Mr Neill said the consultation "offered the opportunity to modernise the current licensing laws and bring Northern Ireland's night-time economy into the 21st century".

BBC: Views sought on NI alcohol sales and pub opening hours

Whimsical or not, the Twitter fail-whale is now an icon of an adolescence that the company is eager to move past as the service has become a powerhouse medium for not only mega-events like Election Night conversations and debates but also for corporate marketing teams eager to tap into the sentiments of crowds and gain real-time insights and opportunities.

FORBES: Java Helps Twitter Outmuscle Massive Traffic Surge