A challenge taken by South Belfast businessman Sean Napier against the DUP Ministers boycott of North-South Ministerial Council meetings is to return to court on Wednesday  20 October. At that stage affidavits will be filed on behalf of Mr Napier. A response from the DUP Ministers is expected by Tuesday afternoon next. Speaking after today’s High Court hearing, Paul Farrell from McIvor Farrell Solicitors, who is representing Mr Napier said: “Mr Napier has taken this case on a very careful basis and it is a step by step approach that he is taking. We wanted the DUP Ministers and the DUP leadership to realise that what they were doing was unlawful and against the principles of good governance in Northern Ireland. The court went with us on that. The next stage in the process will be for us to seek a specific order from the court if that is necessary but the ball is very clearly in the court of the DUP insofar as that is concerned." He added: “Mr Napier is determined to see this matter through so we await with interest to see what the response from the DUP leadership and Ministers are by Wednesday of next week.” Commenting on the argument from the DUP that these meetings were in fact not scheduled as the agenda had not been approved by the First Minister, Mr Farrell described their stance as “a bit of a contortion”. “It doesn’t have any rationale and I don’t understand that a meeting which takes place today with accompanying Ministers is not a meeting and I think that whatever we receive next week by way of a response from the DUP Ministers will have to explain that to my mind because I can’t understand when a meeting is not a meeting as the First Minister is indicating that they are.” Mr Farrell said that the case today built up on its own momentum. “The case goes to the heart of good governance in Northern Ireland and it goes to the heart of the DUP and their engagement with the institutions of government. It is up to them now to explain to a legal standard what they propose to do next."

THE wife of a North Belfast man who died following a tragic accident says her “world has fallen apart”

TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Queen’s University professor and leading political campaigner James ‘Jim’ Daly, who passed away on Monday.

DEPARTMENT for Infrastructure officials visited a West Belfast primary school amidst calls for a road safety review in inner city communities. 

THE start of a major improvement scheme at Boodles Dam in Ligoniel in North Belfast has been welcomed.