 90%," he concluded.

'Ear Tags' Trade Expands

A farmer-owned Co Tyrone firm, Countryside Services Ltd in Dungannon, has acquired the livestock identification business of South Yorkshire based Earlsmere Ltd. A leading supplier of ear tags and electronic identification products to the agricultural industry, the NI firm was founded in 1998 by the Ulster Farmers' Union and provides a range of services to the rural community. Commenting on the Earlsmere purchase David Mark, Managing Director at Countryside Services, said: "This further enhances our ability at Countryside Services to provide a prompt, cost effective service to farmers across the British Isles. Indeed the increasing volume of ear tags manufactured and marketed by Countryside Services will help stabilise prices to farmers across the UK and Irish Republic."

Fermanagh Roads In Disrepair

Upgrade works will be necessary on 49% of Fermanagh's roads by 2015, a local assemblyman has claimed. SDLP MLA Tommy Gallagher received figures from the Department of Regional Development, acknowledging substantial repairs would be needed over the next five years: "The level of neglect of Fermanagh roads is well known, but what has been revealed in this answer is astonishing," said Mr Gallagher. "Unless something is done quickly, the local economy will be severely restricted. As a member of the Regional Development Committee I am going to press the department to give the case for urgent improvement works to our roads a greater priority," he added.

(BMcC/GK)