Other News In Brief

Funding Allocated To Help Build Cultural Hub

£160,000 funding has been allocated to help build a new Irish language cultural hub for the Upper Springfield area in west Belfast.

The new centre is for the Glór na Móna Irish language organisation and will be named Ollionad na Carraige. Being built on a site beside Whiterock Leisure Centre, the centre is being co-funded by Belfast City Council and Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge.

Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said: "This is an excellent day for the Irish language in the Upper Springfield area. When it is completed, this new centre will greatly help Glór na Móna to further establish and develop an Irish language resource centre that will also act as a cultural hub for the entire local community and a catalyst for the regeneration of the surrounding area.

"Learning and everyday usage of Irish is on the increase right across Ireland and nowhere more so than in Belfast's own Gaeltacht. The addition of a new centre for Glór na Móna will help the organisation to inspire and empower a new generation of young Gaels and indeed encourage them to truly live their life through Irish, known as gaelsaolaíocht."

Newly Developed ICT Unit Officially Opens In Co Tyrone

A newly developed office and ICT unit at a primary school in Co Tyrone has officially opened.

The new unit is located at St Joseph's Primary School in Cookstown.

The Department of Education invested £70,000 in the new facility, which also includes a medical room.

The Parent Fundraising Group also helped to raise the money needed for the new development.

Education Minister John O'Dowd said: "The new office and ICT area are excellent facilities which will benefit the children during their journey in formal education. I am very pleased that I was able to provide an investment of £70,000 for the school. There are other minor works underway also which will enhance the fabric of the school.

"St Joseph's Primary School has been delivering good quality education to the young people of Cookstown for many years. These new and upgraded areas in the school will help continue this good work."

Greater Openness And Transparency For Ratepayers Blocked

Alliance Councillor Kellie Armstrong has hit out at other parties on Ards and North Down Council who moved to blocked greater openness and transparency for ratepayers.

She said: "The Alliance Party has attempted to deliver a more honest system to local ratepayers, yet again other parties have taken direct action to block the move.

"At a time when the public's faith in politicians is at an all-time low, Ards and North down had a real opportunity to send a strong signal that openness and transparency around all decisions is important.

"I really can't understand why others have willingly acted to keep decisions behind closed doors, and I must wonder what they have to hide that they have moved to keep democratic decisions away from full public scrutiny.

"Alliance will not stand idly by and allow those determined to block progress to succeed and can always be trusted to stand up for the public's right to know how decisions affecting them are made."

(CD/LM)