Alliance Councillors working to save historic Cultra Rail Station House

Holywood Alliance Councillors Larry Thompson and Andrew Muir have been campaigning to save Cultra Station House. Contact has been made with the Minister for the Environment and a meeting held with top officials to work out a way to save the building. The Station House is located at Cultra Railway Halt and close to the […]

Lyttle welcomes increase in student places

Alliance Employment and Learning spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has welcomed the announcement of 700 extra places at Northern Ireland’s higher and further education institutions from 2012/13. All the places are in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math degrees. East Belfast MLA Chris Lyttle said: “The extra places are necessary given the anticipated increase in Northern Irish […]

Long secures debate in Westminster on Forthcoming Decade of Centenaries in UK and Ireland

Alliance East Belfast MP Naomi Long has secured a debate in Westminster Hall on the issue of the forthcoming decade of significant centenaries of events affecting the shared history of the UK and Ireland. The debate will start at 11:00am tomorrow (Wednesday). Naomi Long MP said: “We are approaching a decade of important centenaries from […]

Webb motion on Belfast air route passed at Belfast Council

Alliance Belfast Victoria Councillor Andrew Webb has proposed a motion at Belfast Council that gained support across the chamber, calling on the Northern Ireland Secretary of State to seek assurances from the purchasers of BMI that landing slots from Belfast to Heathrow will be kept open. Cllr Andrew Webb said: “The Belfast to Heathrow route […]

Excerpts from Anna Lo’s speech proposing the motion on hydraulic fracturing

Here are excerpts from Alliance Environment Spokesperson Anna Lo’s speech proposing a motion in the Assembly today on hydraulic fracturing. Excerpts from speech by Anna Lo MLA (subject to change on delivery): “I welcome the opportunity to bring forward this motion and urge members to embrace our responsibility as public servants to protect our society […]

Lawther calls on Regional Development Minister to investigate cause of motorway crash

Alliance Antrim Councillor Alan Lawther has called on the Minister for Regional Development to investigate the cause of a crash on the M2 near Antrim Area Hospital on Tuesday morning involving three cars that caused long delays. Cllr Alan Lawther said: “This was obviously a very serious crash that had a big effect on traffic […]

Dickson condemns Carrickfergus petrol bomb attack

Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson has condemned those responsible for the petrol bomb attack on a house on Hawthorn Avenue in Carrickfergus on Sunday night. No one was hurt but damage was caused to a shed. Stewart Dickson MLA said: “I am shocked and outraged at this attack. Somebody could have been seriously injured […]

Hendron amendment to motion on Lord Mayor is passed at Belfast Council

Alliance Belfast Council Group Leader Máire Hendron proposed an amendment to the motion at Belfast Council on Monday night that was passed on the issue of the Lord Mayor snubbing an young army cadet at a Duke of Edinburgh award scheme last week. The amendment accepted the apology and reaffirmed the need to agree to […]

Lyttle says progress needed on Child Poverty Action Plan

Following news that relative income poverty for children in Northern Ireland is at 28% and the figure for the UK is 20%, Alliance Party Spokesperson on OFMDFM matters Chris Lyttle MLA has asked why there is still no Child Poverty Action Plan and still no childcare strategy. Chris Lyttle MLA said: “It is staggering that […]