Naomi Long MP has condemned sectarian abuse given to junior boxers at a competition in her constituency. Alliance MP Mrs Long said the abuse, which erupted during the competition at Avoniel Leisure Centre on Thursday (January 22) would have been an “awful” experience for those subjected to it. The competition involved boxers from the Dockers […]
Alliance MP Naomi Long has praised the agencies involved in temporarily closing a local primary school as a precaution following the receiving of a threat. Mrs Long said the malicious communication, received by Elmgrove Primary School in her East Belfast constituency via email today (Thursday), was”reckless in the extreme” due to the disruption it had […]
Alliance Newtownabbey Councillor John Blair has congratulated the Police following the raid that they carried out overnight in Newtownabbey in which cocaine with a value of over £600,000 was discovered. Three high value cars and £300,000 in cash were also seized. A man and a woman were arrested. Cllr John Blair, who is Chair of […]
Alliance Health spokesperson, Kieran McCarthy MLA, has urged the Health Minister Jim Wells to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes in Northern Ireland after it was announced that plans for it to become law in England would be brought forward. MPs will vote on it before the General Election and it could take effect in 2016. […]
Alliance East Belfast MP, Naomi Long, has said the official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq War should be published as soon as possible, after it was revealed there were no plans to do so before the General Election. Inquiry Chair Sir John Chilcot said there was ‘no realistic prospect’ of publication before polling day on […]
East Belfast MP Naomi Long has expressed her disgust after a viable device found in her constituency forced a number of residents to evacuate their properties for a period overnight. Alliance MP Mrs Long said the device, found in the Pottingers Quay apartment complex in the Short Strand area just before 8pm yesterday (Tuesday), had […]
East Belfast Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has welcomed the u-turn by the Enterprise Minister to reinstate the Tourism Events Fund, adding the fund could still be facing a cut of 60 percent on the 2014/15 budget. The MLA for East Belfast is seeking clarity as to whether the £1 million announced is the total […]
Alliance Social Development spokesperson, Stewart Dickson MLA, has criticised the delays in introducing the Regeneration Bill which had its second stage in the Assembly on Tuesday. The legislation will transfer regeneration functions from central government to the new Councils, but due to the delays, this will not happen until 2016, a year after the new […]
Last year saw shocking incidents of religious persecution around the world. The Middle East continued to be a hotbed for conflict and intolerance; Nigeria and Sudan were just two of the African countries to have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. I have been vocal in condemning violence, discrimination and intolerance, while defending […]
Alliance Finance and Personnel spokesperson, Judith Cochrane MLA has said that the Executive’s approach to budgeting will not secure the long term economic future of Northern Ireland. She was speaking as the Finance Minister presented the budget to the Assembly on Monday. Judith Cochrane MLA said: “This budget will do nothing to make our finances […]