The current Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Ms Naomi Bailie, has paid tribute to Mr Paddy O’Hagan, a former Clerk of Newry and Mourne District Council, who passed away on 17th December.

“It was with deep regret that I learned of the death of Mr Paddy O’Hagan.  Mr O’Hagan served as Clerk of Newry and Mourne District Council from 1973 to 1988 and prior to that he was Clerk of Newry Number 1 and 2 Rural District Councils.

“Mr O’Hagan was a dedicated public servant who made a very real difference.  He worked tirelessly to ensure the delivery of many of the most important facilities and amenities in the district, including Kilbroney Park, the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre, Newry Railway Station, Crossmaglen Square and numerous Community Centres, sports facilities and playing fields.  These will remain as a fitting legacy to him and his hard work.

“Mr O’Hagan was a visionary with outstanding negotiating skills.  He had a particular interest in Travellers, championing the provision of services for them in Newry.  His passing is mourned throughout the area where he will long be remembered.  I extend my heartfelt sympathy to his family on their very great loss.”

The PSNI in Newry and Mourne have revealed they are stepping up patrols in south Armagh, along with the help of colleagues in An Garda Siochana, in response to an increased number of burglaries which have been carried out in recent weeks on both sides of the border.

They police took to the PSNI Newry and Mourne Facebook page last week to confirm the increase in security and to offer assurances that they are working to keep people safe from this type of crime.

“Following a number of burglaries in the border area police on both sides of the border have stepped up patrols and have been working together to prevent, detect and deter criminality,” said a police spokesperson.

The Permanent Secretary to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Richard Pengelly paid a visit to Daisy Hill Hospital on Friday last where he met with staff and learned of a number of key developments, particularly in emergency medicine and paediatrics, at the hospital.

Senior medical staff updated Mr Pengelly on the £14.5 million development of hospital services for children and young people, which includes a centralised £7.9m unit for all planned paediatric surgery at Daisy Hill. He was also brought to the Paediatric Ambulatory Ward which opens to 9pm each week night, offering a wide range of tests and treatments for children and young people, helping to avoid the need for an overnight admission.

Staff also demonstrated how the paediatric team are availing of the most state of the art training with ‘high fidelity’ simulators of a baby and an infant. The hospital was the first in Northern Ireland to use this technology for paediatric training, allowing staff to practice procedures on mannequins which mimic the reactions of a very sick child.

Mr Pengelly was also given a demonstration of the first Telepresence Robot to be used in a UK hospital. The robot allows intensive care specialists at Craigavon Area Hospital to remotely observe and assess Daisy Hill patients.

Welcoming Mr Pengelly to Daisy Hill, Chief Executive (Interim) for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Paula Clarke said: “The Southern Trust is committed to continuously improving our services to ensure we deliver safe, high quality care in a caring and compassionate way. We are delighted to welcome Mr Pengelly to Daisy Hill on an evening visit, particularly during our very busy winter period where he was able to see first hand the demands on our team to care for a growing number of patients and the range of initiatives we have in place to help ensure everyone is treated as quickly and safely as possible.”

“We really welcome the support and encouragement Mr Pengelly has shown to our staff as despite rising demand and ongoing financial pressures, they continue to demonstrate dedication to their patients and clients and enthusiasm for finding ways to improve care. Staff greatly appreciated the opportunity to highlight to the Permanent Secretary the excellent care they deliver every day as well as the challenges they face.”

Speaking after a tour of the hospital, Mr Pengelly said: “Having recently visited the Craigavon site, I am delighted to have the chance now to come to Daisy Hill to see how both hospitals work closely together to form an effective acute hospital network for all of the people living throughout the Southern area. I am impressed to see how the wide range of investments to Daisy Hill, along with the staff’s commitment to their patients and enthusiasm for trying new technologies and innovative practices are continually helping to improve safety and the service received by local people.”

SDLP colleagues have paid tribute to Councillor Donnelly as she announced her intention to retire from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council at the end of January.

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said: “Over a long career Geraldine has personified integrity, decency and a commitment to equality that are core tenants of the SDLP. Her notable work with the Quinn family in their struggle for the truth following the murder of Paul in 2007 demonstrated her dedication to justice and I know she will be missed as a member of the SDLP team in Armagh.”

SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said “Geraldine Donnelly has been one of the most diligent, hardworking and well respected public representatives on this island and her contribution will be missed by the community in south Armagh.

“I have had the privilege of working with Geraldine since my own election in 2003, both in her role as a councillor and in my constituency office.  Throughout all that time, she has been an extremely hard working representative who has been very passionate about the area she represents.  Her compassion and empathy for those in need have always struck me as her strongest qualities.

“As well as being very passionate about south Armagh and its people, Geraldine’s other great love is her family and her grandchildren.  I know she is looking forward to spending much more time with them and I wish her and her family every health and happiness in the future.”

Karen McKevitt MLA added, “Geraldine Donnelly’s departure leaves big boots to fill politically, she really is one in a million.  Geraldine and I were elected onto Council on the same day in 2005 and she took over from me as Deputy Mayor of Newry and Mourne. She is a real gem, a very good friend and our friendship goes back over twenty-five years.

“Politics can be a tough game, especially for women but we learned the ropes together, we have the same approach to people and life and I know that she hasn’t taken this decision lightly, politics here needs more people like Geraldine Donnelly.  Her friendly, warm and sincere approach is admirable, she wears her heart on her sleeve and what more can you ask for in a public representative.

“Geraldine is SDLP through and through, and whilst she is taking a back seat from elected politics she will be there in the background working away.  She will be on the doorsteps of south Armagh with me in the weeks and months ahead, sure it wouldn’t be the same without her.   I wish her, Sean and all the family well in the time ahead.”

Local representative Justin McNulty added, “Geraldine Donnelly has been a great voice for the people of south Armagh over the years and her contribution to the local community has been immense.

“When you speak to the people on the door steps, it’s clear to see the admiration and respect local people have for her and this is rightly so.  Her tenacity and her determination to resolve issues she is involved in is second to none, she is and always has been a beacon of integrity.”

SDLP Slieve Gullion councillor Geraldine Donnelly has announced she is to retire from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council at the end of this month, following almost eleven years as an elected representative. Councillor Donnelly, who was elected in May 2005 before topping the poll in Slieve Gullion in May 2011, followed by a year as Deputy Mayor of Newry and Mourne in 2011/2012, spoke to The Examiner about her decision to retire and recalled the highs and lows of more than a decade serving the constituents of south Armagh and beyond.

Admitting she has been considering stepping back from her role and “taking it a bit easier” for some time now, she says discussions with her family over the Christmas break helped her reach her decision that the time is right to “step back and allow the next generation of SDLP representatives to take the lead” in the community.

It is a community she has been very much a part of throughout all its triumphs and tragedies. She reveals that living in Crossmaglen at the height of the Troubles in the early seventies, army helicopters landing behind her home became an all too familiar sight, as did the “terrible consequences of the bomb and the bullet”.

“I never agreed with the violence and it still is abhorrent to me,” she says.

“As a busy mum of three young children back then, whenever I would tune in to the news the one person who I admired was Seamus Mallon. He conveyed everything I believed in and I really looked up to him. I remember being in awe of him when he canvassed at my house in the run up to elections. He really ignited my interest in politics.”

Councillor Donnelly’s entry into politics came after an eight year period working for the International Fund for Ireland.  A casual conversation with the late John Fee led to a role in his constituency office in Newry before becoming an elected representative herself in 2005.

“I loved every second of my work in the constituency office,” she revealed, and admits her main passion always lay in assisting individuals seeking help from their local SDLP representatives..

“It was a very busy office dealing with people who came in for advice and help but I thrived on it.  I felt I was making a difference in people’s lives and that’s where my heart has always been, at the grass roots of it all, working with and helping people in the community as best I can.

“Planning was an issue I was heavily involved in during my time in the constituency office and is still one of the biggest issues I deal with as a councillor. I would go to the ends of the earth if I thought I could help someone by lobbying government ministers and different ministerial departments.”

‘It has been a tremendous honour and indeed a privilege to serve the people of Crossmaglen and the wider south Armagh for over ten years and I am grateful to everyone who supported me,” she adds.   Clearly proud of the district, Geraldine describes it as “a fantastic area with much to be proud of and great people.”

Having taken on a difficult task over the years, being somewhat of a lone voice in the Sinn Fein stronghold, the SDLP councillor hopes that she has made the area a better place during her time as a public representative.

“Although there have been many testing and difficult times over the years, I feel I’ve given my all and hope I’ve managed to make a difference.”

“Whilst there have been many highs during my years, there have been some very low points as well.  The brutal and callous murder of Paul Quinn from Cullyhanna who was beaten to death by a gang of men in October 2007 after being lured to a shed in Co Monaghan will remain with me forever,” she revealed, emotionally recalling the “terrible” night Paul’s brother James arrived at her home, pleading for her help in the wake of his brother’s beating.

“However even out of such hurt and tragedy comes hope,” she adds.

“When you witness the response of the people of south Armagh as they rallied around Steven, Breege and their family it gives you real hope for the future.  I just hope and indeed pray they will get the justice they deserve.”

More recently, the SDLP councillor has provided support for an initiative that has seen a vital lifeline established for the people of south Armagh.  The formation of the Crossmaglen and District Community First Responders is something the outgoing councillor is particularly proud of for the area and she commends founder Damien Martin for his foresight and dogged determination in getting the project off the ground and finally up and running since November last year.

“When Damien approached me with the idea of trying to implement a First Responders team I backed him one hundred per cent,” she says.

“Our neglected infrastructure in Crossmaglen and the surrounding areas has led to a life threatening delay in ambulance response times which needed addressing.

“We’ve had two local Roads Ministers who have failed to see that this area, whose roads have been neglected for the last forty years, requires a bigger share of the budget in order to improve and, in some areas, rebuild its infrastructure. This neglect has a knock-on effect affecting tourism, trade and, more importantly, emergency medical cover for the area.  The First Responders initiative has provided the lifeline needed to bridge the gap between an emergency and the arrival of emergency services. I thoroughly commend everyone involved and hope to continue my association with the project during my retirement.”

Among the things she is staunchly proud of in the area is the beloved Crossmaglen Rangers Football Club which she credits with helping to change and enhance the lives of so many young people in the community.

“I’m a great supporter of the Rangers. I feel the club has given young people in this community a focus, kept them away from trouble and nurtured talent in the area. The team and the club are involved in so many community incentives and charitable initiatives, they really are something to be proud of.”

Also featuring as a high point during Councillor Donnelly’s time as an SDLP representative is the development of Slieve Gullion Forest Park and Adventure Playpark. According to the councillor, the hugely popular attraction has been a “fantastic boost for the area which has helped to put south Armagh and the Ring of Gullion on the tourist map.”

“Although it has become a victim of its own success with the unprecedented visitor numbers causing traffic and parking difficulties, I believe these are issues that can and will be rectified by the current council,” she says.

“There are challenges which exist across this area, such as rural and cross border crime, the scourge of fuel laundering and toxic waste dumping which continues to blight the local environment,” she adds.

“I’ve witnessed first hand the awful aftermath of toxic waste seeping into our rivers and onto rural land and I hope we can make progress with stamping this out in the future.  I really do wonder how those responsible can jeopardise the lives of their own families, their own children by polluting the very environment they live and breathe in.  Hopefully, with more co-operation and a concerted multi-agency approach, we will see more prosecutions for laundering and dumping and maybe see an end to it.  It is a terrible blight on an area which has so much to offer and to aspire to.”

Despite the many challenges she faced during the last decade, the resilient councillor says she leaves her role with no regrets.

“I’ve enjoyed my time and I’ve learned from it,” she insists.

“I know I always did the right thing and have a clear conscience about every decision I had to make. It has been an honour and a privilege to represent the people of south Armagh and the SDLP and I would do it all again but there comes a day when you need to hand it over to someone else.  I live and breathe the SDLP so I will continue with them in some way behind the scenes.

“Down through the years I have had tremendous support from my party colleagues at branch, council and indeed leadership level, especially Seamus Mallon and Dominic Bradley MLA.  I worked for Dominic in the Constituency Office in Newry for many years and he has been a great mentor, colleague and friend. I will miss the great friendships I have made both in my own council colleagues and indeed the staff in the old and new councils, they really do have the interests of the community at heart.

‘I was fortunate enough to enjoy the final years of the Newry and Mourne Council, while getting a flavour of the new Newry, Mourne and Down Council. I would encourage any young person interested in making a difference in their community to get involved in politics, it’s a very rewarding career.”

Thanking her husband Sean, her son, daughters and her beautiful grandchildren, the retiring councillor added: “They have been my support and encouragement during my time as a Councillor and I look forward to spending more time with them in the years ahead.”

A senior doctor in charge of local emergency departments says patients presenting themselves to hospital with minor ailments are diverting staff away from the real job of saving lives and has called on the public to think twice before visiting their local A&E.

Speaking as emergency departments across Northern Ireland, including those in Daisy Hill and Craigavon hospitals, experienced a high level of pressure over the Christmas and New Year period, Dr O’Reilly urged people with non-threatening complaints to use appropriate services such as Minor Ailments and GP Out of Hours services.

As the doctor responsible for emergency departments in the Southern Trust area, he said that saving lives is the priority for everyone working in ED and that minor ailments such as colds, sore throats and even paper cuts do not require treatment in an emergency department.“I think people sometimes forget that in any emergency department, there are people who are fighting for their lives and our staff are doing everything they can to help them,” Dr O’Reilly said.

“People involved in road traffic collisions, anyone with breathing difficulties, chest pains or a serious wound or limb injury all need to be our first priority.   There is a significant number of people attending our Emergency Departments with minor conditions and they are diverting highly trained doctors and nurses away from the job of helping people who are real emergencies.

“Limiting patients to urgent/emergency cases only would allow me and my colleagues to do what we are trained to do, without the distraction of queues of people with minor injuries and illnesses. It also allows patients with limb or life-threatening problems to receive the attention they need as promptly as possible.”

Pointing out the procedures of dealing with patients in emergency departments, he said: “The whole process from the moment a patient arrives in the Emergency Department until they leave is very carefully managed and monitored by senior medical staff and they know exactly where each patient is at any given time. People who are assessed as having non-emergency conditions are likely to be treated in the Minors Area and will have to wait until patients with emergency conditions are given the emergency treatment they need. I make no apology for saying that patients in the Majors Area or Resuscitation area are the priority and that everybody else will just have to wait until care and treatment has been provided to these patients.”

The senior medic reiterated that the public has a vitally important role to play in helping ease the pressure on Emergency Departments and his message is for members of the public to think twice before coming to the Emergency Department “and only come here if you have a serious and urgent condition”.

Meanwhile, the pressure was being felt across all emergency services with the local GP Out of Hours Service at Daisy Hill also experiencing a huge increase in calls over the New Year period

SDLP Karen McKevitt MLA said that concerns about services at Daisy Hill Hospital were now critical following the period of severe pressure on out of hours and A&E services.

According to Mrs McKevitt, Out of Hours calls over the New Year Bank Holiday Weekend period were returned over nine hours after first contact was made and one caller was told there were 120 people in front of her in the queue.

The SDLP said urgent intervention was needed to address the issues and described the situation as “totally untenable”, vowing to meet with the Health Minister to address all the issues.

Responding to concerns about the recent pressures on the Out of Hours service, a spokesperson for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust confirmed that almost 2,000 contacts were made to the service over the recent Bank Holiday weekend.

“The Trust issued several updates over the weekend via social media aimed at advising the public on how busy the service was, reminding people that the service is for urgent medical conditions that cannot wait until their own GP practice reopens,” added the spokesperson.

“The GP Out of Hours Service should only be used for serious urgent problems that cannot wait until your own GP surgery reopens and patients with serious urgent problems will always be the priority.

“Urgent medical problems are always prioritised and appeal to people to please consider the alternatives such as Minor Ailments scheme through local pharmacy. The Minor Ailments pharmacist can provide advice and treatment for conditions such as coughs and colds, sore throats head lice, thrush, threadworms, cold sores, mouth ulcers, ear wax, diarrhoea.

“There are other services available like Minor Injuries and pharmacies that can help you so please think carefully before choosing the right one – go to: www.nidirect.gov.uk/choosewell.”

The recent pressures on local emergency services have compounded fears about the future of the ED in Daisy Hill, as the much publicised senior staffing shortage continues. A Trust spokesperson confirmed that they were continuing to exhaust every recruitment option to attract senior medical staff to work in the Emergency Departments in Daisy Hill Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital.

“We continue to face particular challenges with the recruitment and retention of senior medical staff required to safely sustain the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill hospital on a 24/7 basis, which increased recently with the resignation of a senior member of staff based in the Emergency Department in Daisy Hill Hospital.

“Senior medical staff from Daisy Hill and Craigavon Hospitals have agreed an interim plan for the emergency department in Daisy Hill so it can remain open overnight and these new arrangements are now in-place and are working effectively.

“Emergency departments across Northern Ireland are currently experiencing a high level of pressure and Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department is also busy but remains among the best performing in Northern Ireland in terms of waiting times.”

A delegation from the Ulster Unionist Party met with senior executives from the Southern  & Social Care Trust last week to discuss concerns over hospital pressures during the winter period and the future of services in the area, in particular the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill Hospital.

The delegation, comprising of Danny Kennedy MLA, Cllr David Taylor and Cllr Harold McKee, met with senior officials including current temporary Chief Executive Paula Clarke. Mr Kennedy said he was satisfied at efforts the Trust were making to attract suitably qualified consultants and staff to work at the hospital and he warned other public representatives and political parties to behave responsibly in their public comments to avoid undermining the status or services at Daisy Hill by feeding rumour and unhelpful speculation.

Mr Kennedy said his Party would remain in constant contact and dialogue with the Trust on all issues affecting health care in the area and would continue to support local health provision.

The six-year-old girl who died in a three-vehicle collision on the Hilltown Road near Newry on Saturday has been named as Ella Trainor from Hilltown.

The child was a passenger in a Volkswagen car that was involved in a collision with a Seat car and a tractor towing a trailer shortly before 10am. Two women, aged 24 and 42, were taken to hospital for treatment but their injuries are not believed to be serious.

Daughter of Marty and Susan Trainor, and sister of Aoife, little Ella has been described by a family friend as “a wee angel”.

Many messages of condolence were expressed via social media to her bereaved family.  A post from Warrenpoint GAA revealed a planned registration day had been cancelled as a mark of respect: “The Registration day has been postponed owing to the very sad death of Ella Trainor, aged six, daughter of Minor Football Mentor Marty Trainor (Blond).  Our thoughts and prayers are with Marty, Susan and the entire family circle at this very sad time. God rest Ella’s gentle soul”, the post read.

SDLP MLA Karen McKevitt expressed her deepest condolences to the family.

“During the period following Christmas and outset of a new year it is tremendously heart-breaking to hear that such a young life has been lost and my thoughts and prayers are with the family at this terrible time,” she said.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the tragic accident and have appealed for witnesses, or anyone who was travelling on the Hilltown Road around this time, to contact police in Newry or the Collision Investigation Unit in Sprucefield on the non-emergency number 101.

The families of Norbrook founder Lord Ballyedmond and his employee Declan Small say the helicopter crash which claimed the lives of the two men along with pilot Carl Dickerson and co-pilot Lee Hoyle, was “a preventable accident.” Their comments came as the inquest into the deaths of the four men, which concluded last Friday, ruled that their deaths were accidental

Coroner Jacqueline Lake said she would be raising concerns over regulations controlling flights from private land.

The judicial inquiry, which concluded last Friday focussed on events leading up to take-off, the training of the pilots, particularly when taking off in low visibility, the weather conditions and the regulation of private helicopters.

It had heard from Air Accident Investigator Mark Jarvis on Thursday that the helicopter “had no identifiable defects” which would have affected the flight from Lord Ballyedmond’s estate in Gillingham, Norfolk on 13th March 2014.

The private helicopter took off in thick fog from the estate and crashed seconds later.

The jury had earlier viewed mobile phone footage of the take-off filmed by a worker on the estate expressing his concerns about the foggy conditions, commenting “They’re taking off blind.”

In the footage, one of the pilots was heard saying he was”not very happy about lifting out of here.”

The other replies: “It should be ok because you can still see the moon.”

Moments after the words “nose down” were spoken from the cockpit, the helicopter ploughed into a line of hay bales in a field near the take off site.

The inquest heard the two pilots were experienced but there was no evidence either had been trained in taking off vertically in low visibility.

An on-call RAF search and rescue pilot at Wattisham airfield, Suffolk, who had been sent to the scene of the crash, also described how the fog was so thick that he could not land, even with military equipment.

The court was told that Lord Ballyedmond, also known as Dr Edward Haughey, the owner of Norbrook laboratories in Newry, had been told of concerns about taking off late in foggy conditions.

Pilot Carl Dickerson had warned that, due to the bad weather, the helicopter needed to take off “no later than 7pm” but it did not take off until 7.22pm as Dr Haughey oversaw the hanging of pictures as part of his renovation of Gillingham Hall.

Ciara Cunningham, Dr Haughey’s diary secretary, Ciara Cunningham confirmed he had received the message and insisted that he “very much valued the opinion of experts in their field,” and would have had no problem following Mr Dickerson’s advice.

His personal assistant Madeleine Irwin also said in a statement that Lord Ballyedmond “would never insist on flying when a pilot said they could not fly.”

His son, Edward Haughey (36), confirmed that he had several conversations with his father on the day of the crash and last spoke to him as the Agusta Westland AW139 was about to take off, when his father joked “I better do what I’m told or I’ll get in trouble with the boys’.

He described the self made millionaire as a “fantastic man” who had built a large business from humble beginnings and said he was “funny, energetic, extremely kind and generous.”

The widows of both pilots also expressed their heartbreak to their court, with Co-Pilot Lee Hoyle’s widow Georgina describing Mr Hoyle as her “best friend.” She said his death had left his family “devastated.” Paula Dickerson, pilot Carl Dickerson’s widow, said in her statement: “The accident shook my world and took the love of my life from me.”

An Air Accident Investigation Branch report had already concluded that the crash may have been triggered by an error in perception, along with a lack of training and procedures.

Following Friday’s verdict, a statement was read out on behalf of the families of Lord Ballyedmond and Mr Small.

It read “It is still a mystery why the pilots did not comply with the operations manual and adopt safe take off procedures or why they chose to de-select the autopilot while attempting to take off, at night, in dense fog.

“The families continue to believe after this week of evidence that this was a preventable accident.”

Hundreds of mourners gathered at the church of St John the Evangelist, Ballymaghery on Wednesday last to say their goodbyes to six year old Ella Trainor, who was tragically killed in a car crash last weekend. The P2 pupil who attended St.Patrick’s Primary School was described by main celebrant Canon John Kearney as a “lovely child who put simply, loved life.”

Ella died on Saturday (9th January) in a three-vehicle collision on the Hilltown Road near Newry. She was a back seat passenger in a Volkswagen car that was involved in a collision with a Seat car and a tractor towing a trailer shortly before 10am.

Mourners struggled to complete readings during her Requiem Mass and many were moved to tears as gifts including a Clonduff GAA jersey were brought up to the altar.

Canon Kearney said the keen gaelic player had “crowded so much into the six years she was with us” and he acknowledged that few funerals in the church had been as “profoundly sad and as sorrowful as today’s.”

“Ella’s family will be grateful to you all; to the emergency services and the staff at Daisy Hill for their professionalism and gentle care of little Ella,” he added.

Members of St Peter’s GAC in Warrenpoint, the club of Ella’s father, Marty Trainor, formed a guard of honour outside the church.

Ella was remembered as a beautiful, happy child, an animal lover who wanted to become a vet and a devoted younger sister to Aoife and beloved daughter of Marty and Susan Trainor. Her teacher, Mrs Cruz, described her young student’s  “big gorgeous smile” as “just infectious” and said there was now a space in her classroom “that will never be filled.”

Singers recited a version of Ella’s favourite song, ‘Hallelujah’ from Leonard Cohen while a moving poem read out on behalf of Ella’s parents, Marty and Susan, and elder sister Aoife,  touchingly referred to the six year old as “Ella Bella” and continued,

“All the years you have helped us to laugh, now you have made us cry. Help us to laugh again. We love you lots, like jelly tots.”

Ella’s parents requested for donations to be made to the Kevin Bell Repatriation trust in lieu of flowers.

Colin Bell, founder of the charity said he was deeply touched and heartened by the gesture and said he and his family were “deeply grateful and humbled that we were in the thoughts of others while they were facing the worst days of their lives.”

A Newry actress who has been jailed for her part in an elaborate tax fraud is the subject of a BBC documentary to be screened later this month.

Aoife Madden was one of a gang of five behind the making of a tax scam movie entitled ‘Landscape of Lives’ in an attempt to claim millions of pounds in tax breaks.

The gang had pretended that unnamed Hollywood A-listers would star in a multi-millon pound production to be filmed in the UK and claimed that a Jordanian company was backing the film to the tune of £19m.  However, the film Landscape Of Lives was never made and the only footage shot was seven minutes of “completely unusable quality” filmed in a flat and costing just £5,000.

When HMRC began investigating, the team of bogus film-makers hastily cobbled together a new movie, which they titled ‘A Landscape of Lies’, in a bid to cover up the original scam.  This low budget film was released on DVD in 2011 and starred former EastEnders actor Marc Bannerman and Loose Women star Andrea McLean.

HMRC later claimed that the movie was a sham all along and that the real intention from the outset was to “defraud the public purse of nearly £1.5m in VAT along with nearly £1.3m in film tax-credit claims”.

The producers behind it all were convicted in 2013, HMRC’s first prosecution for film tax relief fraud.

Madden pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring to cheat the Revenue before the trial and was jailed for four years and eight months in 2013.

A Landscape of Lies documentary will be shown on BBC4 on 24th January.

By Christine Keighery

In a week where the world mourned the death of the legendary David Bowie, the people of Newry were plunged into grief at the passing of their very own legend -  Gabby Curran.

Tributes poured in for the much loved, larger-than-life character who lost his battle with cancer last Thursday morning.  News of his passing prompted an outpouring of grief and sympathies for the family of the man described by some as “an icon of Newry.”

On Saturday at noon, the city came to a standstill for his moving send-off as Newry people turned out in force to bid their final farewell to the hugely popular character. Gabby’s image displayed on the city’s big screen seemed to gaze down on his funeral cortege, led by a Scania lorry in honour of his truck driving days, as it made its way along Hill Street for Requiem Mass in Newry Cathedral.

Remembered during Mass for the countless lives he touched and the people he helped; as a happy, joyful man who loved life and always had a story to tell, a resounding applause echoed throughout the historic church for several minutes as his coffin was carried out for the journey to his final resting place in St Mary’s cemetery.

The 63 year old father-of-five was well known to music lovers throughout the country and his love of showband music in particular led to an encylopedic knowledge of the era and its stars which was in a league of its own. Gabby made many friends in the scene and attended the 40th Anniversary of the Miami Showband massacre last year.

His tireless work for the community began at an early age with his involvement in the civil rights movement and he was active in the republican movement in the early 1970s. The love for his community remained with him throughout his life and he initiated and took part in various charitable drives over the years. Most recently he raised thousands for Macmillan Cancer via a coffee morning in the Canal Court as a way of giving back to the charity who had helped him during his cancer battle.

His love of big trucks led him to a truck driving role for many years.  He was one of the first people in Ireland to drive a big American style truck and it became somewhat of an attraction for lorry drivers around the country who flocked to see the big rig. When he fell ill last year Gabby’s trucker friends rallied to set up a fundraiser held in his honour.

The avid music fan and raconteur was a regular contributor to radio phone-in programmes and a familiar face at music gigs everywhere.  He combined his interest in radio by DJ-ing in several pirate radio stations around the border over the years and in September 2013 he set up the Newry Community Radio station which provided listeners with the best in music mixed with chat from a state-of-the-art studio at the White Gates Community Centre in Newry.    Gabby used the medium to promote local talent of all kinds. One local musician who received such support from Gabby described him as “a genuine altruist in every sense of the word”.  Well known guitarist and singer, Mickey Murphy said he was “so sad” to hear about the passing of his good friend and added,

“He was always very supportive to me as an artist over the years and we had some great laughs, especially the day he took me and a group of other local musicians to Áras an Uachtaráin to meet the President. It was a surreal event typical of his larger than life character.”

That Presidential visit was also remembered by another of Gabby’s friends, Patricia Gorman Feehan, who posted a photo of the event to her Facebook page to recall the “very special day, one of many that Gabby organised for local musicians.”

“I remember at the time Gabby said ‘Isn’t it better to celebrate what these wonderful people have achieved with them instead of talking about them at their grave’” she said.

Gabby’s musical connections led him to meet a number of famous faces over the years and he was well known as “a friend to the stars.”  Collecting autographs became a hobby of his and he had a wealth of celebrity stories and anecdotes that he loved to share.  His brother, former Newry councillor Brendan Curran, revealed that Gabby knew film star Maureen O’Hara and was a regular visitor to her house in Cork.

“He bought old posters off the internet and got her to sign them.

“He was hoping to get a ransom for them and now they festoon the walls of his house” said Brendan.

Mr Curran said his brother “knew everybody in Newry and he knew everything about them” and his loss will be sorely felt.”

Throughout the week, social media was awash with tributes and stories about the man described as someone “who truly loved life.” Stunned and saddened by his death, friends remembered him as “one of a kind” and “a pure gentleman.”

“An icon of Newry has gone to the great gig in the sky,” wrote one friend while another remembered him as someone who “definitely didn’t go through life unnoticed. The world will be a smaller place without you.”

As the city stood still on Saturday to witness the final journey of Gabby Curran, there was a palpable feeling of loss and an unspoken knowledge that Newry would never see his like again.

Independent Newry City Councillor Kevin McAteer has slammed the Southern Trust for outsourcing services to private firms after some of his constituents revealed they had travelled to Belfast and Hillsborough to get scans at private clinics.

Newry Independent Councillor Kevin McAteer said the practice of outsourcing showed a lack of confidence in NHS services and said the reasons why waiting lists are under so much strain needed addressed.

“The Trust have indicated that outsourcing helps in times of increased pressure and stress on NHS waiting lists but we must ask ourselves why the waiting lists in question are under so much strain in the first place,” said Mr McAteer.

“It seems that our current NHS is under so much pressure and strain that effectively the Trust cannot cope with the pressure and therefore feels the need to outsource to a private firm.”

The Independent Councillor added, “We shouldn’t have to outsource in the first place, our NHS should be able to cope on its own but we are now in a situation whereby our NHS has long waiting lists, over-worked and under-paid staff and services being cut right across the board. The Trust can sugar coat this all they want, our NHS is under considerable strain and taking more services from Daisy Hill would spell disaster.”

Councillor McAteer questioned the outsourcing of stroke treatment services following the centralisation of the Stroke Unit to Craigavon area hospital.  Revealing that he had spoken to a stroke survivor who, whilst undergoing rehabilitation, was referred to a private clinic in Belfast for treatment instead of Craigavon’s new “bigger and better centre of excellence”, Mr McAteer said,

“I don’t understand how they can justify moving the Stroke Unit to Craigavon and subsequently outsource services to private companies at the same time.

“Personally I believe the whole thing stinks of privatisation by stealth. There are a lot of questions that need answered here. I don’t see the benefit of outsourcing to private firms, I, along with many others, believe in our NHS and I believe that it is vitally important to protect it.”

The Southern Trust has defended the use of outsourcing as a method of reducing patient waiting times and said that patients who are offered services with a private health firm can chose to take the appointment or remain on the waiting list.

“Patients have the option of attending an appointment with an independent provider or they can choose to wait longer for an appointment in a Trust hospital,” said the Trust representative.

“An independent provider is used when the Trust does not have sufficient capacity within our own hospitals to meet the needs of our population for a particular speciality.

“Financial help with travel costs is available for patients attending an appointment who are on a low income, or are in receipt of some benefits.”

The inquest into the murder of an Armagh man whose body was discovered in Newry Canal two years after his disappearance, may call on Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly to give evidence, a Coroner’s Court has heard.

Gareth O’Connor (24) disappeared in 2003 on his way to sign bail in Dundalk on a charge of Real IRA membership. His body was found two years later in a car pulled from Newry canal. His family allege he was killed by the IRA, but this has been denied.

At a preliminary hearing, the court was told that Mr O’Connor’s father had claimed Mr Kelly attended their house on two occasions and offered assurances that the IRA was not involved. It emerged the MLA could be asked to give details of the enquiries he made about alleged IRA involvement in the murder of the father-of-two.

Counsel for the Coroners Service, Mr Gerry McAlinden, said: “If he did what he is alleged to have, he did carry out some investigations and came back to the family. It may be relevant to ascertain from him the nature of those enquiries.”

An inquest for Mr O’Connor was suspended last year when it emerged the murder suspect had mistakenly been issued with a so-called on the run (OTR) letter.

It was revealed that Mr Kelly had been the “postman” for the document that stated that the individual was no longer wanted, the court was told.  The inquest was subsequently stopped to allow police to assess if a prosecution was possible after the government announced it would no longer stand over the OTR letters.

Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly may be called to give evidence at the inquest into Gareth O’Connor’s death, a Coroner’s Court has heard.

The MLA could be asked to explain enquiries he made about alleged IRA involvement in the murder of the father-of-two.

Mr O’Connor (24) disappeared in 2003 on his way to sign bail over the border on a charge of Real IRA membership. His body was found two years later in a car pulled from Newry canal. His family allege he was killed by the IRA, but this has been denied.

A preliminary hearing at Belfast’s Laganside Court was told that the victim’s father claimed Mr Kelly attended their house on two occasions and offered assurances that the IRA was not involved.

Gerry McAlinden, counsel for the Coroners Service, said: “If he did what he is alleged to have, he did carry out some investigations and came back to the family. It may be relevant to ascertain from him the nature of those enquiries.”

An inquest for Mr O’Connor was halted last year when it emerged the murder suspect had mistakenly been issued with a so-called on the run (OTR) letter.

Mr Kelly had been the “postman” for the document that stated that the individual was no longer wanted, the court was told.

The inquest was stopped to allow police to assess if a prosecution was possible after the Government announced it would no longer stand over the OTR letters.

Police have yet to question the murder suspect, who lives in the Republic.

The OTR scheme came to public prominence in 2014 after the prosecution of a man for the murder of four soldiers in an IRA bombing in Hyde Park, London, in 1982 was halted when it emerged he received one of the letters in error, when he was in fact wanted by the Metropolitan Police.

Co Donegal man John Downey (63), who denied involvement in the bombing, walked free from the Old Bailey when the judge ruled that his arrest had been an abuse of process.

When SDLP Slieve Gullion Councillor Geraldine Donnelly announced her retirement earlier this month she said the time was right to “step back and allow the next generation of SDLP representatives to take the lead.”  The outgoing councillor seems to have paved the way for exactly that, with 33 year old Crossmaglen native Pete Byrne co-opted into the local council role. A relative newcomer to politics, having been an activist for the SDLP for just over 18 months, there is a real sense upon speaking to Pete ahead of Thursday’s SDLP selection convention, that this injection of young new blood could well be just what the party needs in order to reach out to the younger generation in south Armagh.

His selection reflects a series of sweeping changes within the SDLP party which have been most evident with the election of its new leader Colum Eastwood who, at the same age as Pete, is the youngest party leader in the upcoming Northern Ireland Assembly election.

Speaking exclusively to The Examiner before his selection is formally announced at Thursday’s event,  the incoming Slieve Gullion councillor pledges to tackle the disengagement and apathy towards politics among his generation and says he will not get involved in the “mud slinging, point scoring” politics which is rife in the Northern Ireland political arena.

“Politics in Northern Ireland is very divisive and it has disengaged younger generations,” says Pete.

“Mud slinging politics is counterproductive. I’ve never done it and I don’t intend to. Bickering and point scoring publically is not my approach. Sinn Fein have an electorate that want them there, the SDLP have an electorate that want us here, so there has to be space for the two of us to work together for the benefit of the the people of this area.

“I’ll be focussing on what the SDLP can give to people and how to represent the people here, working with everyone for the good of the area.

“As a political representative, the best way to show your local community what you are going to do is to represent your people fairly.  Respect who the electorate want in local politics and move forward, pushing what you believe in and representing the people who vote for us right across the board.  There are too many sound bites in local council and in Northern Ireland politics in general, a lot of saying the right thing and doing the opposite.

“The language coming from the top level of government here is so divisive and that trickles down to all levels and disengages people. My generation is disengaged because of this but hopefully with fresh people coming in across the parties the bickering can stop and we can work together for the benefit of people.”

Pete reveals his interest in politics began at an early age, watching it on TV and reading about it since he was 11 or 12, and that the SDLP was always the party which represented his views.

“I wanted to get into politics for the betterment of this area. I’m in business here, I manage the local soccer team, I tutor students in the town, I volunteer teaching maths in St Joseph’s High School, so I love seeing people getting on, improving and progressing, and in the same way I really hope I can make a difference for local issues.

“I’m not here to make any enemies but I think there’s a space here for somebody in this town to step in and be loud and unashamedly SDLP and I think that’s going to be positive for the people in the area.”

Explaining why he took the step into local council, he says, “You can look at your local council and think it doesn’t represent your generation and then do nothing about it so I just thought it was about time I did something about it instead of talking about it!

“The party always represented my politics and canvassing with Geraldine Donnelly and again with Justin McNulty in the run up to the Westminster elections really ignited the flame in me. I realised it was something I wanted to be involved in so with Geraldine stepping down and the party renewing itself, I feel it’s a good opportunity for me and that I’ve come in at the right time.

“I have the highest respect for anybody going into public life and that’s across all parties.  I’m not a divisive person at all.  I just felt that more people needed to be given a voice in the area. I heard from so many people while out canvassing who want the SDLP to continue in Crossmaglen – other people who don’t agree with Sinn Fein need a voice too.”

The fact that the new SDLP councillor is in a civil partnership with his husband of three years also represents a shift for a party which has met with criticism in the past for the differing approach shown towards gay marriage by some SDLP members across Northern Ireland’s councils.

Countering such criticisms, Pete admits that, as a member of the LGBT community, he understands those criticisms but says he believes in the message and the vision of the SDLP and that, as a representative of the LGBT community, he will continue to make the case for marriage equality and equal rights with both his party colleagues and the wider community.

“It’s offensive for the issue to be weaponised and used by parties for political point-scoring,” he says.

“If you can’t see that your local council represents the local community then there’s something wrong – it means one section of the community is being over represented.

“Where’s the representation for anyone in a civil partnership, or in the LGBT community? It’s not there.

“You have other parties saying they’ll fight for those issues but if you have a diverse council it filters down into the community and it can only be beneficial to the community.

“The LGBT section have never had anyone on a local level to push their issues.  I don’t like pigeon-holing as such but by me living my normal life in a civil partnership couple, working in the town, managing a football team, running local business – it helps to break down stigmas, and can give other people the courage to do same, to use you as a role model. What anyone  does has an effect and I won’t be quiet about this part of my life.

“I am a part of this community and I’ve realised that not shying away from this issue is very important to help create an open and accepting environment in our local communities.”

Having had to overcome stigma in his life, Pete says he also recognises a stigma in the area over nationalism and the idea that there is only one form of nationalism.  He believes that being visible, showing that he is not a threat to anyone’s ideals and working with people whose policies he might oppose will help the electorate realise that there is another form of nationalism available to them.

“I genuinely believe in a shared future,” he says.

“Of course we can wear different political hats but we can come together to work unitedly on local issues and that’s how good local communities thrive.

“We need to work for the people, better their area, their facilities, put the best foot forward, promote local economy and local business and all shout together on these issues.”

“I also truly believe in a united Ireland.  I would rather we made decisions in this country and am against any powers being handed back to Britain. If there are difficult decisions to be made then let’s do what is right, what we genuinely believe. If everyone stopped playing party politics we would have fresh ideas and policies that would better the country.”

He cites the development of the First Responder’s team in Crossmaglen as a perfect example of an initiative which garnered the support of both the SDLP and Sinn Fein but was neither of the parties’ initiative.

“As well as being a much needed lifeline in this rural area, the project was a breath of fresh air in that it was non-political.  If there were more things in this area that could be supported in this way, with such a united front, then we can genuinely start talking about a shared future – we can’t start talking about that if we are not even sharing the nationalist ideal and then how do we possibly hope to share across a religious divide.”

Passionate about his beliefs and confident that he could convey his vision positively to local people, Peter is adamant that he has not “dodged the electorate” via co-option.

“Co-option is something which gets criticised but I have no problem standing up in 2019 at the next local election on the same exact principles I stand for now.

“I look forward to the day that I can stand on the work that I plan to do at local council level in  the next few years.  I will stand on the same principles and work ethic which I do now and hopefully I will be elected by the people of this area I plan to serve.”

Three Newry men have been charged with kidnapping and threatening a drug dealer over missing drugs.

Brendan McEvoy (23), of Maginnis Street; Stephen McCabe (30) and Stephen McEvoy (22), both of Mourneview Park, are alleged to have taken the man from his home on Sunday 17th January.

The trio were arrested after the victim made a statement to police on Monday last.  They appeared before Newry Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with blackmail, arson and burglary with intent to damage property.

The court heard that the alleged injured party went to police on January 18th and said he had been kidnapped the night before. He claimed three men had told him they would burn down his house, break his arms and legs and leave him “without a tooth in his head” if he did not pay off a debt.

The court was told a drug gang had given the man 5,000 diazepam and cannabis to sell, but he returned the drugs after being unable to get rid of them.

A detective claimed the drug dealer was then approached by the defendants, who said some of the drugs were missing and gave him a day to pay £3,000.

It was also revealed that as the man was giving a statement to police at the station, two males allegedly entered his house and took a TV before setting the property alight as another man allegedly waited outside.

The wife of the injured party reportedly received texts from the trio in advance of the attack on their home.

A prosecution lawyer told the court a message from Stephen McEvoy at 8.39pm to the wife of the alleged victim read: “Is D ok, they had a gun. FA I could do.”

A defence lawyer cross-examined the detective and asked if he was aware that Stephen McCabe had made counter allegations involving Facebook messages from the injured party to his mother.

Counsel added that Stephen McEvoy had been at his own home at the time of his arrest, had an alibi in his girlfriend, and that he denied all the allegations against him.

District Judge Eamonn King refused the bail application because of a risk of interference with witnesses and reoffending.

“The background to this case involves allegations of violence and retribution.  There is a fear from the police that the situation may escalate,” Mr King said.

The case was adjourned until February 17th when the defendants will appear via video-link at the same court.

An attempt by a couple to have charges of making a bomb in their Forkhill home dismissed have been unsuccessful, a court has heard.

The legal representatives of Keith McConnan and Orla O’Hanlon made applications that their clients had ‘no case to answer’ on various charges.

The applications were made to judge Sandra Crawford after the prosecution had concluded its case during the trial at Belfast Crown Court last month.

It is the prosecution case that the pair were guilty of committing acts for the preparation of manufacturing explosives and making a bomb after an explosive substance, an industrial grinder and other items, including a primed timer power unit, were discovered in their rented bungalow on Tievecrom Road, Forkhill.

The items were uncovered during a search of the property in December 2013. The couple have denied all the charges against them.

Ahead of the defence opening its case, a barrister acting on behalf of 21-year-old McConnan argued that his client had no case to answer on four of the nine charges he faces.

An application was also made on behalf of 20-year-old O’Hanlon on the grounds that following the prosecution’s case, she had no case to answer on each of 10 offences she is charged with.

Having considered the defence submissions and the evidence before the court, on Monday last Judge Crawford said she was “satisfied that each of the defendants has a case to answer” in respect of all the offences they are being tried on.

Following the ruling, the court was informed that the trial will resume again on Monday 1st February.

McConnan was remanded back into custody while O’Hanlon was released on continuing bail.

Police in Greater Manchester are investigating whether the body of a man found on Saddleworth Moor last December is that of a Newry man who has been missing for over two decades.

Hugh Toner, who would now be 78, went missing from Craigavon Area Hospital on 7 February 1994. Despite numerous appeals by his family and police, there have never been any positive sightings of him. The construction worker had admitted himself to hospital after suffering from psychological and alcohol-related problems but he discharged himself just under a week later and was never seen again.

The body of an unidentified man was discovered on Saddleworth Moor on December 12th 2015, by a passing cyclist. The man was found lying face up on a boggy section of track. Police say he was wearing slip-on shoes and had £130 in cash in his pockets, along with three train tickets, including a return ticket to London. He was carrying no documentation.

Manchester detectives have spent six weeks investigating the death and have examined CCTV footage from Ealing in west London which they believe identified the smartly dressed man beginning his journey on the morning of 11 December. He arrived in Manchester shortly after midday, then travelled to Greenfield, near Saddleworth,where he visited the Clarence pub and asked the landlord how to reach the summit of the 1500ft Indian’s Head peak above Dovestone reservoir.  Despite warnings from the landlord about the treacherous weather conditions, the man was spotted by witnesses walking up the hill around 4.30pm the same day.

The site was the scene of a plane crash that killed 24 people in 1949 and there has been speculation that the man may have been making a pilgrimage to the crash scene.

Hugh Toner’s son, Sean Toner, has given a DNA sample to police to establish if the unidentified man is his missing father. Mr Toner says he first became aware of the mystery body on the moor after his son spotted the story on social media. After viewing CCTV images released by police he contacted the police who requested a DNA sample.

The 49 year old IT Consultant says his family would like some closure and said they were anxiously awaiting the phone call from police.  He described his father as a “kind man” who was “incredibly generous and loving” and added that he and the family have very fond memories of him.

DS John Coleman of Oldham CID said he was hopeful that the Toner family might get some closure soon, but added that police were still investigating other lines of enquiry into the death.

An Oireachtas committee of cross-party TDs and Senators has called for the introduction of new protocols to allow Garda and PSNI officers to enter each other’s jurisdictions when actively pursuing suspects.

The recommendation was among several proposals compiled in a report on developing an all-island economy, which was drawn up by Dublin’s Oireachtas joint committee on jobs, enterprise and innovation.

Sinn Fein TD Peadar Tobin, the rapporteur for the committee, said the move would help combat the cross-border black market.

“The idea that criminals can pass the border without a second thought, yet the PSNI or the Garda must stop at that invisible line in pursuance of the criminal is completely illogical,” he said.

The committee has also recommended that a single economic agency for the island of Ireland be established, bringing together investment agencies the IDA, Invest NI and InterTradeIreland.

Among other recommendations included in the report is the elimination of north/south roaming charges by mobile phone operators; joint economic planning between Dublin and Stormont; the axing of transaction costs for banking, telecoms, and administration on cross border trade and the creation of a new border region economic zone, with investment in roads and broadband.

Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy welcomed the report saying it highlights what his party has always said – that an all-Ireland economy is in the best interests of everyone north and south.

“It makes no sense on a small island to have separate tax regimes, legal systems, economic agencies and investment policies.  Instead of having competing economic systems and strategies, harmonising policies on an all-Ireland basis is essential for creating a successful economy,” he said.

“This report from the Oireachtas committee provides a roadmap to creating an island-wide economy which would benefit everyone.   I welcome its proposals for a single economic agency for Ireland north and south as well as creating an integrated approach to investment and economic policy.  Its proposals to establish a border development zone and upgrade infrastructure across the island will also advance the growth and development of the all-Ireland economy,” he added.

Raids carried out by Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the PSNI in Crossmaglen on Wednesday were part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged fuel smuggling fraud worth an estimated £3m in evaded tax, The Examiner understands.

Two men, aged 37 and 45, were arrested following searches of properties in south Armagh while, at the same time, HMRC officers carried out searches of residential properties in Antrim and Down, as well as business and domestic addresses in Knowsley, Liverpool, Manchester and St Helens.

In total eight arrests were made, three in Merseyside, one in Manchester, one in Co. Down, one in Co. Antrim and two in Co. Armagh.  The men are aged between 34 and 72.

Officials said storage tanks, equipment, 55,000 litres of fuel, computers, a lorry and trailer and a quantity of cash were seized during the operation.

The men have been released on bail while investigations continue.

Sandra Smith, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Fuel fraud costs millions of pounds in lost duty every year, meaning the public lose out on vital funds for essential services, and it creates an uneven playing field for honest businesses.

“We will continue to work with our partners to tackle this fraud and ask anyone with information about this type of activity to contact the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

A Crossmaglen man has been named as the winner of the 2015 Health and Safety Representative Award in recognition of his contribution to the safety of employees in the workplace.

Kevin Sweeney, a BT Ireland engineer and trade union health and safety coordinator for the Communication Workers Union (UK), was crowned the overall winner after beating off stiff competition from fellow nominees in the rigorous assessment.

The annual award is presented jointly by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) to recognise the contribution made by health and safety representatives to the safety of employees in the workplace.

Kevin was recognised for his work in ensuring that BT colleagues and management are fully aware of their joint responsibilities for health and safety. His contribution also helped ensure that colleagues continue to be properly trained and work to the highest safety standards, using only tested and approved equipment.

Presenting the award at a meeting of the health and safety committee in Belfast recently, the Chief Executive of HSENI Keith Morrison praised the level of commitment and professionalism shown by all of this year’s candidates.

“HSENI is delighted to continue its involvement in this important award which celebrates best practice in health and safety at work,” he said.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their participation and offer my congratulations to Kevin on winning this year’s award. His commitment to health and safety helps to make sure everyone takes responsibility for making their workplace safer. This includes field engineers who must also consider the safety of the public when carrying out their work.”

Offering her congratulations, Chairperson of the ICTU Health and Safety Committee, Barbara Martin, said, “This award recognises the vital work that trade union appointed health and safety reps perform in the workplace.  Health and Safety Reps are often the unsung heroes of the workplace, going about their job quietly and with great determination and commitment.  This is why it is so important that we celebrate their contribution to keeping people safe at work.”

A highly commended certificate was also presented to Margaret Dooley, a NIPSA health and safety representative with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in recognition of her work in initiating valuable measures to address stress-related illness among colleagues in the Southern Trust.