The Alliance Party has called for the Child Support Agency to be scrapped following a record of chaotic mismanagement and incompetence resulting in a failure to collect maintenance payments from errant fathers. Cllr Tom Campbell, a member of Newtownabbey Council, said: “This is an organisation lurching from one disaster to another. Despite huge investment of […]
Alliance Party Leader, David Ford, has criticised further comments by the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, on Good Morning Ulster, when, in relation to continued UVF activities, he implied that only ‘political offences’ would be considered breaches of a ‘ceasefire’, and pointed out that unless a tighter definition is deployed, certain paramilitary groups would be […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has criticised the failure of the Secretary of State to take firm action against the UVF. David Ford said: “The unwillingness of the Secretary of State to take firm action against the UVF is outrageous. To claim that he is opposed to “quick procedural fixes” is pathetic in the face of […]
An Alliance Party delegation today met with Security Minister, Shaun Woodward, to discuss policing reform. The party voiced the need to protect the integrity of the Patten Reforms, and to avoid any Balkanisation of the police. Speaking after the meeting, Alliance Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry stated: “Alliance stressed that the Patten Reforms had provided Northern […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy has called for the delay in the introduction of water charges to be turned into an opportunity to review the whole issue. Speaking after it was announced the introduction of charges would be put back a year to 2007, the Strangford MLA stated: ‘This delay was entirely expected, and was […]
Alliance Sports Spokesperson Cllr. Michael Long has offered his congratulations to the Northern Ireland football team on their victory over England at Windsor Park tonight. He also paid tribute to the Northern Ireland fans for their enthusiastic support for the team. Cllr. Long said, “I would just like to congratulate Lawrie Sanchez and the Northern […]
Alliance North Antrim spokesperson Jayne Dunlop has said the symbols, slogans (Posters) and acts of hatred witnessed recently around Ballymena do not represent most of the local community fairly. The Ballymena representative stated: ‘As if recent sectarian attacks were not enough, now we see posters justifying them appearing. ‘However, those responsible do not for one […]
Alliance Party Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has welcomed the decision of the Independent Monitoring Commission to present a special report on the situation within Loyalism to the Secretary of State Stephen Farry stated: “This is a necessary move on the part of the IMC. When Alliance first proposal its creation, it was intended to shine […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy has called for the delay in the introduction of water charges to be turned into an opportunity to review the whole issue. Speaking after it was announced the introduction of charges would be put back a year to 2007, the Strangford MLA stated: ‘This delay was entirely expected, and was […]
Alliance Deputy Leader Eileen Bell has said the delay in implementing water charges offers the opportunity to stop the implementation of a new type of poverty to Northern Ireland. Responding to comments by party colleague Kieran McCarthy, the North Down MLA stated: ‘I am glad that this delay will offer us the opportunity to review […]