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Monthly Archives: February 2012
Action on Salmon Nets Overdue
East Antrim UUP MLA Roy Beggs Jnr has again called on the Minister for Culture Arts and Leisure- whose portfolio includes fisheries- to take decisive action to conserve native wild Salmon. In particular he has called on the Minister to impose a moratorium on issuing licences for bag nets operating near the months of salmon rivers, like the Glendunn River. Speaking during a Stormont debate on an Ulster Unionist motion on Fish stocks Roy Beggs MLA said: “The Glens Angling Club in my constituency of East Antrim recognised the importance of conservation and introduced a catch-and-release scheme a number of years ago. It has also improved spawning grounds and ensured that there is an accurate fish count with the use of a counter. .. it is unsurprising that the only sizeable run of fish occurred during rough weather, when it was not possible for the nets to operate. The tourism … Continue reading
Parties argue over moves to save salmon from extinction
Published on Tuesday 28 February 2012 00:01 LOCAL politicians are at odds over how best to tackle the issue of dwindling salmon stocks. With experts warning that some species of wild Atlantic salmon are on the brink of extinction, the Stormont Culture Arts and Leisure Minister, Caral Ní Chuilín, has urged commercial and river anglers to support a range of voluntary conservation measures this year. Coastal and Lough Neagh fisheries have been asked for a “voluntary cessation” and recreational anglers are being encouraged to return any salmon they catch to the water. The minister’s approach is supported by East Antrim Sinn Fein MLA Oliver McMullan, but Ulster Unionist Assemblyman Roy Beggs Jnr has asked Ms Ní Chuilín why her Department issues licences for drift and bag nets along the coast. Mr Beggs recently attended a Stormont information session at which, he revealed, one of the major issues raised by angler … Continue reading
Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has urged the public to prepare for the switch over to Digital TV which is due to take place in October of this year.
With most of East Antrim receiving their TV signals for secondary relay transmitters, Roy Beggs MLA has warned that residents of Whitehead, Glynn, Larne and the Glens could face sudden TV blackout in October unless they take advance action to put the right equipment in place. The analogue television signal is being switched off across the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland the BBC 2 signal will be switched off on the 10th October this year and on the 24th October all other channels will disappear. Mr Beggs said: “I recently attended a briefing at Stormont from DigitalUK to explain how the switchover to Digital TV would operate in Northern Ireland- the “Switchover Help Scheme”. It is really important that people in East Antrim are up to speed with the major changes in television which are happening later this year. During the briefing I was advised that digital switchover would mean … Continue reading
Plans to extend broadband service to rural internet users
Published on Friday 24 February 2012 00:00 RESIDENTS who live in broadband blackspots have welcomed plans to extend connectivity in rural parts of the borough that are not covered by landline providers. A public information event, held at Carnalbanagh Primary School last Wednesday, was attended by over 30 local people who are experiencing difficulty getting a broadband connection. Keynote speaker at the event was Scott McClelland of North West Electronics (NWE), manager of the largest independent wireless broadband network provider in Northern Ireland. NWE has recently been awarded a Government contract to deliver an extension of rural broadband through a wireless connection. Mr McClelland gave details on how this wireless broadband service is rolled out in rural areas, what costs are involved and what people need to do to get connected. Also speaking was Andrew Parkinson from Onwave, who was engaged in January 2012 by the Department of Enterprise, Trade … Continue reading
Beggs Welcomes Regional Development Committee Investigation into Road Bonds and Unfinished Developments.
East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs Jnr has encouraged his constituents to write to him or the Regional Development Committee at Stormont with their experiences of unfinished private developments. The Committee- of which Mr Beggs is a member- has already discovered that the Lindara site in Larne is the development with the longest length of currently unfinished roads and footways in the whole of Northern Ireland- 2167 metres. They are therefore unadopted by the DRD Roads Service- the government agency responsible for roads maintenance. The Ulster Unionist Assemblyman said: “I have in the past lobbied the DRD Roads Service to take much earlier enforcement action to force Roads Bonds to be drawn down and developments to be completed. In the past the Roads Service has not directed sufficient resources to ensure timely adoption of new roads in new developments. At one time constituents in the Prospect area of Carrickfergus advised me … Continue reading
