NI civil service defies global downturn!

Staff at Bobballs are great admirers of the civil service. Consider the time, effort and manpower that got expended by NICS in the saying the word 'None'.

Mauve Stinger Jellyfish
Mr McClarty asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what plans she has to ensure that the mauve stinger jellyfish, recently found in Portrush, do not have the same detrimental effect as they did last year.(AQW 1448/09)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: I can respond to your question only in terms of the detrimental effects the mauve stinger jellyfish had last year on licensed salmon farms in Glenarm Bay and Red Bay owned by the Northern Salmon Company Limited. On Sunday 5 October, a member of staff from the NI Environment Agency (NIEA) discovered mauve stinger jellyfish at the West Strand, Portrush, and DARD was alerted. Officials in my Department immediately contacted the Northern Salmon Company who confirmed they would monitor their sites for the presence of such jellyfish. I should add that the Northern Salmon Company was awarded EU funding under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance on 5 September 2008 towards the cost of purchasing and installing a plankton and jellyfish mitigation system. The NIEA and the Department of the Environment have overall responsibility for wildlife and conservation issues. NIEA continues to monitor the situation and has advised coastal District Councils and the National Trust of the potential risk to bathers and surfers.

In these times of economic turmoil and tightening in the labour market, it is reassuring to see that the civil service is maintaining a ferious output. Heroes.