News in Brief

PSNI blocks victim compensation

An Antrim man has hit out at PSNI refusal to support his bid for compensation. Tommy O'Hara was traumatised after he was threatened by gun wielding loyalists in July 2003 but the PSNI is refusing to support his application for compensation.

The PSNI has ruled that the gunmen were not acting, "on behalf of, or in connection with an unlawful association within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries (Compensation) Order". This means he cannot claim compensation for either personnel injury or damage caused to his van in the attack.

In July 2003 O'Hara was stopped at a loyalist checkpoint in the County Antrim village of Portglenone by a number of armed men, one of whom pointed a weapon at his head.

Leonard to take Coleraine DUP to court

Sinn Féin Coleraine Councillor Billy Leonard is seeking a judicial review after the DUP Mayor of Coleraine Timothy Deans excluded him from a Christmas reception in the council's offices on 21 December.

Speaking to An Phoblacht Leonard said it was wrong for the DUP to use ratepayer's money to pursue its policy of exclusion and by doing so it brings not just the DUP into disrepute but also the office of mayor.

Bullet in locker

The son of a prominent republican told a fair employment hearing that a bullet was left in his locker during a campaign of sectarian intimidation against him.

Forty-three-year old Ivor Bell, who worked at the Montupet plant near Dunmurry, said his two year ordeal began when he was asked by a training officer about his father also called Ivor, a former senior republican. He believes the death threats were directly related to the revelation of his father's identity.

Speaking at the Fair Employment Tribunal hearing Bell, who is claiming discrimination on grounds of religious belief and political opinion said that the most terrifying episode happened in May 2004 when he opened his locker before a weekend shift to find a bullet.

Loyalists threaten Ardoyne soccer team

A match involving a nationalist soccer team from Ardoyne, North Belfast went ahead on Saturday 7 January despite sectarian threats being issued against them by unionist paramilitaries.

Loyalists distributed leaflets threatening the Ardoyne Working Men's Club team in the Shankill and Woodvale areas.

The leaflets called for loyalists to turn out at the Hammer Street Complex on Agnes Street for the game between 66th Old Boys and the Ardoyne team.

Ardoyne manager Stephen Mailey said he had voiced his concerns about the match taking place in the staunch loyalist area but the County Antrim Board refused to move the match. The team were made aware of the threats but decided to go ahead with the game and refused a PSNI escort.

"The players took a vote and said they didn't want a PSNI escort, they just wanted to carry on and play the game. I had already raised my concerns with the county Antrim board several weeks ago but they told me there was no alternative venue".

Ardoyne won the match 4-2.

Inner City teachers axed

Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald has criticised the findings of a survey reporting that 18 schools in Dublin's North Inner City lost special needs teachers or their equivalent in teaching hours since the introduction of a new system in allocation from September 2005.

McDonald said it 'flew in the face of attempts to tackle educational disadvantage, particularly in working class areas of Dublin'.

Children respite facility

Plans for a new £1.35 million residential respite care home in the Omagh and Enniskillen area to cater for up to eight children and disabled young people have been welcomed by Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew. However, she warned that the facility was only the first step to the full provision of care packages. She said thousands of relatives provided care across the Six Counties and they weren't been given any assistance.