Thursday's Northern Ireland news headlines: Taoiseach visit, health protests and cancer 'lottery'

  • UTV

Taoiseach and Tanaiste to visit

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are to travel to Belfast on Thursday as efforts to resolve the dispute over the protocol ramp up.

It will be Mr Varadkar's first visit to Northern Ireland since he returned to office last month. Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin will also be here carrying out a number of engagements here including a meeting with the Secretary of State.

Health unions refusing to meet Pay Review Body

Two of Northern Ireland's biggest health unions are refusing to engage with the body tasked with recommending pay awards for staff - due to what they described as its ineffectiveness to deliver a decent uplift for health workers here.

Health workers are due to stage a protest in Antrim. Credit: UTV

Unison and NIPSA want direct negotiations with the Government and are due to stage a protest outside Antrim Area Hospital on Thursday.

Fifth of men in NI face prostate cancer diagnosis at Stage 4

Prostate Cancer UK have warned that patients are facing a "postcode lottery" of care.

The charity found that 20% of men in Northern Ireland had developed stage four cancer by the point of their diagnosis, which was significantly higher than other parts of the UK.

Rathlin ferry to recommence

A new ferry operator is to step in to service the route between Rathlin Island and Ballycastle. Dunaverty Limited will take over after the previous operator ceased trading.

Services will commence from Friday.

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