ATL

A £17 million support package aimed at helping households cope with rising heating oil costs in Northern Ireland/The North has been criticised by Stormont ministers who say the funding falls far short of what families need.

The money forms part of a wider UK government package designed to assist vulnerable households struggling with increasing heating oil prices.

However, Northern Ireland/The North’s Finance Minister John O’Dowd said the amount allocated to the region is “extremely disappointing”, warning it will provide only limited help to households already facing rising living costs.

The minister said the £17m allocation would equate to roughly £35 per household, a figure he said does not reflect the reality of the energy pressures faced by many families.

Northern Ireland/The North is particularly vulnerable to changes in oil prices because almost two-thirds of homes rely on oil-fired central heating, the highest proportion anywhere in the United Kingdom.

Unlike gas and electricity, heating oil is not covered by the UK energy price cap, meaning households can be exposed to sudden and significant increases when global fuel prices rise.

Recent increases in kerosene prices have been linked to instability in global energy markets, pushing the cost of heating oil higher and placing additional financial pressure on households.

Many families in Northern Ireland/The North must purchase heating oil in large quantities to fill domestic tanks, often requiring several hundred pounds upfront for a single delivery.

Stormont ministers say this makes the region particularly vulnerable during periods of price volatility, especially in rural communities where homes are not connected to the mains gas network.

The Executive is expected to distribute the funding to help the most vulnerable households, but ministers have indicated they will continue to press the UK Treasury for further support.

They say additional funding will be required to properly address the long-standing issue of heating affordability for households across Northern Ireland/The North.

A farmer has spoken of his shock and horror after discovering that 13 of his lambs had been killed with their necks deliberately broken on farmland in Northern Ireland/The North.

The grim discovery was made when the farmer went to check on his flock and found a number of lambs lying dead in the field. On closer inspection it became clear the animals had not died naturally.

The farmer said the injuries suggested the lambs had been deliberately handled and killed, describing the incident as deeply disturbing.

He said the discovery left him shocked and upset, adding that the animals had been healthy only a short time earlier.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers were notified and are understood to be investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Incidents involving attacks on livestock are treated seriously because they cause financial losses for farmers and significant animal welfare concerns.

Farmers have also warned that attacks on livestock can cause wider damage to flocks, particularly during the lambing season when animals are more vulnerable.

The farmer affected by the incident said the loss was not only financial but emotional, as farmers invest significant time and care into raising their animals.

Police enquiries into the incident remain ongoing as officers work to establish how the lambs were killed and who may have been responsible.

Anyone with information about suspicious activity in rural areas is being urged to contact police.

A man is due to appear in court following the alleged abduction of a woman who police say was punched and forced into a car in County Antrim.

The incident is understood to have taken place in the Antrim area earlier this week, prompting a police investigation after reports that a woman had been assaulted and forced into a vehicle.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers said they received a report that a woman had been punched before being forced into a car during the incident.

Following enquiries, a male suspect was arrested in connection with the investigation.

The man is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court where he will face charges linked to the alleged assault and abduction.

Police said the woman involved in the incident was later located and is receiving support following the ordeal.

Detectives have described the alleged incident as extremely concerning and said enquiries remain ongoing as officers continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding what happened.

The case is now progressing through the courts and the accused is expected to appear before a judge in the coming days.

As the matter is before the courts, further details may emerge during the court hearing when prosecutors outline the allegations against the defendant.

A political delegation from Northern Ireland/The North has arrived in Washington DC for a series of diplomatic engagements marking St Patrick’s Day, although the visit is taking place without participation from Sinn Fein, who have announced they will not attend this year’s events.

The annual Washington programme typically sees political leaders from Northern Ireland/The North travel to the United States for meetings with senior political figures, business leaders and members of the Irish-American community.

However, Sinn Fein confirmed in advance of this year’s celebrations that its leadership would boycott the Washington events, citing concerns about the policies and political positions of US President Donald Trump.

Party leaders said they could not participate in events linked to the US administration because of what they described as right-wing policies and rhetoric internationally, including positions taken by the president on global political issues.

Sinn Fein has historically played a central role in the St Patrick’s Day diplomatic programme in Washington, with previous party leaders regularly attending events at the White House and meetings with senior US political figures.

Despite the absence of Sinn Fein representatives, other political parties from Northern Ireland/The North are participating in the Washington visit.

Members of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are among those attending the programme of events in the US capital. The party has previously welcomed the opportunity to engage with the US administration during St Patrick’s Day diplomatic events.

Delegation members are expected to take part in a number of receptions, political meetings and business engagements during their time in Washington.

The St Patrick’s Day visit has long been viewed as an important opportunity to promote economic investment in Northern Ireland/The North, with political leaders highlighting sectors such as technology, manufacturing, cybersecurity and financial services.

The Washington programme forms part of a wider series of St Patrick’s Day diplomatic engagements across the United States, with Irish and Northern Ireland/The North representatives also visiting cities including New York, Boston and Chicago.

While the events continue to serve as an important platform for promoting international investment and political relationships, the absence of Sinn Fein this year has drawn particular attention given the party’s historic involvement in Washington St Patrick’s Day diplomacy

A schoolgirl from Northern Ireland/The North was left traumatised after being wrongly sent to England for an abortion that could have been carried out locally, her mother has said.

The 18-year-old had been around 18 weeks pregnant when she sought medical help and was referred for a termination procedure. However, due to a mistake by the booking provider responsible for arranging the appointment, she was sent to London instead of being treated within Northern Ireland/The North.

Her mother said the teenager had already been going through an extremely stressful situation and the administrative error made the experience significantly worse.

According to the family, the young woman travelled to England for the procedure believing that treatment was not available closer to home. After the termination took place, she was forced to remain in the airport waiting for a return flight while suffering bleeding and severe cramping.

Her mother said the teenager had been left physically unwell and emotionally distressed during the journey home, describing the ordeal as traumatic.

She said the mistake should never have happened because abortion services are available in Northern Ireland/The North for pregnancies at that stage, meaning the teenager should not have been required to travel to England.

The case has raised questions about the systems used to arrange abortion care for patients in Northern Ireland/The North, particularly where services exist locally but patients are still being directed to clinics in Britain.

Healthcare authorities are now understood to be examining the circumstances surrounding the referral and the booking process that led to the teenager being sent abroad unnecessarily.

The girl’s mother said she hopes the case leads to improvements so that other young women do not have to endure the same experience.

She said the situation had been “traumatic” for her daughter and the family and should serve as a warning about the consequences of administrative mistakes in sensitive healthcare cases.