Alexanders

of Markethill
Furniture Tel: 3755 1133
Giftware Tel: 3755 1261 2
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STARTS
Sat. 21st April
WHOEVER started a fre
which killed a widow and her
daughter may not have meant
to hurt them, police say.
Betty McGirr, 71, and
Deirdre McGirr, 38, died in
the blaze on Saturday night
in their Dungannon fat.
Detective Chief Inspector
Gareth Talbot asked the fre-
starter yesterday to search
their conscience.
It may not have been your
intention to hurt anyone or
things may have got out of
control, he said.
Fatal blaze
deliberate
Assembly debate
on loughs future
THE Assembly agreed yesterday
to consider whether the vast wa-
terway of Lough Neagh should be
brought into public ownership.
However, there were differenc-
es of opinion between the DUP
and UUP last night as to wheth-
er the proposal might pose any
threats to commercial interests
on the lough.
A Sinn Fein motion won cross-
party support to explore the op-
tion of taking responsibility for
the lough, which is currently
owned by the Earl of Shaftes-
bury. The Ulster Unionist Party
objected to the proposal, spark-
ing accusations from the SDLP
that it was stuck in landed gen-
try mode.
The Assembly heard com-
plaints that the lough was suffer-
ing ecological damage, while its
commercial and tourism poten-
tial have not been exploited.
The proposal to establish a
working group involving relevant
Stormont departments secured
DUP support, but while some
Democratic Unionists raised res-
ervations, the partys Jim Wells
said it made ecological and com-
mercial sense.
BY Steven McCaFFerY
and PhiliP BradField
newsdesk@newsletter.co.uk
PiCture:
Paul Faith/Pa
Davis doubt
for Windsor
visit SEE SPORT
Sunday opening
plan for Titanic
staircase SEE P7
The pride of Northern Ireland
Price: 75p (ir 1.05 eurO) Wednesday, april 18, 2012
Ciara tiernan and her two-
year-old daughter aimee
take to the outdoors to
launch this years Garden
Show ireland 2012. the
popular show, to be held
at hillsborough Castle,
is set to run from Friday,
May 18, until Sunday,
May 20
Garden
show has
the right
ingredients
REBEL Ulster Unionist Dav-
id McNarry last night claimed
that fve UUP MLAs have
told him they are considering
quitting the Ulster Unionist
Assembly Group and joining
him on the independents
bench.
The Strangford MLA who
is suspended from the UUP
for another eight months
claimed that a third of the
partys MLAs were thinking
of leaving because they dont
feel valued.
More Mlas
may defect
Since 1737
www.newsletter.co.uk



2
7
5
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A
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turn to page 10
See page 6
See page 5
Area based payment
system is inevitable COURTESY of this weeks offcial response to the current CAP Reform proposals Farm Minister Michelle ONeill has accepted that a move to an area based, direct payment system is inevitable beyond 2014. But, this aside, she will be pushing for as much regionalisation and fexibility as possible when it comes to introducing the new measures on the ground here in Northern Ireland. Her commitment, in this regard, covers almost every aspect of the document published by the European Commission last October: from the available budget the ministers priority is to secure the best possible deal for Northern Ireland at the very outset through to greening she wants to introduce simplifed
measures that specifcally refect local farming practises. On the issue of defning an active farmer, DARD has introduced the possibility of using APHIS and its other data bases to identify those people who were actively managing livestock or producing crops during the Commissions proposed activation year of 2011. By taking this approach, the issue of actual farm income generated no longer becomes a contentious matter. The department is also keen to ensure that the new measures also recognise the legitimacy of those people who entered the farming industry post 2005. Signifcantly, the ministers response also contains a clear message that the transition to the envisaged area payment system must take place on a smooth/ gradual basis over a ten year period. A strong hint has also been
given that, even if a CAP deal is secured next spring, it will take at least two years before the various regions of the EU introduce all of the required enacting legislation. So, instead of 2014, it could be 2015 or possibly 2016 before the new CAP measures are actually introduced on the ground. From a budgetary point of view the minister is putting great emphasis on the fact that the UK should receive a signifcantly larger Pillar 2 budget next time around. This is the part of the CAP which facilitates the Rural Development Programme. Such an eventuality will rule out any future requirement to modulate Northern Irelands direct payments budget. Michelle ONeill further commented: I intend to present my response later this week to Georg Haeusler, Head of Cabinet of EU Agriculture Commissioner
Dacian Ciolos, at a meeting in Brussels. By presenting directly to the Commission, I am seeking to maximise our infuence in the forthcoming negotiations. The detail of the response identifes a number of areas of fundamental concern, but also offers suggestions which I believe will provide better focus on the issues the Commission is seeking to address and will deliver signifcant simplifcation. First and foremost, of course, is the need for an adequate budget and for that budget to be distributed fairly. I am continuing to argue for an adequate allocation both for Direct Payments and Rural Development measures. The move to a fat rate payment will result in a substantial redistribution of support between
BY RICHARD HALLERON
All the latest
equestrian news
PAGES 9-14
News, reports and
pictures from YFC
PAGES 15-17
ONeill reveals her CAP Reform response
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FARM INSURANCE
CALL BRADY
INSURANCE FOR
A COMPETITIVE
QUOTE ON:
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Cush n your
crops...!
Sell your struw n
ClussIeds
Kmul lneuge to clussIed@IurmnglIe.com
Continued on page three
Naomi Gregg, James Martin and Basil Dougherty with a British Blue at the Spring Fling Workshop in Moira. See Saturdays Farming Life for
report and pictures. PICTURE: MICHELLE MCCAULEY/KEVIN MCAULEY PHOTOGRAPHY MULTIMEDIA
inSide