Gray pledges to turn Mid and East Antrim into dog friendly area after being selected as candidate

Alliance’s Lauren Gray has pledged to turn Mid and East Antrim Borough into a dog friendly Council if elected as Councillor in May. Alliance activist Lauren, who has been selected as a candidate for the Carrick Castle District Electoral Area in May’s local government election, said the opt-in scheme would make premises across Mid and […]

McAllister asks for urgent review into zoo safety

Alliance North Belfast Councillor Nuala McAllister has asked for an urgent review into safety measures at Belfast Zoo, after a chimpanzee escaped from its enclosure there. Footage showed one chimp walking along a path beside members of the public, while other chimpanzees also climbed onto the enclosure wall after scaling tree branches propped up against […]

Backstop cannot be removed from Withdrawal Agreement, says Long

The proposed backstop cannot be removed from the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has said. Mrs Long was speaking after meeting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Belfast. She said it was a positive meeting in which she outlined the concerns of people here around proposed changes to the backstop following last week’s vote […]

McReynolds says time is running out for those concerned about PIP

Alliance Councillor Peter McReynolds has said time is running out for people affected by Personal Independence Payments (PIP), after he attended a meeting with the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Communities to raise his major concerns about the benefit. The meeting follows a motion Councillor McReynolds recently brought to Belfast City Council, aimed at […]

Lyttle encourages participation in childcare survey

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has encouraged people to participate in a major survey on the issue of childcare here. Employers for Childcare’s Childcare Cost Survey 2019 seeks the views on the provision of childcare in Northern Ireland, and the support available for parents and childcare providers. The results inform the organisation’s campaigning for better support […]

Blair welcomes confirmation Durham police chief will appear at Policing Board over journalist arrests

Alliance MLA John Blair has welcomed confirmation the Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary is willing to attend a meeting of the Policing Board to answer questions around the arrest of two journalists in relation to alleged theft of documents from the Police Ombudsman’s Office. Following a question at today’s Policing Board meeting from Mr Blair, […]

Bradshaw calls on PHA to launch new cervical screening campaign

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has called on the Public Health Agency to launch a new, targeted campaign to encourage younger women in particular to go for cervical screening. The South Belfast MLA was speaking after news there had been a drop in the uptake of the tests among women here aged 25-29. “It […]

Long: Only a deal will provide reassurance for NI over Brexit

Alliance leader Naomi Long has said that today’s meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May is not what is required to provide reassurance in NI over Brexit: that only a deal can do so at this stage. Mrs Long was speaking after the Alliance Party held a meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesday morning. She […]

Prime Minister’s speech didn’t answer how to avoid hard border, says Farry

Alliance Brexit spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA has said the Prime Minister has no viable policy to avoid a hard border after Brexit. Dr Farry was speaking after Theresa May’s speech to business leaders in Belfast, in which she defended her strategy on Brexit. “The Prime Minister can keep stressing her commitment to the Good Friday […]

Bradshaw says concern understandable after smear test news

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said there will be understandable concern after 86 women were asked to contact their GP to rearrange cervical smear tests. The Western Trust said it had reviewed cases screened and reported at its pathology laboratory between April 2018 – June 2018. Of the 86 women affected, 61 of […]