Minister Killeen Welcomes Pledge Of Support For Undocumented Irish

Minister of State Tony Killeen T.D. has warmly welcomed a pledge by a Congressional Delegation to support the case of the undocumented Irish in the United States.

The Chairman of the “Friends of Ireland,” Congressman Richie Neal, today offered the group’s support to the case of the undocumented and pledged to further assist efforts to foster economic relations between the US and Ireland. Mr Neal made his comments during bi-lateral talks between the Friends of Ireland Congressional Delegation and an Irish Parliamentary delegation.

According to Minister of State Killeen: “The status of the undocumented Irish remains an issue of the highest priority for me and one that I have raised at Government level both in Ireland and the US on numerous occasions. Indeed, I have previously met with Congressman Neal in Washington and am delighted that he has again offered to support the case of the thousands of undocumented Irish.” The County Clare Deputy added: “Many Irish people have settled in the USA but, unable to return home, they have been separated from their families and their homes for many years. I am particularly pleased that the Friends of Ireland Congressional Delegation have pledged their support to this important issue. The group’s commitment to advance the case of undocumented is very important and much appreciated".

This week’s bi-lateral talks centred on the case of the undocumented Irish in the US, the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement, Ireland-US relations, International Fund for Ireland and the World Financial Crisis. Commenting during his visit to Ireland, Congressman Neal said: “The need for a strong relationship between Ireland and the US is now more important than ever. The Friends of Ireland Congressional Group has a long tradition of cultivating and supporting links between Ireland and the US, and during our meetings with the Ceann Comhairle, Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Party Leaders we have undertaken to continue this support. We have also agreed to advance the case of the thousands of undocumented Irish in the US. Many of these people have made lives for themselves in America and contribute positively to the communities they live in. We feel a way must be found to accommodate the needs of this group of people.”

The Friends of Ireland is a group of United States Congressmen, which promotes Irish interests in the US Houses of Representatives and helps to foster trade and cultural links between Ireland and the US.

Police investigate Ballymena shooting

Police in Northern Ireland are investigating a gun attack on a house in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last night.

A shot was fired through the living room window of the house, but nobody was injured in the attack, according to breakingnews.ie. The woman who lives in the house is reportedly a member of a local community association who had spoken to youths earlier about the taping of loyalist flags to every lamp post in the area.

One gig per second internet speeds for Dublin and Belfast

Global telco Cable and Wireless has added Belfast and Dublin to its next-generation global fibre network known as the Multi-Service Platform (MSP), along with 19 other cities across Europe.

The company is investing just under E5m in the venture, reports businessworld.ie. The new MSP will offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.

PSNI investigate Chlorine incident at Antrim pool

A number of people, including children, are being treated in hospital following an incident involving chlorine gas at a swimming pool in Co Antrim.

It happened at Silvercliffs Holiday Village in Ballycastle yesterday when a staff member accidentally mixed two chemicals which released the gas, reports breakingnews.ie. Nineteen people, ranging in ages from 12 to 25, were treated for breathing problems and eye irritation.

Antrim reach first Ulster football final in 39 years

Antrim 0-13 Cavan 1-7

Antrim will appear in the Ulster football final for the first time in 39 long years, following their shock win over Cavan at Clones. This three-point success may have been an upset, but no-one will dare begrudge the Saffrons their place in the sun on July 19, for they played Tommy Carr’s Cavan off the park and should have won by a much greater margin.

Four Paddy Cunningham points and two each from Michael McCann and Sean Burke did the trick for Liam Bradley’s men, but they were forced to hang on after substitute David Givney bagged a late Cavan goal. Source - Breakingnews.ie.

Larne harbour development given go ahead

Plans to build a £100m harbour eco-village on the site of a derelict cement works and quarry near Larne have been given the go-ahead.

The mixed use development on the site of Magheramorne Quarry will include 450 environmentally-friendly homes, restaurants, retail units, a community centre, a hotel, a harbour-side tourist point with viewing tower, boating facilities and a chandlery, a heritage railway and visitor centre, an ecology/art park and also film studios and a backlot.

Tense stand off during Belfast Orange Order parade

There was a tense 90-minute stand off in west Belfast this evening as an Orange parade through the main peace line was delayed by a bomb scare.

Hundreds of nationalists had gathered to protest at the parade and police were drafted in to prevent clashes with loyalists.

Two bottles, a golf ball and a stone were thrown and afterwards local republican, Sean Murray said that the parade route must be changed as the majority don't want it.

Man critical following Co Down accident

A man is critically ill after falling into a 30ft deep empty water tank in County Down.

The construction worker, 47, was at a water pumping site on Ashley Drive, Bangor, when the incident happened at around 8.30am today, reports breakingnews.ie. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital with head and back injuries after a rescue which took around an hour and a half. Paramedics, fire crews and a specialist rope rescue team were called.

Roads funding boost for Antrim

Over £1.6m is to be invested in roads in the Castlereagh area of County Antrim, it has been announced.

Transport Minister Conor Murphy said traffic calming schemes at Glen Road, Manse Road and Merok Crescent would all be progressed. Cycle tracks between Forestside and Cairnshill, Brackenvale to Carryduff plus East Link Road will be extended.

Resurfacing schemes at Carrowreagh Park, Cotswold Avenue, Wanstead Avenue and Hillsborough Road, Carryduff will also be carried out, the Minister said. Source - Build.ie

PSNI arrest woman following Belfast stabbing

Police in Belfast have arrested a woman in her 40s following the stabbing of a man at a house in the city yesterday afternoon.

The victim, who is in his 30s, is being treated in hospital for serious injuries. The attack happened at around 4.30pm yesterday at a house in Weston Drive. Source - breakingnews.ie.

Antrim firm secures major export orders

A Toomebridge, Co Antrim trailer firm has secured major export orders in Europe, Australia and Africa.

McCauley Trailers produces trailers for use in a range of sectors including construction, forestry and farming.

19th NI swine flu case is confirmed

Another case of swine flu has been confirmed in Northern Ireland.

The latest case, the 19th, is a man who recently returned from London. He has been given anti-virals and is recovering at home.

18th Swine Flu case confirmed in NI

Another case of swine flu was confirmed in Northern Ireland today.

The latest case, the 18th in the province, is a woman who was in contact with a previously confirmed case within the province rather than someone who had picked it up abroad, according to breakingnews.ie. The Department of Health and Social Services in Belfast said there were another 10 potential cases under investigation in the region.

Minister Killeen Meets EU Commissioner Joe Borg

In a meeting with European Commissioner Joe Borg at today’s Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, Mr. Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with responsibility for fisheries, outlined for the Commissioner the current issues facing the industry.

Minister Killeen commented: “I highlighted the current problems where we are again seeing rising fuel costs at the same time as the price of fish at the quayside is falling for many of the important stocks including hake and prawns.” He said that the economic viability of the fishing sector had again come into question. The Minister continued: “Ireland would like to put back on the table its submission for an emergency aid package for discussion with the Commission. These proposals, based on a restructuring package for the fishing fleet & involving the provision of additional EU funding are now needed to assist the industry. I asked that in the current circumstances we reconsider the need for an EU funded package of measures. I also asked that the EU Commission ensure that imports of fish into the community respect all appropriate rules & that we do not increase the volume of fish imported at reduced or zero tariff levels.”

Minister Killeen raised issues in relation to the Cod Recovery Plan in the Irish Sea and in the North West. He asked for changes that would maximize the available fishing effort for the Irish fleet by allowing Ireland to choose the reference years to be used to establish the effort for each individual fishery. The Minister also asked for other practical changes to the rules that would help alleviate the impacts on the fleet particularly in the North West and in the Irish Sea.

Belfast Zoo cafe is destroyed in overnight blaze

Police in the North are investigating a fire at Belfast Zoo in the early hours of this morning.

The blaze completely destroyed the café at the zoo, but none of the animals were hurt. The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to breakingnews.ie.

Two more swine flu cases confirmed in NI

Two more cases of swine flu were confirmed in Northern Ireland today.

It brings the total diagnosed in the region to 17, according to breakingnews.ie. One of the new cases is a man who has recently returned from Mexico. The other is woman just back from the the USA.

Both are recovering at home, according to the Department of Health. Five other suspected cases are still under investigation.

Undersea telecommunications cable makes land at Portrush

The €30m ‘Project Kelvin’ fibre cable that will link Ireland to 24,000km of undersea cable linking Ireland with the US, Canada and UK came ashore at Portrush yesterday.

The fibre project, supported by €30m in public funding, was brought ashore by Hibernia Atlantic, parent company of Magnet Networks. The telecommunications cable will be connected by high capacity fibre to Letterkenny, Monaghan, Castleblayney, Dundalk and Drogheda, and it will also have points of presence in several locations across the border, reports Silicon Republic.

‘Project Kelvin’ is is a joint cooperation project between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Belfast and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, which is part financed by the EU under the North-South cross-border cooperation programme.

Belfast residents air their grievances over Airport development

Campaigners today stepped up their fight to have an extension to the runway at the George Best Belfast City Airport rejected with publication of the findings of a new survey on the aircraft noise.

Residents living under the flight path challenged Sammy Wilson to swap homes for a day — saying they were confident he would then think twice about allowing the extension, reports the Irish Times. Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) said the survey showed 78 per cent of residents questioned said aircraft noise affected their sleep and 75 per cent said they often had to stop talking when a plane flew over head.

Of the respondents with children almost half — 46 per cent — said their children were not getting enough sleep because of aircraft noise. More than a third said their children found aircraft noise frightening.

Couple rescued from Ballymena blaze

A man and woman were rescued today from fire in a County Antrim block of flats which police believe was started deliberately.

Both were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation after being taken to safety by fire fighters after the blaze started around 6.30am,a ccording to breakingnews.ie.

A police spokesman said the fire was understood to have been started at the entrance to the communal hallway at the flats in the Wayside Green area of Ballymena.

Man killed in Antrim RTA

A 24-year-old man died when the car he was driving crashed in Antrim just before 1am this morning.

The PSNI have appealed for witnesses to the collision to come forward, reports breakingnews.ie. They believe a number of people came across the scene of the crash and they are anxious to speak to them.