Alliance Leader David Ford has asked the Minister for Education, Martin McGuinness, to halt the sale of the former Ardglass Primary School. The school has been placed on the open market by the South Eastern Education and Library Board, apparently in contradiction of promises made when the school was closed that it would remain an […]
Alliance Castlereagh Councillor Michael Long has condemned threats to hospital staff in the Belfast area. Cllr Long said he had been very concerned for staff safety after hearing about threats issued to staff at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald. Councillor Long stated: “This is a very worrying development, and has affected workers from all sections of […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has welcomed the start to consultation for a possible independent ceasefire assessor. Mr Ford was speaking after receiving a letter from the Secretary of State stating that Dr Reid saw a case for shining a light “on levels of paramilitary violence in the community, both loyalist and republican”, and supplementing the […]
Letter received today (Fri) from John Reid to D Ford: Information about levels of paramilitary violence in the community in Northern Ireland In my statement to the House of Commons on 24 July, I said that it would help us and the public in NI to have more transparent information about the involvement of paramilitary […]
Alliance MLA Kieran McCarthy, who is a member of the Assembly’s Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, stated: “As a party that recognises the cultural diversity of Northern Ireland, Alliance would support greater coverage of Ulster-Scots in local broadcasting. For many here, Ulster-Scots is a central part of their cultural heritage, although sadly it has been […]
Alliance Assembly member for East Antrim Sean Neeson has strongly condemned last night’s arson attack on Whitehouse Presbyterian Church. Speaking after he visited the site of the destruction this morning, Mr Neeson said he had many memories of the church: “I am totally disgusted at the extent of the damage done to the church. It’s […]
“If there is one thing that unites the entire Northern Ireland community right now, it is the justified and outright frustration with paramilitary groups on both sides of the sectarian divide.” “Everyone agrees that something must be done to ensure that ceasefires are really ceasefires – but, so far, no-one has been quite sure about […]
Alliance leader David Ford has condemned the murder of a man at a Territorial Army base near Londonderry today. Mr Ford said: “The cowards who left this device must take full responsibility for this innocent man’s death, and my sympathy goes to his family and friends.” “This incident occurred just as the public were about […]
Eileen Bell MLA, Alliance Deputy Leader and Victims Spokesperson commented recently; “I felt sick when I heard the UFF’s twisted ‘justification’ for the brutal murder of a young man on his way home from the pub just a few days ago.” “Yesterday’s dissident republican murder of a civilian contractor near Londonderry was equally disgusting, and […]
Alliance deputy leader Eileen Bell MLA has urged the public to come out in their thousands at tomorrow’s peace rally at Belfast City Hall. Mrs Bell said: “After the sectarian murders of two entirely innocent men in the past few days, people feel understandably angry, frustrated and saddened by ongoing paramilitary violence.” “We need to […]