Alliance Coleraine Councillor further blasts Giants’ Causeway decision

Alliance Coleraine Councilor Barney Fitzpatrick has added further condemnation of the DUP Ministers’ decision over the visitor’s centre at the Giants’ Causeway. The Coleraine Councillor said: “I am deeply concerned over the proposal to hand over the tourist centre at the Giant’s Causeway to the private sector. “The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s number one […]

Kieran McCarthy’s speech on the urgent need for sports offences laws

I would like to begin my remarks today by stating clearly that it is the Alliance Party’s position, that any legislation designed to address the conduct of spectators at sporting events should not simply address Association Football, but should cover all sports played competitively in Northern Ireland, including Rugby and GAA. Northern Ireland has a […]

Assembly has chance to stamp out sectarianism in sport – McCarthy

Alliance Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA has secured a debate in the Assembly today on stamping out sectarian chanting at football matches. Alliance has been campaigning to have laws similar to the football offences act in England. The motion, which has been co-proposed by Kieran McCarthy will be debated in the Assembly on Tuesday morning. […]

Alliance blasts Executive on Giant’s Causeway fiasco

Alliance Enterprise Spokesperson Sean Neeson MLA has hit out at the Executive over the way it has handled plans for a new Visitors’ Centre at the Giant’s Causeway. The East Antrim Assembly Member said: “I am deeply concerned at future plans for the development of the Giant’s Causeway Visitors’ Centre. The Executive to all intents […]

Why did First Minister quiz Executive colleague on agreed statement?

At this morning’s Assembly plenary, Alliance Leader David Ford asked why the First Minister was allowed to question the Agriculture Minister. After raising the issue as a Point of Order during the Assembly Plenary, David Ford said: “This debacle illustrates the lack of cohesion in the Executive. The Agriculture Minister was supposed to speak for […]

Alliance backs newspaper pressure to help tackle suicides

Alliance Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has said that more cash must be redirected by the Executive to suicide prevention strategies. He praised the four daily newspapers who published the statement on the matter today because they have put this important issue to the top of the news agenda again. The Strangford MLA, Mr McCarthy, […]

Alliance reiterates its support for tax-varying powers

Ahead of today’s Assembly debate on tax-varying powers, the Alliance Party has reiterated its support for giving the Assembly the ability to make a real difference to the local economy through having the capacity to alter a range of different taxes. Finance spokesperson, Dr Stephen Farry MLA stated: “Without tax-varying powers, we will continue to […]

PPS 14 Court ruling could be devastating for our countryside – Ford

Alliance Leader David Ford has slammed the High Court decision to overturn the PPS 14 planning policy which is aimed at protecting the countryside. He stated that the decision was nothing to do with the function of PPS14 itself and that the ruling will put the natural landscape of many rural areas in jeopardy. David […]

Time for police to get real and clamp down on hate crime thugs

Alliance MLA Séan Neeson has called on the police to crack down harder on thugs committing hate crimes to send out a strong message. He called on them to take a more coherent and joined up approach to tackling such crimes. His comments come following questions being raised about the police’s clear-up of hate crime […]