Alliance Assembly member Seamus Close has called on the SDLP to join with him in urging the Secretary of State to reconvene the Assembly in order to debate a motion to exclude Sinn Fein under Section 30 of the NI Act. Mr Close was speaking after SDLP Leader Mark Durkan said last night that without […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has written to Minister Ian Pearson to ask why the NI Statistics and Research Agency allocated almost 14 percent of the population here to religious categories they did not indicate any affiliation to. Mr Ford said: “Almost 14 percent of the population chose not to declare themselves as having a religion, […]
Alliance Deputy Leader Eileen Bell has questioned David Trimble’s right to exclude the voice of a large majority of the electorate by failing to participate in the current political negotiations. Mrs Bell said: “David Trimble wants to restrict what he sees as the only meaningful talks between the two governments, neither of which has any […]
ALLIANCE South Belfast representative Geraldine Rice has accused the SDLP of “outrageous arrogance”, following that party’s suggestion that Carryduff PSNI Station should be closed. Councillor Rice, who will be raising the issue with Acting Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Hunter in mid-February, said that many residents had attended public meetings with PSNI and made it clear […]
Alliance Finance Spokesman Seamus Close MLA has said he would have no confidence in a Government investigation into payments to paramilitaries posing as ‘community workers’ Mr Close was speaking after NIO Minister Des Browne said this morning that such payments – such as those to jailed UFF commander Johnny Adair – would be investigated by […]
Alliance East Antrim MLA Sean Neeson has accused the SDLP of “outrageous arrogance”, following that party’s suggestion that Whitehead PSNI Station should be closed. Mr Neeson said: “It is up to local people to make representations about Whitehead police station, not a political party which has very limited support in the area.” “To further suggest […]
A North Down councillor has said Holywood is becoming an easy target for robbers. Alderman Susan O’Brien was speaking after a garage was robbed this morning on the Old Holywood Road, Redburn, for the second time in five weeks. The Post Office at Abbey Place was also robbed last Friday in the town and a […]
Alliance Community relations spokesperson Eileen Bell MLA has raised concerns over the future of the Community Relations Council following the launch of the NIO’s new consultation paper ‘A Shared Future: Improving Relations in Northern Ireland’ today. Alliance launched its own paper ‘Building a United Community’ two weeks ago. However, Mrs Bell congratulated the NIO on […]
Alliance Party South Belfast representative Geraldine Rice has condemned the petrol bomb attack on a family home in Dunmurray as ‘disgusting’. Ms Rice said: “This sectarian attack shows just how low some people are prepared to go. This could have led to the deaths of two young children, one only a baby.” “Those behind this […]
ALLIANCE Castlereagh Councillor Michael Long has welcomed proposals by Minister of State Angela Smith today to increase the number of fixed and mobile speed cameras on our roads. Locally, Cllr Long welcomed an increase in the number of speed traps at Lower Braniel Road and Church Road following requests from him. He said: “Given the […]