NI News In Brief

Mongan Killing: Woman Freed

Enquiries are continuing into the brutal murder of John Mongan, a member of the Travelling community, who was killed in his home in Fallswater Street in February. Police have carried out a search in Enniskillen and have also arrested - and then released - a woman in connection with the murder. She has been freed pending reports to the PPS, having been detained in Londonderry on Tuesday morning.

Murphy Goes On (Railway) Line

The NI Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy has praised the recently extended £2.5 million NIR Maintenance Repair Depot at York Road in north Belfast. 
During his visit he also presented Investors in People and ISO 9001 certificates to staff. 

The Minister said: "I welcome this opportunity to tour the extended Maintenance Repair Depot and I thank everyone for all their hard work in completing this project. The completion of significant work here has allowed NIR to increase its capacity to accommodate further new trains and Enterprise vehicles. In addition, this extensive improvement project will provide a better and more efficient working environment for NIR staff." 

The minister said he is committed to investing in public transport and to encouraging commuters and other travellers to use public transport. Over the next three years the Department for Regional Development is providing £137 million of funding towards rail projects including the purchase of more new trains and improvements to the rail infrastructure.

Flying High

An aerospace engineering design consultancy, Base, has won its first direct business from Airbus Industries. The company is to carry out interior design work on a commercial aircraft project for the Airbus plant at Laupheim, near Frankfurt in Germany. The breakthrough contract, which will see Base work with Laupheim engineers on a new project, follows the Dundonald-based company’s participation in an Invest NI mission to the recent Aircraft Interiors Expo at Hamburg.

Excellent Centre For Health

The NI Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has launched the Centre of Excellence for Public Health Research in Northern Ireland. The body, based at Queen’s University, Belfast, is one of five such centres established across the UK. The Minister said: "I see this Centre of Excellence as an important landmark for public health in Northern Ireland which will play a key role in helping to inform and shape our collective policies and practices in improving health and reducing health inequalities. Public health will be at the heart of the Health and Social Care system, and this centre has the potential to make a major contribution to our drive towards a healthier, more productive, more confident Northern Ireland."

West And East Regeneration Targeted

The NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced a significant boost for housing in west Belfast with the opening of a new development. Sliabh Dubh is a new £21million social housing development on Belfast’s Springfield Road, and will provide 155 homes. It has been built on the site of the former JP Corry Builders Merchants Yard, by Fold Housing Association, with part grant aid from the Department for Social Development. She has also visited east Belfast, looking at regeneration projects in the area. The visit, hosted by East Belfast Partnership, included projects on the Newtownards Road, Dee Street and Mersey Street. The Minister also met with key community representatives and focused on work currently being undertaken by the partnership and its members. This included details of the Newtownards Road 2012 Strategy, Connswater Community Greenway Project and a local Tourism Strategy.

(BMcC/KMcA)