Anyone waiting on a Coronavirus Business Support Grant must be able to easily access updates on their application, Alliance MLA Andrew Muir has said, as he called on the Economy Minister to urgently set up a central point of contact for all those anxiously waiting. The Party’s Finance spokesperson, Mr Muir said it was “unacceptable” […]
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has said while she welcomes the Department for Communities suspending debt collection for three months, the Minister needs to clarify repayment terms for those in arrears. Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said her Department would pause the recovery of benefit overpayments and loan repayments from a number of social security […]
Alliance Belfast City Councillor Michael Long has said he is disappointed for the ratepayers of Belfast, after the DUP and Sinn Féin voted against holding virtual committee meetings until August. A proposal by People Before Profit and Councillor Long, Alliance’s Group Leader on the Council, to hold the committee meetings in June fell following DUP […]
Alliance MLA and Infrastructure Spokesperson Andrew Muir has welcomed the changes to the use of E-Bikes in Northern Ireland, that will come into effect tomorrow and no longer require them to be registered, licensed or insured before road use. Speaking during a debate in the Assembly, Mr Muir – himself a keen cyclist – said […]
Alliance MP Stephen Farry has welcomed the extension of the UK Government’s furloughing scheme until October but cautioned further detail is needed on how it will operate from this summer. Dr Farry was speaking after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the Job Retention Scheme, which pays 80 per cent of the wages of workers temporarily made […]
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong has welcomed the publication of a route out of lockdown for Northern Ireland, saying the document finally provides hope of what the future might look like here. The MLA for Strangford secured confirmation from the First and deputy First Minister that the science would continue to shape how and when the […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has commended the determination of nurses right across health and social care on International Nurses Day. The public have been asked to shine a light from their window at 8pm this evening to mark the day, recognising the work nurses are doing during the coronavirus crisis. Today also marks […]
Alliance Councillor for Killultagh David Honeyford has said tougher fines and prosecutions, where appropriate, need to be applied to polluters causing damage to the environment. Councillor Honeyford was speaking after a pollution incident caused the deaths of hundreds of fish at Glenavy River. He said: “Yet again we have seen a pollution incident on the […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said a two-week postponement of transfer tests will not make up for several months of missed learning in classrooms. Mr Lyttle was speaking after AQE announced their tests will be held on November 21, 28 and December 12, while the PPTC tests will be on December 5. “A […]
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong has questioned when a multi-million pound fund designed to support the community and voluntary sector will be made to available to organisations to help them through the pandemic. The Department of Finance’s Dormant Accounts Fund takes money from dormant bank and building societies to support capacity and sustainability in the third […]