THOSE responsible for loyalist bonfires should be subject to the same laws as everyone else, according to Alliance. Assembly member Naomi Long (East Belfast) was speaking after it was revealed that work on 11 July bonfires has already started in some areas, such as the Lower Newtownards Road. Councillor Long said: “While Eleventh Night bonfires […]
AS the ‘ceasefires’ of the UDA and IRA fall under the spotlight again today, Alliance Leader David Ford has said paramilitaries should end all attacks, whether on their own community or not. Mr Ford said: ” It’s not up to paramilitaries to define ceasefires in their own terms They must instead live up to what […]
ALLIANCE Leader David Ford has said that Government inaction over continuing violence is undermining confidence in the political process. Speaking ahead of a meeting with the Secretary of State this afternoon, Mr Ford said: “Three days ago there was a very serious incident in Castle Street, Belfast. On Saturday, the Chief Constable stated that he […]
ALLIANCE Assembly member Seamus Close MLA has said that a ‘truth commission’ would be more likely to lead to greater public cynicism in this era of political spin than to actually getting to genuine facts. Mr Close said: “Any talk of a truth commission would be funny if it weren’t so serious. Can anyone even […]
ALLIANCE Assembly member Kieran McCarthy has said that the loss of 550 jobs at TK-ECC is a hammer blow to the constituency. Alderman McCarthy said: “The effects of these job losses will be felt throughout the area. This is devastating news and it will take a long time and much effort to improve the employment […]
Following Policing Board chairman Des Rea’s call for a ‘Truth Commission’, Alliance Party Victims Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Eileen Bell stated: “It is incumbent on all parties to devise structures that can give some, even limited, sense of redress and justice to victims who feel neglected. “The costs of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry are frightening […]
By David Ford MLA, Alliance Party Leader MUCH has been made of Alliance’s opposition to the use of 50:50 quotas to recruit officers to the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, but a lot less has been said about what we have proposed as a replacement. Unlike other parties which are content to shout ‘no’ […]
ALLIANCE Councillor Tom Ekin has condemned the suspected racist attack in the Botanic area of South Belfast last night. Councillor Ekin is chairman of Belfast City Council’s new Good Relations Committee, which was set up to improve relationships between different communities in the city. The South Belfast councillor stated: “I totally condemn the actions of […]
THE IRSP’s denial that the INLA are not directly responsible for the deaths of young men in north Belfast who committed suicide following paramilitary shootings is “pathetic and unconvincing”. Alliance Party Victims Spokesperson Eileen Bell stated: “Sadly, paramilitaries are continuing to exert their unaccountable power through the barrel of a gun and tearing families apart. […]
ALLIANCE Councillor and Castlereagh District Policing Partnership member Geraldine Rice has hit out at nationalist calls for the PSNI to do more to combat crime against the elderly while at the same time calling for cuts in Police Reserve numbers. Cllr Rice stated: “I condemn all attacks on the elderly and see a real need […]