The title of the DUP’s latest economic paper is well named – Rates Time Bomb – as they have had plenty of experience at creating one in Castlereagh Council. We have seen how the DUP operate; years of setting artificially low rates has led to cuts in the Council’s assets, services and jobs. While Peter […]
Alliance Party Councillor Michael Long has expressed his anger that an unrepresentative sub-committee has been set up by Castlereagh Borough Council to decide how much ratepayers’ money to spend on a Freedom of the Borough ceremony for Peter Robinson. There are to be four councillors on the grouping, three DUP and one UUP. Cllr Michael […]
Castlereagh Central Alliance Councillor Michael Long has welcomed the decision of the Planning Service to recommend a refusal for a planning application for five detached dwellings and nine apartments on green belt land to the rear of Grey Castle Manor. The recommendation was accepted at a meeting of the Planning Committee of Castlereagh Borough Council. […]
Aliiance prospective Assembly candidate Naomi Long has said that news that the Health Minister has rejected pharmacy deregulation in Northern Ireland will be warmly welcomed by elderly people. Ms Long said that east Belfast: “The ill thought-out plans for deregulation would undoubtedly have led to the demise of the community pharmacy in east Belfast. People […]
Alliance Assembly member Sean Neeson has accused Sinn Fein of blatant arrogance in its approach to policing and ‘acts of completion’. Mr Neeson said: “Sinn Fein’s dogmatic approach to policing and ending paramilitary activity is not only an insult to unionists, but an embarrassment to nationalists. “Sinn Fein are displaying exactly the same kind of […]
Alliance Deputy Leader Eileen Bell has said she is surprised at comments made by Martin McGuinness on the issue of people exiled by the IRA (reported in today’s Times). Refusing to give any commitment on the issue, Mr McGuinness said he “would be concerned at the prospect of people coming back into communities and there […]
Assembly Agriculture Committee member David Ford has welcomed the Government’s response to the O’Hare Review of agri-food education and R&D. Mr Ford stated: “It is clear that a single DARD college will be welcomed widely, rather than the proposed amalgamation with the local Further Education institutes. “The new research body will need both guaranteed funding […]
Alliance Deputy Leader Eileen Bell has said she is surprised at comments made by Martin McGuinness on the issue of people exiled by the IRA (reported in today’s Times). Refusing to give any commitment on the issue, Mr McGuinness said he “would be concerned at the prospect of people coming back into communities and there […]
Alliance Finance Spokesman Seamus Close has said he is not surprised to learn of financial improprieties in the ‘Into the West’ project managed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. Mr Close said: “It seems this project wasn’t so much about bringing jobs and investment ‘Into the West’, as it was about going ‘into […]
Alliance East Antrim Assembly member Sean Neeson has said that news that the Health Minister has today rejected pharmacy deregulation in Northern Ireland will be warmly welcomed by the elderly, infirm and those less well-off. Mr Neeson, who had spoken out in defence of East Antrim pharmacies against deregulation, said: “The ill thought-out plans for […]