Other News In Brief

Further 12 People Die From Coronavirus

A further 12 people have died in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Health.

There have also been a further 1,648 positive cases recorded in the same period.

Call For High Street Voucher Scheme To Be Extended To 16 And 17 Year Olds

Sinn Féin economy spokesperson Caoimhe Archibald has said the high street voucher scheme should be extended to 16 and 17 year-olds.

She said: "The high street voucher scheme is due to be rolled out in September and it is currently planned that eligibility will include all adults aged 18 and over.

"The voucher should also be available for 16 and 17 year-olds; young people in this age group are considered to be of working age, they have national insurance numbers, some have left education and are in full-time employment, others have caring responsibilities.

"Young people have been badly impacted by Covid, many worked in retail and other frontline services or volunteered in their local communities, and they should be included in this scheme.

"In terms of the aims of the high street voucher scheme, it is about getting people back into their local retailers, improving consumer confidence and ultimately supporting local businesses and the local economy.

"Including 16 and 17 year-olds in the high street voucher scheme will support those aims, it will bring another cohort of people back into shops and other service providers, and help our local businesses and economy."

SDLP Welcomes Medical School Opening

Social Democratic and Labour Party Leader Colum Eastwood MP has welcomed the official opening of the Graduate Entry Medical School at Magee.

The SDLP leader made establishing the medical school a priority in the negotiations to restore powersharing government during New Decade New Approach talks and secured additional funding from the British Government,

The Foyle MP thanked those who had made the school opening possible but repeated his call to expand university provision in the North West to 10,000 places.

Colum Eastwood MP said: "This is a positive day for Derry. After a long fight, we are finally opening the doors of our Medical School which will give young people from the North West the opportunity to study, live and set down roots in our communities. This school will, I hope, also allow us to fortify health provision here with a good supply of well educated doctors keen to serve in the local area.

"The SDLP made the delivery of the medical school a priority during the negotiations that led to the restoration of powersharing and we also secured additional funding from the British Government to make it happen. I want to thank the staff at Ulster University who have worked hard to get us to this point today and also former Secretary of State Julian Smith who stuck by his word during our talks."