Belfast Alliance Councillor Máire Hendron has stated her revulsion at the attack on a church in Ballyhackamore last evening. Cllr Hendron stated: “As Chairperson of St. Colmcille’s Parish Pastoral Council I am absolutely appalled at the revolting acts of desecration which were perpetrated on my Parish Church during the last week. Along with other offensive […]
Alliance Equality Spokesperson Eileen Bell has said the Government’s Anti-Poverty Strategy must be released immediately. She said there was no excuse for it not already having been published. She was reacting to news that the Government had not hit its own targets on tackling child poverty across the UK. The North Down Assembly member stated: […]
Alliance Party Victims Spokesperson Eileen Bell has described the payment of nearly £100,000 to a the Fernhill House museum as “galling”, saying that the money had clearly been granted as a political sop. Mrs Bell stated: “There are some superb new community sector groups being established, not least to promote victims’ rights and genuine reconciliation, […]
Alliance Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy has said that administrators must stop cutting corners on health hygiene in our hospitals. His comments come after the Eastern Health and Social Services Council expressed concern at hygiene standards and facilities at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The Strangford MLA stated: “I have discussed this issue with the Eastern Health […]
Alliance Party Deputy Leader and Education Spokesperson Naomi Long has said the Secretary of State’s comments describing integrated education as “a vital building block” are bewildering. The comments seem in direct contrast to the Government’s refusal to allow parents access to integrated education at four locations across Northern Ireland. Naomi Long stated: “The Secretary of […]
Alliance Party Leader David Ford has said that the end of the beef export ban, announced today, is long overdue. He cautioned that beef exporters will have to innovate to restore their former markets. Mr Ford, who was a member of the Agriculture Committee in the Assembly, stated: “The end of the beef export ban, […]
Alliance Party Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has welcomed the latest comments of IMC in relation to progress on security normalisation, but stressed that the points made in relation to the IRA refer essentially to the threat against the state and that broader progress towards Republican acceptance of the rule of law is required. Dr Farry […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has said those who suggest that devolved institutions with a mandatory coalition can be restored without prior all-party agreement are shirking their responsibility to lead the process. David Ford stated: “This process is going nowhere if other leaders continue to engage in the politics of a parallel universe. “The very suggestion […]
The Alliance Party has welcomed the level of fines proposed in draft legislation for those disobeying the anti smoking legislation. The draft legislation proposes fines of up to £2500 for proprietors of premises who fail to prevent customers smoking and another fine of up to £1000 for those who do not display no smoking signs. […]
Delegates to this weekend’s Alliance Party Annual Conference, which coincided with the start of FairTrade Fortnight (6th-19th March) took the opportunity to lend their support to FairTrade and sample some of the wide range of fairly traded produce now available to Northern Ireland consumers. The event was hosted at Conference by Castlereagh Alliance Councillors, Michael […]