Other News In Brief

Deputy Mayor Hosts Event To Mark World Breastfeeding Week

Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear, has hosted a free event to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week.

Local mums enjoyed the relaxed and friendly morning of support and celebration at the Theatre at The Mill on Thursday 10 August.

Mums enjoyed a chat over tea, coffee and cake with the opportunity to engage with early life and breastfeeding education and, support services including Surestart, Libraries NI and Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The event featured a talk from Carol Smyth, IBCLC, a certified lactation consultant who encouraged mums to share their experiences and seek advice from professionals and other mums.

The event promised fun for mums and babies alike who all joined in some educating, stimulating and sensory activities for the babies such as 'Baby Yoga,' 'Rhythm and Rhyme' and 'Wiggle It.'

Councillor Kinnear said: "I am delighted to see so many mums come together and celebrate the importance of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. We are proud to have created a space where mums could come together, share their experiences and learn from each other.

"World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2023 was "Step up for breastfeeding education and support."

If you are a mum who is breastfeeding, or if you are thinking about breastfeeding, there are many resources available to help you succeed. You can talk to your doctor, a lactation consultant, or a support group. There are also many online resources available.

UUP Concerned Over Safety Implications Of PSNI Data Breach

Ulster Unionist representative on the Policing Board of Northern Ireland, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has expressed concern over the outcome of today’s meeting of the Board with Chief Constable Simon Byrne and senior PSNI colleagues.

Mike Nesbitt said: "On the positive side, the PSNI talked us through how the breach occurred and the new protocols designed to ensure it does not happen again. That is reassuring up a point, but, of course, you cannot eradicate human error, which was part of the problem.

"I was more concerned with the fallout of this calamitous error, focusing on the three issues of the safety of those named, the potential cost of the error, and the possible implications for intelligence gathering. Clearly, the most pressing of the three is the wellbeing of the officers and police staff.

"The Chief Constable’s statement that dissident republicans are claiming to have at least part of the data is not unexpected. It is in their interests to spread maximum panic and anxiety within the police family and beyond. If – and I stress if – it is true then it poses a challenge to the PSNI of an unprecedented scale, given there are some 10,000 individuals on the spreadsheet.

"My question to the PSNI was whether they have the resources and capacity to offer timely risk assessment to that number of people. The fact is they will have to assess and prioritise on a case by case basis, and I encourage every officer and staff member who is worried to request a risk assessment through their line manager.

"The question of the cost of the error is for another day, but we acknowledged the Information Commissioner has the power to impose a substantial financial penalty, and my understanding is that the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) affords each and every individual the statutory right to compensation.

"The third area of concern is the potential impact on the PSNI’s intelligence gathering, a network I imagine the PSNI is currently plugged into to establish the extent to which the dissident republican claim has substance. Informants will not be encouraged to pass on information on the likes of dissidents or criminal gangs posing as loyalists when they see the PSNI cannot secure data concerning their own. The extent to which this is significant will need to be monitored.

"Today’s meeting was merely the start of a process of rebuilding, not only processes but also trust in the PSNI. Confidence has been hit badly among officers and staff, the public and some members of the Board."

Council 'Inundated' With Complaints Of Vapes Sold To Children

Belfast City Council has been "inundated with complaints" of vapes being sold to children, Alliance Belfast City Councillor Sam Nelson has said.

Councillor Nelson has said: "I had recently been made aware of complaints by parents about certain shops selling disposable vapes to children and young people. When I reported this to the Tobacco Control Team on Belfast City Council, I was shocked to hear just how widespread the problem is.

"Since legislation came in last February to age restrict disposable vapes, the Tobacco Control Team has been inundated with complaints about vapes being sold to those who are underage.

"The council carried out test purchases by child volunteers who are typically between 13 to 17 years old, and it turned out about 50% of these children were successful in trying to buy a vape. That's a simply appalling rate of non-compliance.

"If we're to work towards a smoke-free Northern Ireland and properly safeguard the health and well-being of our young people, we need to get tougher in terms of regulating access to vapes/e-cigarettes, and educating kids about the dangers of vaping and nicotine addiction.

"Retailers cannot keep flouting the rules like this, and more needs to be done to guarantee transparency and accountability around who is selling vapes and who they're selling them to. Their actions are causing real harm to children and young people in our community."