Alliance Party Deputy Leader Naomi Long MLA has cautioned that a proposed three-day delay after Executive meetings for Ministers to inform the press about their decisions will give the impression of “cloak and dagger politics”. Naomi Long, who is Deputy Chair of the OFMDFM Assembly Committee, stated: “People will fully accept that Executive Ministers should […]
Alliance Education Spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA has stated he is pleased that the Minister Caitríona Ruane has announced that 20,000 extra computers will be provided for local schools. However, he said that if segregation concerning our schools was ended, we would see far more of these initiatives because hundreds of millions of pounds would be […]
Alliance Sustainability Spokesperson Alan Lawther has stated that cash made on plastic bag charges should be government controlled and should go to environmental projects. His demand comes in the wake of Marks and Spencer’s move to charge for plastic bags earlier in the week. Cllr Alan Lawther said: “Bag charges should be levied by the […]
Alliance Party Leader David Ford MLA has described the decision to build yet another peace wall, directly next to an integrated college, as a “sign of defeat” in the battle against segregation. David Ford stated: “Building any inappropriately named ‘peace wall’ next to a school is a sign of defeat. This is particularly so when […]
Alliance Party Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA, has demanded that the Executive parties work to eradicate the cost of segregation, in order to stop local people being forced to pay unfair stealth charges like rates hikes and tap tax. His comments come after it was announced in the Assembly Regional Development Committee that delaying water […]
North Antrim Alliance Representative Jayne Dunlop has expressed sadness at the news that St Mary’s Primary School in Harryville, Ballymena is closing. Over the last ten years the school has suffered a number of sectarian attacks including four serious fire bomb attacks and having a live device thrown at it. Jayne Dunlop said: “I was […]
Alliance Education Spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA has welcomed news that Translink has provided a fleet of new buses with special safety measures to protect school children; however, he stated there is an urgent need for legislation to ensure that all school pupils wear seatbelts on buses. Mr Lunn, who is Mayor of Lisburn City Council […]
Alliance Leader David Ford has welcomed the Assembly agreement on the Alliance motion to tackle the problems surrounding junior doctor training locally. David Ford said: “I welcoming the full agreement on the motion put forward by Dr Kieran Deeny and myself, and the Minister’s positive response. “I hope that the Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, will […]
Alliance Sustainability Spokesperson Cllr Alan Lawther has hailed news that Marks and Spencer will start charging for plastic bags and stated that Alliance has been campaigning for the introduction of a bag levy for a number of years. He said that this move must be the first step along the road to government placing a […]
David Ford’s Speech in the Assembly on the motion he co-proposed: In rising to propose this motion, I must first declare my interest as the father of two junior doctors, both affected in different ways by the disaster that is the so-called ‘Modernising Medical Careers’ scheme. However, as the motion makes clear, my friend Kieran […]