Other News In Brief

Call for Care Reform At Maghaberry Prison

SDLP Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly has said that consecutive reports pointing to failures in prisoner care and mental health treatment at Maghaberry prison demand urgent reform.

She said: "Report after report has pointed to systemic failure in the treatment of prisoners with specific care needs and mental health difficulties at Maghaberry.

"These problems are not new. The Criminal Justice Inspectorate has been shouting about it for long enough and, despite some improvements from prison leadership, people are still dying in custody. That is unacceptable.

"This is yet another issue to add to the growing catalogue of urgent problems in need of attention from a government. People dying in our prisons, people growing sicker on hospital waiting lists and cuts in our classrooms. This isn’t sustainable. Political leadership needs to be shown and parties need to form a government."

NI Water Prepare Programme To Teach Pupils About Water

NI Water's education team is preparing to deliver a programme to school pupils across Northern Ireland to teach them about water.

With three vehicles to deliver the programme the team are 'driving change’ through engaging with young people about water education.

Anna Killen, NI Water's Environmental Education and Outreach Officer, said: "This year also saw another milestone for the programme surpassing 100,000 pupils, representing a tremendous achievement in delivering what matters for our future generation of water users.

"The miles clocked up as we travel from place to place are significant, and serve to demonstrate the wide appeal of the programme, as do the ever-increasing numbers we speak to every year.

"It's been particularly special this year, as NI Water has marked a decade of delivering what matters in health, the economy and the environment for all of us in Northern Ireland. The education programme plays its part in spreading that message to our audience, and it's wonderful to help school pupils get a greater understanding of this very precious resource; how it’s cleaned and that all rely on it every single day to do so many tasks and activities. What's more, the students carry those important messages home with them, thus educating other family members.

"We are very proud to be the only utility company in Northern Ireland with a mobile learning facility like the Waterbus and can travel from school to school and continue to spread the word about water."

Concerns Raised Over Closure Of Care Home In Enniskillen

The UUP has raised concerns after it was revealed the RQIA have been forced to seek the closure of Ashbrooke Care Home in Enniskillen.

Rosemary Barton, Ulster Unionist MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, said: "It is unprecedented for the RQIA to take such forthright action and my immediate concern is for the residents. This will be a traumatic experience for them and their families.

"The focus of everyone should now be on the safety and welfare of the residents so that they can be relocated as soon as possible in a way that minimises the disruption to their lives and those of their families. I want to see the full co-operation of Runwood Homes with the Western Health and Social Care Trust in addressing the serious issues identified during the unannounced inspection."

(CD)