Other News In Brief

£25m Invested In Mobile Phone Coverage

Sinn Féin Enterprise Spokesperson Phil Flanagan has welcomed news that mobile phone companies are to spend £25 million improving their network coverage in the north.

Mr Flanagan said: "While this is a long overdue announcement it is welcome. For far too long communities, particularly in rural areas, have been neglected in terms of access to adequate mobile phone coverage.

"With many rural areas having no access to mobile phone coverage and with very little of the population having 3G coverage, it is vital that this funding is directed to areas of greatest need.

"News of the investment followed a meeting between Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster and representatives from the mobile phone industry, a meeting that only came about as a result of consistent pressure that Sinn Féin.

"While it is welcome that the Minister has finally taken action on this, had she done so earlier in her term of office, we could have been further ahead with mobile coverage in rural areas.”

Confiscation Order Obtained Against Castlewellan Man


The Social Security Agency Financial Investigation Unit yesterday obtained a Confiscation Order to the value of £28,297 against Colm Kearney (55) of Burren Road, Castlewellan at Downpatrick Crown court.
Mr Kearney had claimed Income Support and Rates Relief on behalf of himself and his wife. He claimed these benefits on the grounds that both he and his wife were unfit for work and had no savings or other sources of income.
During his claim to benefit the defendant had failed to declare that his wife was working. Due to his failure to report these circumstances Mr Kearney received £22,735 in benefits he was not entitled to over a five year period. 
On 4 April 2011 the defendant pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to declare his true circumstances. He received a sentence of 200 hours community service. 
At the confiscation hearing the Court granted a Confiscation Order in amount of £28,297 with a sentence of 18 months in default of non-payment. Mr Kearney has until 13 August 2012 to satisfy the order.

Dairy Firm Fined For Pollution Offence

Dale Farm Ltd, a dairy operation in Dunmanbridge, Cookstown, was fined a total of £2,500 plus costs at the Dungannon Magistrates' Court.

The Company was fined for the offence of contravening a condition of their Pollution Prevention and Control Permit by exceeding the limits of suspended solids, ammonical nitrogen and biological oxygen demand discharged from the sites effluent treatment plant to the Lissan River.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), regulates dairies operating above the threshold of 200 tonnes of milk per day (annual average) under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (NI) 2003 and such dairies require a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit.

The company pleaded guilty to the offence of discharging effluent in exceedence of the limit set in their PPC permit.