A new Covid-19 support scheme worth £1.6million, for pig farmers who were affected by the impact of the pandemic on international pigment markets from the spring of last year, has been announced by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA.

Work is ongoing to resolve the issues with the Northern Ireland COVID Certification Service and COVIDCert NI; and a further announcement will be made later today.

A Covid-19 support scheme, worth £1.2million, is now available to sheep farmers who were affected by a fall in the global price of wool during the pandemic, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA has announced.

Northern Ireland’s seven regional vaccination centres will close for first dose COVID-19 vaccines this weekend.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons met with Tourism NI and tourism providers in Belfast to discuss the barriers to recovery for the tourism industry.