Castlereagh Alliance Councillor Michael Long and East Belfast Alliance MLA Naomi Long today handed over a petition signed by over 100 local people to Translink chiefs demanding the reinstatement of the No. 85 Citybus service to Mount Merrion, which was axed at the end of February. Cllr Michael Long said: “Today’s meeting with Translink allowed […]
Alliance Party Leader, David Ford, has reacted to the publication of the Independent Monitoring Commission’s first report by stating that it has helped to shift the political debate onto the broader range of paramilitary activity. David Ford stated: “Alliance called for the formation of the IMC in order to shine a spotlight onto the dark […]
Alliance Party Leader, David Ford, reacting to the cancellation of the anticipated ‘proximity talks’ in Lancaster House later this month, has called for the Governments to focus on resolving the underlying difficulties between the parties in Belfast. David Ford said: “I wonder how much this decision is related to the pending conclusions by the IMC, […]
ALLIANCE Health Spokesman Kieran McCarthy MLA has said he is disgusted by a new government report that says that as many as half a million elderly elderly people are being abused. The Strangford Assembly member stated: “Abuse of older people is one of the hidden crimes in our society. Older people are amongst the most […]
Speaking ahead of the Independent Monitoring Commission’s first report into paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, Alliance Assembly member Naomi Long (East Belfast) stated: “Alliance first proposed a form of independent observer as a way in which the activities of paramilitary groups could be publicly highlighted and not ignored by the Government any longer. “Paramilitary activity […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has condemned those responsible for intimidating a Catholic family from the Rathenraw estate in Antrim. He has called for greater action by public authorities against sectarian emblems and graffiti. David Ford said: “I utterly condemn those who intimidated Gemma Dollery and her four young children from her home. It is clear […]
David Ford, Alliance Leader, has called on the British and Irish Governments to take action together to clean up political fund-raising and close the existing gaps in the law. David Ford said: “I have written to both the Secretary of State and the Irish Justice Minister to ask them to examine what joint action they […]
Alliance Alderman Kieran McCarthy has succeeded in having Ards Borough Council call for legislation to ban smoking in workplaces in Northern Ireland. Mr McCarthy, who is also Alliance Party Health Spokesperson, was pleased with the passage of his proposed motion to Council. He said: “I was impressed by statements by cancer expert, Professor Patrick Johnston, […]
Responding to the criticisms of the Government voiced by NIHRC Chief Commissioner to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Alliance Party Justice and Human Rights Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has called upon the Government to reinforce the Human Rights Commission by appointing new commissioners and completing the review of its powers, in order that can […]
Castlereagh Alliance Councillor and member of the Council’s Bonfire Working Group, Michael Long, has described as ‘constructive’ a meeting, also attended by statutory agencies, called to discuss bonfires in the Borough. At the meeting a number of proposals were put forward to help deal with the problem of bonfires, which have caused increased concern this […]