SINN Fein has declined the

opportunity to address claims

that the Dublin government
created and protected the
Provisional IRA and instead
has challenged unionists over
loyalist weapons they say are
still at large.
Having been invited to
comment on the collusion
issues raised in yesterdays
News Letter, Alex Maskey
MLA called for the setting up
of a Truth Commission.
Collusion
row goes on
Houses plunge
to 2004 prices
HOUSE prices in Northern
Ireland have plummeted back
seven years and now stand at
2004 levels, a survey has shown.
The Halifax quarterly index
records prices down 52 per cent
from their 2007 peak.
The latest indication of the
scale of the property price crash
comes as the News Letter today
charts four major house price
surveys in a bid to simplify the
various fndings for readers.
All surveys tell a similar tale
of a sudden surge in prices from
2004, followed by collapse.
And last night there was
further misery for those trapped
in negative equity as a result of
the boom, when BBC Spotlight
quoted an economist saying that
prices were unlikely to return to
peak levels for decades.
Meanwhile, another economist,
Jonathan Davis one of the few
people to have predicted a crash
at the peak attacked those who
had promoted high prices.
I dont know how those who
were pushing property as a good
thing to put your money into,
even after the crash had started
in 2008 and beyond, can sleep at
night, he told the News Letter.
See page 5
BY Ben lowrY
ben.lowry@newsletter.co.uk
United held,
City beaten
SEE SPORT
A seaside show
with tractor
factor PAGE 20
The pride of Northern Ireland
Price: 72p (Ir 1.05 eUro) wednesday, november 23, 2011
The main entrance area of the new 276m erne Hospital is continuing to take shape. It has
been dubbed the hospital of the future and promises to deliver the best services and patient
care available in the UK. The new acute hospital will open next June. See page 3
Hospital of the future
THE elderly motorist killed on
the Newry Road, Poyntzpass
on Monday night has been
named as Anne Campbell, 70,
who lived locally.
Two other people are being
treated in hospital following
separate road collisions last
night.
A male pedestrian in his 80s
was described as serious but
stable after being struck by
a vehicle at Woodstock Road,
Belfast. Meanwhile, a female
pedestrian was injured by a
vehicle on the Moneyreagh
Road near Newtownards.
The spate of incidents has
come at the start of Road
Safety Week.
road victim
is named
Since 1737
www.newsletter.co.uk
InSIDe
Insurance costs
set to increase
THE number of farm accidents and the size of the associated liability claims continue to increase across Northern Ireland, to the extent that annual insurance premiums look set to increase dramatically for local farmers. This was the stark message conveyed to Farming Life earlier this week by Martin Malone, Northern Ireland director of the NFU Mutual Insurance Society, who added: The fnancial settlements associated with farm accidents only scratch the surface when one considers the human tragedy associated with each of these events. The reality is that farms remain a very dangerous place in which
to work and there is a need for farmers and farm workers to take this point fully on board as they go about their day-to-day activities. According to the NFU Mutual falls from heights and incidents associated with unguarded PTO shafts constitute the two most common types of accident that are reported on local farms. Meanwhile, efforts continue apace to educate farmers about the inherent risk of working with machinery, livestock and carrying out all forms of building repairs. We continue to work very closely with the Health & Safety Executive and the Ulster Farmers Union on this matter, Martin Malone continued. A recent farm safety awareness day, held on a farm outside Ballymoney, proved to be very
successful and we intend holding more events of this kind in the future. I fully realise that farmers are very busy people. However, there is absolutely no occasion when health and safety standards can be compromised, irrespective of the other pressures being brought to bare on farmers or farm workers. The consequences of a farm accident are just too serious to contemplate. Mr Malone went on to confrm that the recent increase in the number of theft related incidents on local farms will also have a signifcant knock-on effect for insurance premiums down the track. The theft of tractors, quads and livestock is on the rise, he stressed.
Obviously, we are encouraging all our policy holders to insure accordingly, but prevention is always the best policy and to this end we are offering a 27% discount to farmers who install tracking devices on tractors, quads and other items of farm machinery. Martin Malone concluded: The offcial fgures clearly confrm that the number of farm accidents recorded on local farms is on the rise. The NFU Mutual remains totally committed to educating producers about the risks associated with all forms of farm work. And our message to farmers is a very simple one: please step back and consider the health and safety implications of everything you do as you go about your day-to-day business.
By RichaRd halleRon
Rebecca lamont, Joanne Smyth, claire adams, alison Blair and emma Rennie at the county londonderry yFc dinner which was held at the
lodge hotel in coleraine. See Saturdays Farming life for full round up of social pictures, awards and results.
PicTURe: Steven Mcauley/Kevin Mcauley Photography Multimedia
all the latest
equestrian news
PaGeS 9-14
yFc news, reports
and pictures
PaGeS 15-17
Farmers pay price for rise in accidents and thefts NOTICE
BAILEY'S, CARRAGH & DEBURCA SUFFOLKS
80 In-Lamb Ewes
& Hoggets For Sale
at Baileys Farm,
Batterstown,
Co. Meath
on 26th November
at 12.30pm
Eligible For Export
For Catalogue Email: tombailey@ireland.com
00353872553195
Don't be u
couch potuto !
Sell your produce n
ClussIeds
Kmul lneuge to clussIed@IurmnglIe.com
Wednesday, november 23, 2011
Latest on the Massereene murder trial SEE PAGE 4
See page 8
See pages 6 & 7