Mind your tongue

WHILE doom and gloom pervades each and every economic corner of Northern Ireland, it is re-assuring that the Department of Regional Development has a weather eye on the language needs of Northern Ireland.

Conor Murphy has announced a consultation on whether we need bi-lingual road signage: with either Irish or Ulster-Scots translations.

Let’s rejoice in this forward-thinking policy!

For this is not just cunning lingual plans, this is an economic proposal. For if we get bi-lingual – or even tri-lingual – signs then we’ll need a lot of signs designed (work for graphic designers), lots of language checking (work for translators) and erection of the signs (work for DRD staff).

If only there was a few quid spare to pay for it all.

For goodness sake get healthy!

RIGHT everyone, never mind the New Year Resolutions to get fit, it is now imperative, urgent and damn near crucial to get fit, rid yourself of fat and cut out the booze and ciggies.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has painted a picture of a health service on its knees, with waiting lists growing, services being cut and so on and so on.

So if you have an elderly relative waiting for domiciliary care, or a place in a nursing home you need to take action to make sure you don’t need to be a drain on the budget…

And if you end up injured or ill, bring a good book – maybe several – as you wait for any help whatsoever.

In the meantime don’t get too stressed, your mental health is vital: so don’t listen to the waffle and point scoring of politicians - just stay well.