Alliance Welcomes New Initiatives on Flags

Alliance Party Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has welcomed the creation of a new strategy for dealing with paramilitary and other illegally erected flags as part of the Government’s new community relations policy – ‘A SHARED FUTURE’ THE FRAMEWORK FOR GOOD RELATIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND. However, he also stressed that the strategy will be more than […]

Council expenses reveal value of Alliance

Castlereagh Alliance Councillor Michael Long has revealed that on average Alliance Councillors have cost ratepayers £7,745.27 less than Ulster Unionist Councillors over the past four-year term and £6,948.94 less than DUP Councillors over the same period. The figures show that the average UUP Councillor has obtained £29,300.67 in expenses and allowances from the Council in […]

Farry Calls for New Integrated School in Bangor

North Down Alliance Councillor, Stephen Farry, has called for the education authorities to facilitate the building of an integrated school on land zoned for a new primary school in south Bangor within a wider housing development, under the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan. The land in question is BR 05/13 – Housing: Land to the north […]

Alliance calls for action for first-time home buyers: Bell

ALLIANCE Social Development Spokesperson, Eileen Bell MLA (North Down), has welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement that the is doubling the level at which house buyers pay stamp duty to £120,000. Mrs Bell, also Alliance Deputy Leader, said the move would start to address problems surrounding the widening housing gap in Northern Ireland that is pricing first-time […]

Rice condemns attack on SDLP Assembly member

ALLIANCE Councillor Geraldine Rice has condemned a loyalist attack on SDLP Assembly member Carmel Hanna at a bonfire site at Milltown Road, Shaw’s Bridge on Tuesday. Cllr Rice stated: “This stone-throwing sectarian attack on an elected representative was completely uncalled for and I condemn it without reservation. No-one deserves to be treated like that. “Castlereagh […]

Leonard accepts ‘Make Poverty History’ call

Alliance spokesperson for Laganbank, Allan Leonard, has accepted the call to show support and spread the word of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, which aims to drop unrepayable debt owed by the world’s poorest countries, to increase the amount of international aid, and to make global trade fair: “I learned about the ‘Make Poverty History’ […]

Long welcomes progress on phone mast relocation

East Belfast Alliance Assembly Member Cllr Naomi Long has welcomed progress towards getting the proposed Vodafone mast on the Old Holywood Road relocated to a site within Belmont Park, following a recent decision by the Parks and Amenities Sub-committee allowing its relocation within Belmont Park. The mast is one of a number of contentious mast […]

Ford slams hypocrisy after SF ‘warning’ to McCartneys

Responding to the comments yesterday from Martin McGuinness, David Ford, Alliance Leader, has condemned the hypocrisy of Sinn Fein. David Ford said: “Yesterday’s comments by Martin McGuinness amount to staggering hypocrisy, especially in his warning to the McCartney family to not get involved in politics. “Sinn Fein has ‘played politics’ throughout the peace process. That […]