Other News In Brief

NIE Networks Warns Farmers On Dangers Of Overhead Power Lines

Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks has warned farmers about the dangers of working near overhead power lines and poles as national Farm Safety Week gets underway today, 16 July.

National Farm Safety Week aims to remind farmers of the dangers around the farm and the dangers of working close to overhead power lines.

Kevin McDowell, Head of Health, Safety and Environment at NIE Networks, said every year members of the agricultural community or their contractors are injured or killed due to accidental contact with overhead power lines.

"Farm Safety Week is a good opportunity to remind farmers that when cutting hedgerows, trimming trees, spraying crops or cutting silage, they make themselves aware of where there are electricity poles or overhead power lines," he said.

"This message is particularly important at this time of year with farmers taking advantage of the good weather to work on the farm. We are urging all agricultural workers to ‘look up, look out' and to ensure that when operating heavy machinery they stay at least five metres from overhead power lines."

UUP Condemns Desecration Of Poppy Wreaths

Ulster Unionist Councillor David Taylor has strongly condemned the desecration of poppy wreaths at Newry Cenotaph

Councillor Taylor commented: "Not less than a week after poppy wreaths were desecrated at Narrow Water, we now have the occurrence of the same despicable action at Newry Cenotaph.

"The local community are understandably disgusted at this incident and are very clear that the perpetrators of this shameful act do not speak for the vast majority of citizens in Newry.

"This was reflected in the fact that a cross section of the Newry community assisted with the retrieval of the wreaths from the river.

"There are still some unfortunately who are determined to try and cause division, driven by a narrow sectarian mind-set and it is sickening to see a Cenotaph targeted in this way as they pursue their warped agenda."

DUP Dismisses Call For Second Vote On Leaving the EU

The DUP's Brexit spokesman and East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson has dismissed Justine Greening's call for a second vote on leaving the EU as a "hare-brained, divisive and duplicitous proposal".

He said: "Most alarmingly in this proposal is how a second referendum would totally undermine the United Kingdom's negotiating position with the European Union. The chance of a second vote would only harden the determination of the already belligerent Brussels bureaucrats to give the United Kingdom the worst deal possible. The EU would wield massive influence over the result in any second vote.

"This proposal also ignores two previous referendum results.

"Firstly, the alternative vote system has already been rejected at a referendum. Clearly by clinging to this voting system, Ms Greening, as a self-confessed remainer, feels it would be the best way of overturning the June 2016 result.

"Secondly, she continues to ignore the will of the United Kingdom electorate. Indeed, there is little doubt that if there was a second referendum and its result didn't suit Ms Greening and her remainer cabal, they would want a third referendum."

(CD/LM)