Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has welcomed news gay and bisexual men convicted of abolished homosexuality offences may be pardoned. Justice Minister Claire Sugden confirmed today a motion will go before the Assembly for approval, to bring Northern Ireland into line with England and Wales, where similar pardons were announced last month. It will allow […]
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw has expressed her sympathy following two incidents in West Belfast which saw one man die and another shot. The death, which police are treating as suspicious, occurred at Divis Tower. A 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the discovery of the body of a man, named locally as James […]
Alliance Justice spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA has said it is now time to “stop tiptoeing around paramilitaries” during an Assembly motion on ending paramilitarism brought by the party. The Alliance motion followed a series of recent incidents involving active paramilitary groups, as well as the UK Treasury withholding its half of the money for the […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has asked what action the Education Minister is taking to avert industrial action by teachers striking over a pay dispute. Mr Lyttle was speaking as hundreds of teachers took part in protests against a proposed pay settlement, which has been rejected by a number of trade unions following months […]
Alliance Councillor Tom Campbell has welcomed the decision of the Planning Appeals Commission to dismiss the appeal from the Ulster University relating to their application to build 600 new homes at their Jordanstown campus. Councillor Campbell said: “This decision by the Planning Appeals Commission is good news for local people. The University failed to meaningfully […]
The Executive needs to produce a more substantive action plan on paramilitarism, Alliance representatives will tell the Assembly tomorrow. The party will bring a motion on ending all forms of paramilitarism, It follows a series of incidents, including concern being expressed over funding of the Charter NI group and the UK Government withholding money for […]
Alliance Antrim Councillor Neil Kelly has welcomed the seizure of a gun and suspected drugs in the town. Two men, aged 18 and 19, and a 39-year-old woman were arrested following a search of a property in the Angus Street area. Quantities of suspected class A and B drugs were seized during the raid, with […]
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has called for a review of free on-street parking during a debate on the topic. The motion in the Assembly called for a reduction in the mandatory £90 car parking fine, while also allowing the first 30 minutes of parking across towns and cities to be free. Strangford MLA […]
Alliance Deputy Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh Stephen Martin has condemned those behind a far-right leaflet being distributed in the city. The letter, from an organisation styling itself as Ulster Awakes, criticises Muslims and other groups. The leaflets were left on car windscreens outside Bow Street Mall in Lisburn yesterday (Saturday) afternoon. It follows a […]
Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson has said the decision by United Airlines to halt its Belfast to Newark route is a serious blow to Northern Ireland, in economic and social terms. Stewart Dickson said: “To lose our only direct air route from Northern Ireland to the United States will have a serious impact on our business […]