Alliance North Belfast Councillor Nuala McAllister has said she is pleased after the majority of Councillors backed her amendment reaffirming support for Belfast Zoo and its long-term sustainability. Councillor McAllister was speaking after bringing the amendment to Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee. The amendment, backed by all parties except Sinn Féin, called […]
Alliance Causeway Coast and Glens Councillor Chris McCaw has welcomed confirmation the Department of Communities has asked the Council for details of proposed recovery plans from its ongoing financial difficulties. Councillor McCaw was speaking after his colleague, Alliance MLA Andrew Muir, received a response to an Assembly question to Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey. It details […]
Alliance Policing Board member John Blair MLA has welcomed news a pay award for PSNI officers has been agreed by the Department of Justice. The award gives a 2.5 per cent increase to police officers’ pay scales, backdated until September and aligning with a similar award to officers in England and Wales. “It is important […]
New immigration plans from the UK Government pose a particular threat to Northern Ireland, Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP has said. The points-based system would mean low-skilled workers would not receive visas after the UK leaves the EU. “Alliance is opposed to these changes. We will be pursuing a two-track approach of objecting to […]
Alliance Councillor for Lisburn and Castlereagh, Michelle Guy, urges more support for parents as findings of major survey reveals 82% of parents do not feel they get enough support. The ‘Big Parenting Survey 2019’ conducted by Parenting NI, collated over 1,300 responses from local parents, with a special focus on technology. Speaking at the launch […]
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew Muir MLA has said he is extremely concerned after a senior civil servant said the viability of Translink was in jeopardy. The Department for Infrastructure’s John McGrath told the Assembly’s Infrastructure Committee while the company had managed to maintain the rail and bus network, it was “running out of options” financially. […]
Alliance spokesperson on Communities, Kellie Armstrong MLA, agreed with the Gambling with Lives campaign that appropriate legislation to restrict gambling needs to be updated in Northern Ireland. Kellie Armstrong said: “Gambling preys on vulnerable people and ruins lives. Around 10% of people who take their own lives do so as a result of their […]
Alliance East Belfast MLA Chis Lyttle has welcomed an assurance from the Communities Minister that she will complete a review of the football stadia fund within three months. Chris Lyttle said: “I welcome Minister Hargey’s commitment to complete her review of the Football Stadia Fund within three months. The indecision of the previous Minister […]
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has said there are serious questions to answer in the Health Minister’s failure to grant full powers of public inquiry to the ongoing Independent Neurology Inquiry. The South Belfast MLA stated: “It was made clear at the outset of the Independent Neurology Inquiry, chaired by Brett Lockhart QC, that it […]
Alliance MLA Andrew Muir has said the current rates revaluation of businesses will cause considerable difficulty for many. Andrew Muir said: “Across Northern Ireland, around 74,000 businesses will have their Net Annual Valuation reassessed to allow for their annual rates bill to be calculated. Land and Property Services has now published the draft list of […]