Other News In Brief

Conwell Contracts To Improve And Upgrade Sewers In Bangor

Conwell Contracts is to start work on a sewer rehabilitation project in Groomsport, Bangor.

Appointed by NI Water, the works in the Donaghadee Road and Springwell Park areas, will begin on Monday, 29 January, and are expected to take four months to complete.

The scheme will improve the existing infrastructure in the area, reducing the risk of out of sewer flooding and environmental pollution.

Work will commence on the Donaghadee Road and a temporary road closure in place for up to 10 weeks. Vehicular access will be maintained for residents where possible and pedestrian access will be available at all times.

Businesses on the Main Street Donaghadee will be open as usual throughout the works, with access to most businesses remaining available from the Groomsport Road roundabout, and a diversion route will also be in place via A2 Donaghadee Road.

Works will then progress onto the A2 Donaghadee Road, with a lane closure in place for up to five weeks, and then will move into Springwell Park.

Óglaigh na hÉireann Announce Ceasefire

Responding to reports that the dissident republican group Óglaigh na hÉireann has announced a ceasefire the SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MLA has welcomed the move and called on all dissident republican groups to "bow to the will of the Irish people".

He said: "I welcome the cessation of violence announced by Óglaigh na hÉireann today. It is long overdue. Their statement today must lead to the permanent position of pursuing politics through solely peaceful means.

"However, whilst welcoming this move I also have to challenge the statement released by ONH which states that it is suspending ‘all armed actions against the British state’.

"The violence of ONH targeted the Irish people. Peadar Heffron was an Irish police officer serving all the people across the North, yet ONH were behind his attempted murder in 2010. While we can welcome the move to cease using violence, we cannot allow for the past to be glossed over.

"Let the failure of the violent campaigns of ONH and other violent actors instead serve as a hard won lesson on this island - bombs and bullets have never achieved progress. Again and again this island has known violence and again and again we have known its futility.

"Violence has only ever led to the hardening of hearts and the filling graveyards."

Political Talks Must Not Repeat Mistakes From The Past - UUP

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Robin Swann MLA has welcomed the Secretary of State's formal announcement of political talks, but warned that the process should not repeat the mistakes of the past.

He said: "It's what we have been calling for for many months. It's an opportunity which should be seized.

"We also need to be realistic. If parties are going into these talks demanding the implementation of their red lines, then we'll be on the road to nowhere. Hopefully we will see some realism take hold.

"Given the state of our Health Service, our education sector and how the lack of any form of functioning government impacts on people's lives, people are demanding that politicians get on with the job. Now is the time."

(CD/MH)