It is now time for the UK Government and Executive to met the public desire for a fairer, localised and more green society, Alliance MP Stephen Farry has said. Dr Farry was speaking after the publication of a report by the Westminster All-Party Group on a Green New Deal, a group of which the North […]
Alliance Environmental spokesperson John Blair MLA has said it is deeply troubling to learn the UK Government did not include Northern Ireland when assessing a framework to combat climate change. Speaking during today’s meeting of the Assembly’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Committee meeting, Mr Blair quizzed DAERA officials on the Government’s […]
North Down Alliance MLA Andrew Muir has asked the Environment Minister about ways the public are alerted to water pollution events after a recent pollution incident affecting the river running through Crawfordsburn Country Park on Saturday evening 12 September 2020. Commenting on the issue, Andrew Muir MLA stated “Whilst I am glad to learn that […]
We need to create legally-binding targets to protect our environment, Alliance MLA John Blair has said. The party’s Environment spokesperson was speaking after the RSPB NI charity criticised the Executive for failing to hit targets set to prevent biodiversity loss, with 37 of 42 goals not met. South Antrim MLA Mr Blair said while the […]
The potential loss of 80 jobs at the National Trust is a major blow, Alliance MLA John Blair has said. Mr Blair was speaking after the organisation announced it had opened a consultation on proposals to make 1,200 staff redundant, with potentially 80 of those expected to be locally. It has said the coronavirus pandemic […]
The Alliance Party has backed plans for a specific Climate Change Act for Northern Ireland, adding it is essential this is acted on immediately. The Party’s Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA was speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, after weeks of consistently raising concerns over the Departments seemingly pushing action on climate change to the […]
Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair has described the decision by DAERA to scrap £1.5 million earmarked for tackling climate change as unacceptable. Speaking after the latest Committee meeting, the South Antrim MLA said regardless of other plans that may or may not be in place, this was a specific commitment in New Decade New Approach […]
There is a need for rebalancing of the Department for Infrastructure’s budget towards active and sustainable transport, Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew Muir MLA has said. Mr Muir was speaking after Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon confirmed her Department’s budget, outlining plans for investment in blue/green infrastructure, as well as funding for road safety measures, street lights […]
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 […]
East Antrim Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson has given a cautious welcome to the news Kilroot power station is to be converted from coal-fired to gas-fired. Mr Dickson said that while the move would sustain the plant in the medium term, Northern Ireland needs a sustainable green energy plan much more thought needs to be given […]