Important to use NHS anniversary to show need for reform, says Bradshaw

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said it is important we use the anniversary of the creation of the NHS to show it needs reform. The health service will celebrate its 70th birthday tomorrow (Thursday). Ms Bradshaw said a number of issues meant reforms were necessary to ensure it survived for another 70 years. […]

Julian McGrath becomes newest Alliance Councillor

Julian McGrath has become the newest Alliance Councillor in the Antrim and Newtownabbey team, after he was selected to replace John Blair MLA in representing the Glengormley Urban ward. A member of the Alliance Party since 2011, Julian said he was delighted to carry on the “good work of his friend and colleague” John, adding […]

Long: City Hall must address funding carve up

  Alliance Councillor Michael Long has said Belfast City Council must address how funding decisions are made, after DUP Sinn Féin funding carve up almost went unchallenged due to a blatant mistake. The Councillor for East Belfast questioned the mechanisms that allowed both parties to work together to assign £400,000 to organisations previously handpicked by […]

McReynolds: Council should back MS society campaign

Alliance Councillor Peter McReynolds has called on Belfast City Council to back the scrapping of the 20 metre rule because of the detrimental effect it has those in need of Personal Independence Payments. Under Disability Living Allowance individuals were required to be able to walk no further than 50 metres to obtain the higher rate […]

Confederate flags must be removed, says Lyttle

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has urged those flying racist, white supremacist symbols in East Belfast to remove them immediately. On the appearance of the Confederate Flags in the Island Street area, Alliance representatives wrote to the PSNI urging them to consider if the erection of the symbols could be viewed as a racist hate crime, […]

McDonough Brown welcomes extension of Belfast Bikes in South Belfast

Alliance Councillor Emmet McDonough Brown has welcomed news work is set to begin on the relocation of Belfast Bikes to three key locations across South Belfast – a move he has long campaigned for. The new bike docks will be located at sites on the Ormeau Road, Stranmillis and at Catalyst Inc, after the scheme […]

All roads lead to Brexit Backstop

Alliance Brexit Spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA, has responded to comments from the EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and the statement from the EU Council which express frustration at lack of progress on negotiations, adding there is no realistic alternative to the UK Government accepting the backstop, with the failure to do so leading to a […]

Long calls for restoration intensification on talks deadline anniversary

Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has said there needs to be an immediate intensification in the UK Government’s attempts to restore powersharing, on the anniversary of the talks deadline last year. Then Secretary of State James Brokenshire set the deadline of June 29, 2017 to restore the Executive following the General Election earlier that month. […]

People urged to follow advice on using water by Armstrong

Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has urged people to follow advice on using water wisely in the hot weather. Northern Ireland Water issued the guidance after recent high demand on the local water supply system in the wake of a recent increase in temperatures. Current demand is at 700 million litres a day, an […]

Alliance leads cross-party delegation to Audit Office

The Alliance Party today led a cross-party delegation to the Audit Office, in a bid to highlight the on-going carve up of Belfast City Council funds between the DUP and Sinn Féin. Joined by UUP and SDLP representatives, the meeting aimed to address the latest allocation of £200,000 to organisations pre-agreed by the DUP and […]