A replacement was announced today for the senior civil servant suspended from his post at the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The North's government departments have spent more than £100m (€109m) on consultancy fees in the past five years, according to figures obtained by the SDLP.

A man who died when he fell under a newspaper delivery van on Belfast’s Westlink in the middle of the night had just discharged himself from hospital before being treated for injuries suffered in another drunken fall, an inquest heard today.

A river diverted to make way for a new multi-million pound underpass on a main Belfast thoroughfare was today believed to have been responsible for the flooding of the new roads scheme.

The chief executive of Northern Ireland Water is leaving her post at the end of the month, it was announced today.

A prominent property developer today lost a court action taken against the British government after he was dropped as front-runner for a €134m riverfront redevelopment in Belfast.

A full audit should be carried out of the land and assets owned by the North’s new government owned water company, Stormont Assembly members will be urged today.

FORMER Old Bailey bomber and prison escapee Gerry Kelly could be in line for a senior cabinet post in the Northern Ireland power sharing government, it emerged last night.

A DUP assembly member is complaining that removing graffiti celebrating Tyrone's 2003 victory in the All Ireland football final is going to cost £1,000 (€1,500).

A strike by up to 2,000 Water Service workers today could cause disruption to water supplies and a risk of environmental pollution in the North, the British government has warned.

Three young men might not have died in a horrific traffic collision if there had been better road warning signs, a Belfast inquest heard today.

A public service union tonight announced an intensification of its civil service strike action in Northern Ireland in a dispute over pay.

A major new drive to cut traffic congestion in Belfast city centre was launched today with the unveiling of a new information website for motorists.

Northern Ireland’s parties will struggle to get back into power sharing if the Government suspends devolution this week, Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness warned today.

A new public transport company is to be formed to run bus and rail services in Northern Ireland, Stormont Regional Development Peter Robinson announced today.

The DUP has been criticised following the news that the North's taxpayers will foot some of the legal costs for the party’s challenge to the re-election of David Trimble to the post of First Minister last year.

Northern Ireland's Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson is expected to call for significant increases in funding required to implement his 10 year transport plan.

More money was expected for Northern Ireland’s hospitals, schools and roads as Finance Minister Mark Durkan was set to announce his draft Budget for 2002/3 today.

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture has appealed to the Army and the RUC for help in a desperate bid to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, it was confirmed today.

EasyJet could face legal action after doodling adverts in chalk on Belfast pavements.