Other News In Brief

Mayor Urges Public To Be Cautious In Belfast City Centre

Responding to news that a fire has broken out in the Primark Bank Buildings on Royal Avenue in Belfast City Centre, Sinn Féin Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey has urged members of the public to keep a safe distance from the site.

Deirdre Hargey said: "I would urge members of the public in the area to keep a safe distance from the site.

"I would also ask the public to avoid Castle Street and Royal Avenue whilst the incident is ongoing.

"Emergency services at the scene are responding. I would urge the public to be cautious and to assist the emergency services in whatever way possible."

Ownership Of Colin Glen Forest Park Handed To Trust

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has handed over ownership of Colin Glen Forest Park to the Colin Glen Trust.

The NIEA, as part of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, have delivered a Community Asset Transfer of the forest park and golf course.

The lease confirming the transfer was finalised for 999 years.

Speaking at the event, NIEA Chief Executive David Small said: "This substantive community asset transfer is ground breaking. It provides a wonderful local exemplar for the kind of innovative solutions that can be delivered by government departments to ensure the benefits derived from public assets are maximised for the enjoyment for all.

"As such it is a vibrant demonstration of what modern government, working in partnership with a local group, can achieve for both community and public good, with commitment to invest in social enterprise growth to increase sustainability in the community sector.

"Colin Glen is a magnificent natural resource and community asset for the area, and it has evolved in recent years under the stewardship of the Colin Glen Trust."

Legislators Should Be Embarrassed For 'Our People' – SDLP

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MLA has said that as legislators we should be embarrassed that we have abandoned our people for 589 days.

Mr Eastwood added that with Brexit hurtling down the tracks, too much is now at stake to allow this impasse to roll-on unchallenged.

Mr Eastwood said: "For our people to have been left for 589 days without a government is a truly sorry indictment of our politics here.

"A lot has been said about where the blame lies for our ongoing impasse. The focus must now lie in finding a solution.

"The SDLP have been consistent in calling on the two governments to step up and step in. As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement it is their duty to take the hard issues off the table by allowing Westminster to legislate for Marriage Equality and language issues, so all parties can get back to work.

"With Brexit our politics has now reached a defining moment. We cannot allow a hard Brexit to be thrust upon our people without a functioning Assembly to mitigate its devastating impacts."

(MH/CM)