University figures up
Official UCAS figures issued detailing the number of full-time students accepted onto undergraduate courses, show a significant increase in Northern Ireland.
Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, said: "The increase of 8.4% in the number of applicants accepted to Northern Ireland Higher Education Institutions in the current academic year is both very positive and very welcome.
" It is significantly above the UK average of 5.8%. It is even more impressive when viewed against a reduction of around 5% in the number of 18 year olds in Northern Ireland available to apply to university," he explained.
"In order for us to compete globally we need to ensure a constant flow of higher level skills into the labour market and the level of applications to study at university here is very encouraging."
Promoting equality
Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey launched a plan to promote equality, good relations and human rights in health and social care.
Launching the strategy the Minister said: "When I took up this role I vowed to make health and social care in Northern Ireland a world class service - one which is fair and accessible to everyone.
"Regrettably access problems are still being experienced by hard to reach sections of our communities and health inequalities still persist. The strategy I am launching aims to change this and already it has prompted a review of disabled peoples' access to services, the development of better quality translation services, and the production of a healthcare information booklet in English and 13 different languages for minority ethnic and migrant worker communities," he continued.
"I want to help people to become involved in decisions and improve their experiences.
"Getting these right is at the heart of providing a service which is focused on the patient and treats everyone with respect, dignity and fairness."
Leadership for society
The Church and Government, working together in partnership, could provide focused leadership in building a diverse society, Junior Minister Gerry Kelly said in Dublin.
Attending a Church of Ireland conference on migration and community cohesion, Mr Kelly said the Church had a key role to play and that it could deliver in areas where Government may not be able to.
"It is remarkable Ireland, long a place of outward migration, is experiencing inward migration," Mr Kelly told the Hard Gospel Conference.
"All new communities and migrant workers in our society are very welcome. Not only for the economic benefits, but also the contribution they make to our cultural life," he said.
"Too often we talk about 'increasing diversity' in a purely abstract sense. It is all too easy to forget these changes are experienced in a very real way," said Mr Kelly.
"Diversity involves new people, living down the street, shopping at local shops, attending local schools and working alongside us and sharing our places of worship. It is at this level that the real level of integration must happen.
"It is important for us all to work together to promote good relations but Church and Government, in partnership, could provide the focused leadership."
