Talks process needs fresh impetus says Alliance

  An Alliance Party delegation today met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, and stressed the need to end the drift around talks but to make changes to improve the prospect of progress. Stephen Farry said: “An Alliance delegation had a frank meeting with the Secretary of State. Northern Ireland is […]

Boundary commission recommendations flawed, says Alliance

Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Stephen Farry, has expressed significant concerns at the Final Recommendations published by the Boundary Commission, and focused on the distortions for the rest of Northern Ireland that arise from unjustified persistence with a four seat Belfast model. Stephen Farry said: “There are major problems at these Final Recommendations. An increasingly unwarranted […]

Bradshaw: Health workers pay must be addressed

Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has said that a pay award to nurses and other health workers must proceed immediately, as the failure to deliver it is directly harming service provision to patients. The South Belfast MLA stated: “In the context of rising inflation and thus a rising cost of living, there can be […]

Long: SOS intervention is long overdue

Alliance Leader Naomi Long has said the success of the Secretary of State’s latest plan for Northern Ireland will be seen through the actions of all involved in coming weeks, and added the interventions were “long overdue”. Speaking after Karen Bradley revealed her plan in the House of Commons – which included interim decision making […]

Approval of new children’s cancer drug in England raises questions around delays in Northern Ireland – Bradshaw

Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has hit out at the failure of the Department of Health in Northern Ireland even to explain the delay in approving new cancer treatments here, after a new children’s cancer drug was approved by NHS England in record time. The South Belfast MLA stated: “Since 2013 Northern Ireland has been […]

Armstrong: We must heed warning signs over NI Water

Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Kellie Armstrong has said the warning signs have been there, when it comes to the unfolding problems with how NI Water is funded. Kellie – who has previously raised concerns on these issues – said the latest report from NI Water only goes to prove that development in Northern Ireland is close […]

Nicholl asks Belfast City Council to support Brexit People’s Vote

Alliance Belfast Councillor Kate Nicholl has called for a People’s Vote on Brexit, as she revealed she will be urging all parties to back a motion on the issue at Monday’s Council meeting. Following the initial meeting of the Council’s Brexit Committee in August, the motion is part of a larger push by Alliance to […]

Alliance delighted to award Freedom of Borough to health and social care workers

Alliance Councillor Lorna McAlpine has said she was “delighted” to see the Freedom of the Borough finally awarded to health and social care workers across Ards and North Down, at a special ceremony in Bangor’s Walled Garden on Saturday.Securing the move back in March, Councillor McAlpine said the positive move was made even better by […]

Alliance to propose way forward on verge maintenance

Alliance Belfast Councillor Michael Long is to propose a motion which he hopes will deliver a way forward in tackling the issue of verge maintenance and grass cutting across the city. In 2014, the UUP Minister at the Department for Regional Development axed the grass cutting budget, with the result that cuts went from five […]

Long: Leaders must come together to restore powersharing

Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has called for a meeting of all party leaders in the Assembly, to agree a timetable for talks aimed at restoring powersharing. Mrs Long – who wrote to other party leaders last week – said she was still hopeful the planned meeting for September 3 would go ahead, despite the […]