Other News In Brief

Further Progress Made On Curran Street Regeneration

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has announced further progress to deliver the regeneration of the vacant Curran Street site in Portadown.

Oaklee Homes Group Ltd is in negotiation to acquire the site and develop it by delivering up to 35 houses of which there is a requirement for 15 units of social housing. The proposal also includes supporting neighbourhood retail and office accommodation.

Mr McCausland said: "This is a significant milestone in the regeneration of the Curran Street site. The site has lain derelict for some time and these plans will help to regenerate an area of Portadown which has been blighted for much too long.

"The development will be a major boost for the residents of the town. It will provide much needed housing and business space and help to create jobs in these hard financial times."

Two Northern Bank Branches To Close

The Ulster Unionist Party's Newry & Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy has expressed his disappointment at news that the Northern Bank plans to close its branches in Markethill and Keady in early June.

Mr Kennedy said: "The closure of the Northern Bank's branches in Markethill and Keady would have a very profound and serious impact on the towns and the local business communities.

"It will have a detrimental effect on local services, not to mention the staff employed in the branches and I will shortly be meeting with senior executives from Danske Bank to raise these concerns directly with them."

UV Monitor Installed On Dundonald House

Health Minister Edwin Poots today announced the installation of a special Ultraviolet radiation (UV) monitor on the roof on Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate, Belfast.

The Minister said: "This UV monitor is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and forms part of a UK-wide network. The monitor will track trends in the sun's strength, intensity and duration in Belfast.

"Overexposure to UV rays is widely accepted as the underlying cause for skin cancer. Over time, the data collected from the monitor will inform our understanding of the likely impacts on skin cancer rates as well as eye disorders, such as cataract and suppression of the body's immune system. It will also enable us to monitor trends to help underpin future climate change strategies.

"UV exposure also has some beneficial effects, such as vitamin D synthesis. The data we collect has the potential to assist other areas of research in Northern Ireland."

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) operates the network of UV radiation monitors in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The data from the monitoring is to be made publically available via the HPA web site.