Other News In Brief

Resurfacing Works To Begin In Ballygowan

The Department for Infrastructure has announced that the next phase of a £230,000 road improvement scheme in Ballygowan will commence on Saturday, 28 July.

Work will take place along a 0.85km section of the road and includes Church Hill from the Comber Road Roundabout to Moss Road junction. The work will greatly improve the strength and surface quality of the carriageway on the 'C class' road in Ballygowan.

To help ensure the safety of road users and contractors, weekend road closures will be in place from 6amm on Saturday, 28 July until 6pm on Sunday, 29 July and from 6am on Saturday, 04 August until 6pm on Sunday, 05 August. Temporary signals will also operate during the course of the improvements.

Arlene Foster Must 'Come Clean' On Party's Intentions Towards Paisley Jnr

Sinn Féin have called on DUP Leader Arlene Foster to "come clean" on her party's intentions towards Ian Paisley Jnr.

Making the call, Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy, said: "The DUP Leadership have serious questions to answer over the Ian Paisley scandal and every day they refuse to do so, the demand for clarity just gets stronger. It's simply not good enough to say that they have suspended him without even saying for how long.

"They say they are conducting an investigation but won't confirm if it relates only to the facts already known to the public.

"Ian Paisley has said he will be contesting that election so Arlene Foster needs to come clean and state whether he will be doing so as a DUP candidate.

"The public should not be taken for fools by the DUP. They have a right to know whether that party is going to take a stand over a lack of integrity in public office.

"They also have a right to know where the DUP stands on Ian Paisley's lobbying on behalf of the Sri Lankan regime in an attempt to prevent the UN investigating human rights abuses, war crimes and mass murder.

"That is absolutely appalling yet the DUP leadership have yet to even condemn that aspect of this whole sorry affair."

Alliance Councillor Praises NHS Staff Following Hospital Stay

Alliance Causeway Councillor Chris McCaw has praised NHS staff following a short hospital stay.

Cllr McCaw said workers at Causeway Hospital provided a vital service for the local community.

"I would like to pay tribute to everyone who works in our local hospital," he said.

"In particular, I would like to recognise the hard work of the nursing and support staff, without whom a hospital doesn't function.

"In these uncertain political times, it is important we join together across the political spectrum to recognise the vital service they provide in the local area, particularly in this year of the NHS' 70th anniversary.

"As a patient with an inflammatory bowel condition, I am sure I speak for the hundreds of people in this area with similar conditions who have availed of our A&E and our local gastroenterology team. As these conditions tend to flare very suddenly, their commitment to seeing patients as soon as possible is so crucial to our quality of life."

(MH/LM)