Other News In Brief

Call For Alternative Talks To Provide Reformed Power-Sharing

An Alliance Party delegation has met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, and stressed the need to end the drift around talks but to make changes to improve the prospect of progress.

Stephen Farry said: "An Alliance delegation had a frank meeting with the Secretary of State. Northern Ireland is stuck in a prolonged impasse. Direct rule is not a viable option for multiple reasons and a further election will not change much. Meanwhile Northern Ireland continues to corrode with public services struggling and the economy stagnating. The only alternative is talks to provide restored and reformed power-sharing.

"We have been increasingly concerned at the drift and inaction over the course of this year. There urgently needs to be a change of pace. But simply reconvening talks on the same model that failed before would likely lead to further failure. Therefore, we have stressed two things that the Governments need to do.

"The first is to appoint a talks mediator. This person can work between the parties and provide better structure, including overcoming the contested management of papers that plagued the February process. Time is being wasted through not getting on with this appointment and allowing the person to read themselves in.

"The second lies in changing the nature of the debate through the UK Government legislating to reform the Petition of Concern. This puts it up to both DUP and Sinn Fein and tests their sincerity over their commitment to devolution. The DUP have already said that they have no preconditions and this therefore should not alter that, while for Sinn Fein this gives the opportunity for many equality issues to be resolved on the floor of the Assembly democratically."

Work To Start On £60,000 Newry Storm Sewer Project

Conwell Contracts and NI Water are to begin work on a £60,000 storm sewer project in Newry.

The scheme involves laying around 165 metres of storm sewer and associated manholes on New Street and Canal Street to serve a new social housing development.

The first stage of the project will begin on New Street from 24 September. Following completion of this section, work will then progress onto Canal Street. The scheme is scheduled to take six weeks to complete.

For safety reasons, the following temporary lane/road closures will be in place;

• Phase 1 - A lane closure will be in place for two weeks on New Street and Canal Street, with no right turn from Canal Street onto New Street

• Phase 2 - The southern end of Canal Street will be closed for two weeks

• Phase 3 - The northern end of Canal Street and the junction with New Street will be closed for two weeks. There will be no through traffic on the southern end of Canal Street during this time.

Grahame Millar, project sponsor, said: "NI Water is pleased to install this new storm sewer to facilitate the development of 15 new property units at Ogle House for social housing.

"The removal of storm water from the existing combined sewer will also increase the capacity of the existing sewers as well as reducing the likelihood for out-of-sewer flooding and environmental pollution in the future."

Businesses Support Marriage Equality In NI

Sinn Féin MLA Megan Fearon has welcomed the support of business leaders in the campaign for marriage equality in the north.

The party's Equality spokesperson was commenting after a number of high-profile businesses, including some of the North's largest employers, made a public call for marriage equality to be introduced here.

Calling for all political parties to show similar leadership, Megan Fearon said: "The support of business leaders in the campaign for marriage equality is welcome and adds to the majority voice which supports the rights of the LGBTQ+ citizens.

"This year saw the largest ever Pride parades in Belfast, Derry, Dublin and Newry, those parades were lined with businesses displaying their banners and floats.

"These demonstrations represent the levels of diversity and unity that exists in the north which demand an end to the unacceptable denial of marriage equality by the DUP.

"Ireland is changing. In fact, the change in Irish society, north and south, has already taken place. The right to marriage equality is embraced and enjoyed everywhere else on these islands.

"All political parties should now follow the leadership of civic society, the business community and a majority of citizens in the north by bringing about legislative change in the north."

(CD/CM)