Roads Service update on winter service response

The operation of snow clearing during the recent severe spell of winter weather has been continuing with all available Roads Service plant being deployed to assist the areas worst affected. 

These operations have been enhanced by the introduction of over 130 items of large plant including tracked excavators and quarry shovels provided by private contractors and Rivers Agency. 

Over the last few days crews have been gritting around 7000km of our roads in a single run. Roads Service vehicles spread around 1000 tonnes of salt on every run at a cost of £80,000. Routes are often salted three times during the night equating to a cost across Northern Ireland of around a quarter of a million pounds.

Roads Service has provided the following details which are current as of tonight 25 March.

• The salted network in Western Division is 100% clear of snow and the unsalted network is 99% clear;
• The salted network in Northern Division is 100% clear of snow and the unsalted network is 89% clear. Northern Division has experienced the worst of the severe weather and can confirm that today 97% of its totals network is now enabling the movement of traffic;
• The salted network in Southern Division is almost 100% clear with the exception of Spelga pass which is in the Mournes. On the unsalted network 96% is clear;
• The salted network in Eastern Division is over 95% clear whilst the unsalted network is over 90% clear.

These figures are changing hour by hour as Roads Service continue to make every effort to ensure the full network is accessible to traffic as soon as possible.

Freezing car parking charges until 2015 will give boost to city centres - Kennedy

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has welcomed the decision from the Executive not to increase car parking charges.

Speaking after the Executive meeting today the Minister said: “My officials and I have been working hard to gain agreement for the freeze on car parking charges in this budget period and I am pleased that the Executive has come to an agreement on this issue. 

“This is exactly the sort of mechanism we need to give a confidence boost to traders and those who shop and work in our towns and cities and it illustrates that elected representatives can deliver positively for our own people. 

“I believe that this will be warmly welcomed by shoppers and traders in town centres and it comes at an opportune time in the run up to Christmas.”

Glyn Roberts NIIRTA Chief Executive also welcomed the decision. He said: “This is a very welcome development which NIIRTA has been lobbying for to give our town and city centres more support in these difficult times. This is an early Christmas present to both local traders and shoppers and we appreciate the efforts of Minister Kennedy in securing Executive agreement on this.”

The Minister concluded: “This freeze, combined with the package of measures to support retailers and consumers I announced on Monday, will give a much-needed boost to our local economy and encourage people to get the most out of our town and city centres this Christmas.”

The freeze on car parking will be for the remainder for this budget period, i.e. until the end of March 2015. 

For full details of the measures announced on Monday 5 November 2012 please visit nidirect

Executive announces £200million economy and jobs initiative

The Executive has announced a £200million economy and jobs initiative to support people, businesses and investment.

The new measures, which include support for more than 4,600 people through skills training and employability, are additional to the commitments in the Executive’s Programme for Government and Economic Strategy.

Welcoming the measures, First Minister Peter Robinson said: “I am pleased that we are able to announce this package which will provide a significant boost to the economy in Northern Ireland and provide employment, particularly for our young people and those who have been out of work for long periods. 

“This initiative comes on top of the £26million in additional funding recently announced as part of Delivering Social Change ‘Signature Projects’ and again shows that by working together the Executive continues to deliver on our Programme for Government commitment to grow the economy and contribute to rising levels of employment by supporting the promotion of over 25,000 new jobs." 

The deputy First Minister said: “The Executive is responding flexibly to the needs of those hit hardest by the recession and taking action to ensure those out of work have access to the right training, skills and education opportunities. These employment measures are particularly focused on the needs of young people to help them get into work. 

“The Executive is already committed to delivering over £5billion of capital investment in the current budget period. To boost employment in the construction sector this package will deliver a range of new measures to improve our schools, roads and accelerate nearly £60million of capital projects.”

Supporting People

Ministers are taking action to ensure that those out of work have access to the right training, skills and education opportunities. They are particularly focused on the needs of young people and other disadvantaged groups.

There will be waged employment opportunities for 1,700 young people of a minimum of six months duration within either the private, public or voluntary and community sectors. 

Around 1,100 over-50s, who have been out of work for more than 12 months, will take up temporary paid employment of up to 26 weeks in the Community and Voluntary Sector. 

Further employer engagement with ApprenticeshipsNI will mean up to 900 additional young people will participate in the Youth Employment Scheme.

An additional 500 undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths places will be funded each year, bringing the total increase in STEM places to 1,200 by 2015. This will enhance the skills base in priority areas for the NI economy. There will also be 150 fully funded PhD places and 20 bursaries for Aerospace MSc students.

A further 500 work experience placements/training opportunities for young people will be provided across the public sector as part of DEL’s Steps to Work Programme.

Supporting Businesses

The small business rate relief scheme will be extended to provide around 3500 business ratepayers with a 20% discount.

A new Invest NI ‘Skills Growth’ scheme will be introduced for small businesses (up to 50 employees) which would provide 50% grant towards training costs. 

Car parking charges in towns and city centres will be frozen until at least 2015.

An additional £15million will be available to ensure that farmers receive more money in their Single Farm payment in 2013. This will generate additional spending power for farm business from the end of 2013 and into 2014.

There will be a new ‘Finance Voucher’ scheme to help SMEs access the specialist support they need to grow their businesses.

Streamlined and ‘fast-track’ application & approval processes will be brought in for many Invest NI business support schemes.

Supporting Investment

The Executive is already committed to delivering over £5billion of capital investment in the current budget period. To boost employment in the construction sector there will be several new measures.

More than £40million will be available to deliver a range of projects in the current financial year which will support the construction sector. This funding will see further resources being made available to:

• improve the schools estate (including addressing the consequences of the fire damage to Arvalee Special School);
• undertake further roads structural maintenance; street lighting maintenance; emerging works along the Antrim Coast Road; 
• £8million additional funding for the housing co-ownership scheme.

The maintenance budget for the Schools Estate will be increased by £10million in 2013/14.

Nearly £60million of capital spending will be accelerated to allow projects to commence in 2013/14 rather than 2014/15.

A further £10million will be available in both 2013/14 and 2014/15 through the housing co-ownership scheme. 

An extra £5.7milion of funding will go to the Tourism Development Scheme which could deliver total investment of over £27.5million, supporting over 450 jobs in the construction phase and creating or sustaining approximately a further 50 tourism jobs once complete.

There will be further reforms to planning, including changes to the Permitted Development Rights regime which enables developers to undertake works without the need to apply for planning permission and revisions to the structure of planning fees to alleviate the financial burden on developers.

Ministers will be available to provide more details of the measures under the particular control of their Departments in the coming days.

Foster congratulates McIlroy on second major win

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster has congratulated RoryMcIlroy on winning his second major title at the US PGA Championship, KiawahIsland.

Congratulating Rory on his latest win, Arlene Foster said: "The international spotlight is once again shining on the outstanding ability of our major-winning golfing champions. To win a second major title is no mean feat, and to do so at the age of 23 is an amazing achievement.

"Rory's win, combined with the recent success of the Irish Open, which saw record-breaking crowds through the gates of Royal Portrush, highlights how golf is continuing to offer Northern Ireland global exposure.

"Through golf tourism, an estimated £14m is generated for the economy every year, but as a result of the Irish Open we anticipate that this figure will rise sharply. The tournament not only showcased our golf but also other aspects of Northern Ireland, such as our friendly people, fantastic food,music and scenery.

"Yet again our local golfers have shown that they can compete with the world's best. As they continue to raise the profile, more people from around the world will come to Northern Ireland, to play the courses that our local golfers enjoy, and they will spend their money in the local economy."

The Minister continued: "Rory's success at the US PGA Championship is a fitting end to an amazing period for sport with Team GBNI producing an outstanding performance at the Olympics. Our sporting champions are great ambassadors for Northern Ireland and it is our responsibilityto capitalise on their success.

"The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland are both working to make the most of the opportunities that our local stars are creating, to encourage the world to see for themselves why we are the home of champions."

Excitement growing around 2012 Games as torchbearers and street route revealed

Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has given details of the street routes and the inspirational torchbearers who will carry the Olympic Flame when it visits Ireland in June.

 


The Olympic Torch relay begins in East Belfast on Sunday the 3 June and over the course of the relay it will be within ten miles of 95% of the local population.



Speaking at Stormont, which is part of the torch route, Sports Minister, Carál Ni Chuilín said: "This is a real opportunity for the entire island to shine as the torch visits between 3 June and 7 June. The relay will showcase and celebrate our torchbearers who are inspirational people who do so much for their local communities.


"As the torch journeys across the country, from Belfast to Derry to Aughnacloy, Banbridge and Larne over the four day celebration, the eyes of the world will be on our beautiful landscape and iconic buildings and our amazing cultural and sporting achievements.



"Excitement is growing now that local people can begin to plan where the torchbearers will be carrying the torch in their areas and plan to celebrate the arrival in their communities."



The torch will visit Dublin on Wednesday 6 June 2012. 

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring said: "The visit of the Olympic Flame in June will be a wonderful opportunity for Ireland to be even more closely involved with the 2012 London Olympic Games and for Irish people to be part of the biggest sporting event in the world."


The Minister added "Tourism also has the opportunity to benefit from the international media focus on the island of Ireland as the Olympic Torch Relay comes here for the first time and I know the tourism agencies will be doing everything they can to maximise the benefits."

More information about the streets through which the Torchbearers will carry the Olympic Flame is available from the Olympic Torch Relay - London2012 website 

The Torchbearers announced today include those that were successful through the public nomination processes run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. Each Torchbearer has also had confirmed the details of what day and in which community in the North they will be carrying the Flame. LOCOG has endeavoured to slot Torchbearers within an hour of their nomination address so family and friends can cheer them on. 

The Torchbearers are listed by the community they are carrying the Olympic Flame in at Olympic Torch Relay - London2012 website together with a selection of their inspiring stories. The remaining Torchbearers will be confirmed over the coming months.



An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame en route to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012.



The overnight stops and evening celebrations in the North of Ireland leg of the Olympic Torch Relay are Newry, Derry, Portrush and Belfast. These are taking place between the 3rd and 7th of June 2012. Further information about celebrations and is available from Local District Councils.



Get on Board

By Carál Ní Chuilín MLA Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure

Over the next few weeks my officials will be running a number of public appointment competitions for the boards of some of my Department’s arm’s length bodies. These bodies are responsible for delivering a range of services on behalf of Government across my Department’s area of responsibility, from supporting the arts sector to supporting the development of grass roots sport.

I believe that it is important for the bodies to become more representative of all sections of our community and have board members with a range of skills and experience. I would like to particularly encourage women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and people with a background in the community/voluntary sector to give their time to this valuable and rewarding public service, as these groups are currently under-represented.

I know from personal experience that there are a lot of people out there with the skills and ability to make a really positive contribution to the work of our boards, but they don’t apply because they feel that these positions are reserved for people from a specific socio-economic group. I am keen to dispel that myth.

I would encourage people not to assume that because, for example, they are working in the voluntary/community sector that they will not have the skills to be an effective board member. The types of skills that are required include: communication, planning and an analytical mind to challenge and debate how best to provide services to the public. Skills and experience developed in the voluntary/community sector could be put to good use on the boards of DCAL’s arm’s length bodies. Formal training will also be provided for any new board members.

Representation from a diverse range of people will be beneficial for the bodies, but will also be very rewarding for the individuals themselves. I know that Rosemary Kelly has found her experience as Chairman of the Arts Council very rewarding. Rosemary recently said

“When my term as Chairman comes to an end later this year, I will look back on my time spent, along with Board colleagues, serving the Arts Sector with some pride. The Board represents a wide range of professions and experience that has made a significant difference to the strategic development of arts and art practice here.  We have given a lot during that time but got back even more through the meaningful and rewarding work."

It is good to reflect on the part we played in exciting projects like the redevelopment of the Grand Opera House, the Ulster Hall, the Lyric Theatre, and Cultúrlann in Belfast, as well as The Playhouse and Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry/Londonderry; and of course we still have the opening of the new Metropolitan Arts Centre to look forward to early next year.  These projects will provide venues for a wide range of programmes, including many community based arts projects and outreach activities. They, along with many other projects, will help to shape the Arts and society here for generations to come. I would have no hesitation in encouraging people to give their time in a similar public service role on one of DCAL’s bodies.”

These positions provide an opportunity for individuals to shape how government services are delivered and have an input into important decision making. For example on the Board of NI Screen you could play a key role in helping to attract major TV and film productions such as HBO’s Game of Thrones to set up here. This work boosts our local economy and creates job in this growing sub-sector of the creative industries. As a board member of Sport NI you could play a key role in major projects to provide or improve sporting facilities and to increase opportunities for people to engage in sporting activities.  As a board member of the NI Museums Council you could play a leading role in the development and provision of a vibrant independent museums sector. It’s also an exciting time for the Arts Council as the considerable investment in arts infrastructure takes hold.

The competitions for NI Screen, the Arts Council, Sport NI and the NI Museums Council are currently open for applications. Information packs and application forms will be available on DCAL’s website Public Appointments page for each competition.