Alliance Agriculture spokesperson John Blair MLA has said he is seriously concerned after a warning it is ‘almost impossible’ to have post-Brexit checks in place at ports and airports here by January. Mr Blair was speaking after Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Permanent Secretary Denis McMahon appeared at the Assembly’s DAERA Committee, where […]
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 […]
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 […]
Alliance Policing Board member John Blair has said he is “extremely concerned” after images from a bonfire in the Londonderry area show poppy wreaths and flags being burnt. John said: “Derry has already witnessed scenes of violence this summer – scenes no-one wants to see under normal circumstances, never mind in the middle of a […]
Alliance Policing Board member John Blair MLA has condemned those behind an attack on the PSNI which saw 26 officers injured. The attack took place while police protected contractors removing bonfire material in Distillery Street in West Belfast. Petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown. “This sort of behaviour is utterly unacceptable and I condemn […]
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 […]
Today is another major step on the road to equality, Alliance MLA John Blair has said, after the UK Government laid regulations in Parliament allowing for religious equal marriage to come into effect in Northern Ireland from September 1. The regulations will bring similar rights and protections as seen in England and Wales, including no […]
It is vital the needs of rural areas are met in any pandemic recovery plans from the Executive, Alliance Rural Affairs spokesperson John Blair MLA has said. Mr Blair said while it was important the economy was given help to restart following the COVID-19 crisis, it was equally vital particular solutions were created for more […]
An urgent explanation is needed from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs as to why his Department has not yet submitted plans around Brexit border control posts, Alliance’s John Blair MLA has said. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) was required to submit information on what ports it wishes to […]