Other News In Brief

Appeal Following Aggravated Burglary In Newry

PSNI detectives in Newry have issued an appeal for information following a report of an aggravated burglary on the evening of Tuesday 12th December.

Making the appeal, Detective Sergeant Dougherty said: "It was reported that two men armed with hatchets entered a residential property in the Drumgullion Avenue area.

"The victim told us that he had been asleep in bed just before 10pm when he was awoken by a loud noise. Upon leaving his bedroom to check his property, he was confronted by one of the men, who is described as around 5ft 10in in height, aged late 20s to early 30s and dressed in black clothing. He did not see the second man clearly enough to obtain a description.

"It was reported that a scuffle ensued before the two men left the property empty-handed. Thankfully, the resident was not injured.

"Enquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area, to contact us on 101 quoting reference number 2070 of 12/12/23."

You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.

Alliance Welcomes Independent Review Of NI Education System

The Alliance Party has welcomed the publication of the independent review of education but said that "effective change" is only possible with an Education Minister in post.

The party's Education spokesperson, Nick Mathison, was speaking following the launch of the report, which was brought about as part of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.

"This report has confirmed what many of us already know – our education system has been underfunded for many years and that significant structural reform is needed," said the Strangford MLA.

"It is welcome to see the emphasis put on investment in education and acknowledgement radical reform is needed to ensure our children and young people receive the best education possible.

"Alliance has long advocated for a single, integrated education system, delivering equality of opportunity for all, regardless of community and socioeconomic background, but also removing the competitive nature built into our current sectoral system. It was therefore welcome there was a focus on promoting children and young people learning together, and on schools working together to offer inclusive education for all in our communities.

"We also need to tackle division in terms of the experience of children with and without special educational needs (SEN). It was welcome to hear the report's focus on the need to provide effective support for SEN children – if any of the recommendations need urgent action, it is this one, giving those in need of it access to the support they require now.

"It was particularly welcome to see the acknowledgement of the pressing need to reform our transfer system and cap the number of children transferring based on academic criteria. We hope this will act as a first step towards the removal of academic selection at primary school age in its entirety.

"However, many of these recommendations are only possible with an Education Minister in post. Once again, we are left in a place of inaction due to the DUP holding our government to ransom. This report can bring real transformation within our education system but only if a reformed and properly funded Assembly and Executive is up and running."

DUP Calls For PSNI To Be Helped To Make Fair Pay Offers

The DUP has said that it is "unacceptable" for serving police officers to be forced to seek career opportunities on the other side of the world because the PSNI does not have adequate resources to deliver fair pay and conditions.

Commenting after the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher briefed the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart said: "‘It is hugely concerning that at least 50 serving PSNI officers have applied for work in Australia in recent times. Although, for some, the recent data leak was the straw that broke the camel's back, unsatisfactory pay and a lack of on-the-job support have also led to many employees reconsidering their career in local policing.

"Our officers and police staff are dedicated public servants, often putting themselves, and their families, in harm's way in order to serve the entire community. They deserve better and should be entitled to the same benefits in terms of pay rises and access to things like occupational health services as their counterparts in the United Kingdom.

"It was shocking to hear the Chief Constable say that in some cases local bakeries are offering starting salaries that are higher than a newly recruited constable in the PSNI. Even if recruitment restarted overnight, we are now in a situation where there is little incentive for young men and women to come forward and join the police service. This carries huge implications for responding and investigating crime in the longer-term.

"Jon Boutcher has been frank in declaring that he will not be afraid to challenge his accounting officer responsibilities and the pressures facing the PSNI budget in order to ensure current and future recruits can receive a fair pay deal. He has a statutory duty to tackle crime and keep people safe and it is right that this is to the fore. We cannot have a situation where more and more detectives are leaving the Service without being replaced and officers are being directed away for neighbourhood roles.

"The DUP will not be found wanting in seeking a sustainable solution to the crisis in the PSNI's finances and to the challenges facing our public services as a whole. It is clear that the Government's current proposals do not go far enough in addressing the problem. Northern Ireland has been funded below need in recent years and our committed public sector staff have become collateral damage. There is political consensus that this must change. Rather than sticking plasters, we need to see long-term changes to how our Province is funded so the public's desire for better services can be met and the process of transforming things like health and education can ramp up. Policing cannot and will not be an afterthought in that process. Households and businesses should not be expected to pay more for a less visible, effective and responsive police service."