Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MLA has welcomed a court judgement ruling two journalists acted lawfully by protecting their sources. Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were arrested in August 2018 over the alleged theft of documents relating to a police investigation into the Loughinisland massacre, which saw six men murdered in 1994. They were part […]
Alliance Justice spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has said reiterated the rule of law should be applied to everyone equally, after a Tory MP said he was withdrawing his support for the Government over the prosecution of some former soldiers. Conservative Johnny Mercer has said he will only vote with his party on Brexit legislation unless […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said developments in Scotland may offer a way for fast compensation for elderly or infirm victims of Historical Institutional Abuse in Northern Ireland, and called on the Secretary of State to act. The Scottish Government will fast track payments to victims and survivors of care homes there in […]
Former Justice Minister David Ford has congratulated the staff at Maghaberry Prison and the leadership of the Northern Ireland Prison Service on recent progress at the prison which was reported in the latest inspection report from CJINI and HMIP. David Ford said: “I set up the Prison Review Team shortly after I became Minister and […]
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw has encouraged the public to respond to a consultation on the handling of trials involving rape and other serious sexual offences. Sir John Gillen’s series of recommendations in a preliminary report include banning members of the public from such trials and making the accused anonymous until they are charged with any […]
Alliance Justice spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has welcomed the launch of a new campaign highlighting paramilitary-style attacks but added more needs done to combat the groups behind them. The Ending the Harm campaign, which is part of the Executive’s Tackling Paramilitarism programme, is aimed showing the impact of the attacks on victims, their loved ones, […]
Alliance Chief Whip Kellie Armstrong has said today’s Ashers judgement does not “provide an excuse for discrimination” for businesses after the Supreme Court ruled in its favour.Ms Armstrong was speaking after the bakery firm won its appeal over a previous ruling that its refusal to make a cake backing marriage equality was discriminatory. “Alliance’s preference […]
Alliance Justice spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has welcomed the Secretary of State saying she could not support a statute of limitations for soldiers who carried out illegal killings in the Troubles.Karen Bradley said she could not back such a move because it would have to be extended to former paramilitaries as well. Mr Dickson said […]
Alliance Justice spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has said it is worrying the PSNI is subsidising the firearm licensing system here by almost £300,000, with no clear plan to achieve full cost recovery. Mr Dickson was responding to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on firearms licensing in Northern Ireland. Among the issues, it states while […]
Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Stephen Farry, has said it’s not the job of those tasked with helping to uphold the rule of law to second guess it, as he responded to media comments from the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter. Appearing to draw a distinction between ‘genuine’ and ‘vexatious’ allegations against […]