Other NI News In Brief

Indian Success

Full Circle, the Northern Ireland management consultancy, has won its first business in Asia following its participation in a recent Invest Northern Ireland trade mission to Sri Lanka and India. The Belfast-based company, which employs 11 people, is to provide sales and export training to business people in Sri Lanka in a collaboration deal signed with McQuire, Rens and Jones, a management development firm in Colombo. Managing Director Simon Devlin, who took part in the Invest NI trade mission to the region in April, will be leading the training programme from November. The company, formed by Mr Devlin in 2005, has also undertaken sales and export training programmes in the US and European markets such as the Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland.

Hospital Extension For Lurgan

The main contractor has been appointed for the construction of an extension of a hospital. Canavan Construction Ltd has already started work on the three-storey extension of Lurgan Hospital, Co Armagh. Awarded by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust the scheme is estimated to cost £425,000. The extension will include a fire evacuation lift, staircase and entrance lobby. Work is currently progressing on site and the contract period is estimated at five months.

College News

The Stormont Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, has announced the appointment of members of the Governing Body of Belfast Metropolitan College. He has appointed four new governors and re-appointed five existing governors, whose terms of office had come to an end. The appointments take effect from 1 August 2011 and each is for a period of four years with the new faces being Frank Bryan, Wendy Langham, John McGrillen and Lindsey Smith. The governors who are being re-appointed are: Joe Eagleson, Patricia Haren, Ivor Johnston, Professor Kenneth O'Neill and Dr Ian Walters.

Fraud In Court

A woman was convicted at Belfast Magistrates Court this week for claiming benefits she was not entitled to. Alice McKay, 46, of Glencairn Way, Belfast was given 150 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £43 for failing to declare employment while claiming Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit totalling £7,171. McKay is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Education In Focus

A new man, John Smyth has been appointed as an independent, non-executive director to the Departmental Board of the Department of Education. The primary role of a non-executive director is to contribute to the good governance of the Department. This involves offering constructive challenge across all of the Department's business, with a view to ensuring that all aspects of strategy and delivery of policy are scrutinised for effectiveness and efficiency. Mr Smyth will also chair the Department's Audit and Risk Management Committee.

(BMcC/CD)