Alliance spokesperson on the environment, John Blair MLA, has welcomed a statement from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to increase forest cover significantly over the next decade. John Blair said: “I welcome the commitment from Minister Poots to the new afforestation programme, Forests for our Future, which will see 18 million trees […]
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 […]
Alliance spokesperson on the Environment, John Blair MLA, has welcomed news from the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, DAERA, that they have identified £4.3M towards tackling climate change. Speaking after receiving the information at a meeting of the DAERA Assembly Committee John Blair said: “In a recent Assembly debate, members recognised that we […]
Alliance MLA John Blair has said that service animals need full legal protection. Mr Blair was speaking in support of an Assembly Motion to recognise the invaluable work of service animals used by the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Prison Service. The Motion called for legislation making it an offence […]
Alliance spokesperson on the environment, John Blair MLA, has welcomed the commitment from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to increase the number of trees planted in Northern Ireland. John Blair said: “There is a global focus on the environment and the climate emergency we are all facing. There are many ways we […]
Alliance Leader Naomi Long has announced the party’s spokespersons for the new Assembly mandate, saying the party’s representatives will continue working to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. Chris Lyttle will continue as Alliance Education spokesperson, chairing the Assembly’s Education Committee, while Paula Bradshaw will remain as Health spokesperson and also take up […]
There is a need for a restored Assembly to help address the shortfall in police officers after Brexit, Alliance Policing Board member John Blair MLA has said. The South Antrim MLA was speaking after a meeting of the Board, during which he quizzed Chief Constable Simon Byrne around policing needs to cope with potential incidents […]
The Government needs to reduce the UK’s net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030, while embedding climate action at the heart of Government planning and delivery, Alliance South Antrim Westminster candidate John Blair has said. Mr Blair said while the while the climate crisis was well established, not enough was being done to lessen […]
Alliance MLA John Blair has said the potential job losses at SDC Trailers will be a huge blow for the Toome area of South Antrim. John Blair said: “At this stage SDC Trailers has indicated that jobs will be lost at its plants, including Toome, but are unable to confirm numbers of staff who may […]
“Hyperbolic rhetoric” from Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson will do nothing but divide our society further, Alliance MLA John Blair has said. Mr Blair was speaking after Ms Anderson’s speech at a hunger strike commemoration rally in Strabane, in which she said the UK Government’s “days were numbered in Ireland,” “you will not be closing […]