Other News In Brief

100 Extra Nursing Training Places Announced

100 extra nursing training places will be available in Northern Ireland, the Health Minister has announced.

Minister Simon Hamilton, MLA, announced a 15% increase in the annual number of pre-registration nurse training places and the establishment of a new task group on nursing.

He said: "I am delighted to be able to announce an increase of 100 pre-registration nurse training places to be available in Northern Ireland from autumn 2016. This increase will take my Department's annual commission of training places to 745. Nurses are central to the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care. Even though we have increased the number of front-line nurses and midwives in the HSC by 1,200 over the past four and a half years, I recognise that the demand for nurses across our health system continues to rise."

UUP Raises Serious Questions Over Deployment Of CS Gas

Ulster Unionist South Belfast Assembly candidate Rodney McCune has said the deployment of CS Gas at a junior Orange Order parade on the Ormeau Road raises serious questions.

Mr McCune said deploying CS gas is far from a conventional or proportionate way to respond to suspected criminal damage.

He said: "Even then, I don't believe anyone has even been arrested or charged with criminal damage. I would encourage all complaints to be channelled through the Police Ombudsman's office and I hope the children bear no lasting distress."

Call For Flag to Be Removed Outside Church In Co Armagh

Alliance Regional Development spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has called for the removal of a flag erected outside a church in Armagh.

East Belfast MLA Mr Lyttle added while it was welcome to hear Danny Kennedy echo his call for the removal of the Irish tricolour on a lamppost outside a Presbyterian church in Keady, the UUP representative had failed to act against flags on street furniture while Regional Development Minister.

He said: "A deliberate act of provocation such as this must be condemned and I call for the immediate removal of this flag from the lamppost.

"The unofficial display of flags is often used to mark territory and raise tensions, meaning public space is not truly shared. There is clearly a need for a clear, transparent framework for dealing with the unofficial display of flags, which is what Alliance has tried to do with our recent consultation into the matter."

(CD/LM)