Other News In Brief

Woman Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A woman has been convicted for claiming benefits she was not entitled to at Dungannon Crown Court.

Eugenia Foley claimed Income Support totalling £7,270 while failing to declare excess capital. Mrs Foley was given a six month prison sentence suspended for three years.

She is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department.

At the confiscation hearing today the Court granted a Confiscation Order in the amount of £7097.48. The defendant must satisfy the order by 20 September 2018 or serve a six month prison sentence for non-payment of the order, which will remain payable.

Six NI Sites Assessed For New Heathrow Airport Expansion

Six Northern Ireland sites have been assessed by Heathrow Airport representatives as part of its expansion.

The sites were shortlisted to become Heathrow Logistic Hubs, where parts would be pre-assembled before being transported to London for the airport expansion. The proposed sites include three Mid and East Antrim locations - the former home of Michelin in Ballymena, Belfast City Council's Giant's Park, and a Lisburn and Castlereagh business park.

The hubs could deliver an economic boost of £5 billion and create 5,000 jobs in Northern Ireland. A total of 65 sites across the UK are being considered as hub locations.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Lindsay Millar, said: "Being part of the Heathrow expansion would be a big boost for the manufacturing and construction sectors here, and for the wider economy. We have the capability and the capacity to play a big part in this project and have shown the Heathrow delegation that we are ready and willing to work with them."

Emergency Care Crisis Is Spiralling - UUP

Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler has claimed that the latest publication of emergency care waiting times provides further evidence of the spiralling crisis engulfing the NHS in Northern Ireland.

Mr Butler said: "We are in an unprecedented situation. Never before in the 70-year history of the NHS have things been so precarious. With every passing month our waiting times, across almost every single speciality and patient type, are getting worse and there is no realistic prospect of any improvement.

"Even though the target is to treat, admit or discharge 95% of patients attending our major emergency departments within 4 hours, last year we only managed this in 68.7% of cases. Similarly, the number of people waiting longer than 12 hours more than doubled to over 17,000.

"The latest number of people cruelly having to wait longer than a year for even their first appointment with a consultant is 83,000.

"The number of ambulances arriving on time in the most urgent cases is continuing to spiral year after year with only 41.9% of Category A cases – those considered the most life-threatening – arriving within the primary target of 8 minutes, last year. As a former firefighter I know exactly how important it is for emergency vehicles and personnel to arrive at a scene as quickly as possible.

"There are only so many times we can express concern and deepening horror at the deteriorating state of affairs. The reality is that in 2018, despite our advances in medical care, patients in Northern Ireland are coming to harm as a result of avoidable delays in receiving treatment.

"Doctors are warning that patients are dying in England because their performance has dipped in recent times, so I am frightened to think what those same doctors would say about the situation here.

"The waiting time we have here just simply wouldn't be tolerated in England."

(CD)