North Belfast Alliance Councillor Tom Campbell has called on the people of Whitewell to “remain calm” after last night’s early morning petrol bomb attack in the Van Dyke Road area of the City.

The Belfast City Councillor launched a scathing attack against those responsible for the attack and said:

“I utterly condemn this type of violence and I hope that anyone with information in relation to this terrible crime should contact the police before it’s too late. The people of the area have suffered for long enough.

“Those who are responsible for this attack don’t care who they harm and are only interested in stirring up sectarian hatred and tension in the area. But nothing can ever justify this type of behaviour.

“Alliance condemns the individuals who orchestrated and took part in this crime and I would again urge the residents from the area to step back from this hatred by living together in a peaceful atmosphere.”

The Alliance Leader Lord Alderdice has welcomed today’s meeting between the speaker of the House of Commons and Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness.

John Alderdice said:

“We are living through a period of significant and hopefully positive change in the politics of these islands and it may be that both Sinn Fein and Parliament are finding it difficult to know how to deal with these changes.

“On one hand Provisional Sinn Fein, which have had so much given to it in recent times, is finding it hard to understand that they must conform to democracy as well as making demands of it. They have two representatives in a Parliament of almost two thousand and yet are demanding special privileges for themselves. The incessant demands for special attention for Sinn Fein are also evident in other areas.

“At the same time Parliament is not finding it easy to deal with Sinn Fein representatives who instead of boycotting, want to participate, and the speaker is placed in a very awkward position by the speed of these changes. I trust that more progress and more positive developments on all sides will lead to a resolution of this problem and a deepening and strengthening of democracy and the involvement of all sections of the community.”

South Antrim Alliance Councillor Brian McConnell has urged the Department of the Environment and the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company to declare their position in relation to Antrim’s Ulster Bar site.

Councillor McConnell, who tabled a series of questions to Environment Minister Lord Dubs at a special Council meeting last Wednesday, said it was necessary for the “relevant parties” to outline their plans for the area.

Mr. McConnell added that the DoE should re-consider the proposed construction of a modern bus station by initiating a development to meet the “commercial and retail” needs of the people of Antrim.

Councillor McConnell said: “We had a good and constructive meeting with Lord Dubs but I want to know where the DoE stands in relation to the development of the old Ulster Bar site.

“It must be developed in such a way as to facilitate the demands of the people of Antrim. And I think the minister should sit down with the DoE and look at the original concept once again.

“Many people may think that the construction of a modern bus station is a good idea. However, equally important is the need for the DoE and Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company to explore other avenues of thought.

“The site is an eye-sore and it’s essential for the development to proceed without any hindrance. We can’t allow this site to fester any longer. The public must be made aware about the current state of play of this site.

Delivery vehicles who visit Antrim’s commercial heartland should be restricted to different times of the day, South Antrim Alliance Councillor Brian McConnell has claimed.

Councillor McConnell, who was speaking at an Antrim Borough Council meeting with Environment Minister Lord Dubs last Wednesday, proposed a 10.30am delivery time on all goods vehicles visiting the town centre.

Mr. McConnell welcomed the Environment’s Minister’s views on public transport in Antrim, but said that shoppers were becoming increasingly concerned with the influx of heavy goods vehicles.

Councillor McConnell said: “I think the Minister should use his influence and persuade the Department of the Environment to look closely at the issue of public transport – particularly in relation to Antrim Town centre.

“We have a huge lorries in the town centre every day and more and more motorists are finding it increasingly difficult to gain access to the town – especially the town’s disabled drivers.

“I think the town needs support on this issue from the Minister and I don’t think it’s unrealistic for the DoE to allocate certain time limits for the delivery of retail and commercial goods.

“Overall, I believe this step would be a major boost to Antrim’s town centre and public transport system.”

Commenting upon the report that the attempt by Lord Cranborn to bring about cross-party Unionist agreement has failed, Alliance Spokesman Dr Philip McGarry has said that the last thing that Northern Ireland needs is either pan-unionism or pan-nationalism.

Dr McGarry said:

“The only way we shall achieve a real and lasting peace is to bring about an agreement that heels the bitter divide in our society. For this to come about moderate Unionists have a duty to come to an accommodation with moderate Nationalists and vice-versa. However, if instead nationalists continue to line up together and Unionists seek further Unionist Unity then all that will be achieved will be a deepening of division.”

Councillor David Ford, Alliance General Secretary, has described the procedures for the privatisation of Belfast International Airport as ‘disgraceful’.

David Ford, who is Councillor for the Aldergrove area, said: “It is clear that the sell-off was carried out in the interests of Conservative dogma, not in the interests of local people. The procedures which cost the public purse £50 million were disgraceful.

“I am also worried about the attitude of the present Government I don’t want to hear Lord Dubs blame the Treasury, rather than the DoE. I want to hear him say that Labour will stop all such sales.

“Lord Dubs is responsible for a huge range of public services including water. Will he give a commitment to stop the policy of selling of such assets?”

Alliance leader, Lord Alderdice, has paid tribute to Dick Spring, who has just announced his resignation as leader of the Irish Labour Party.

Lord Alderdice said, “I have worked with Dick Spring on and off for about ten years now, and find him a man of great ability and energy. I very much enjoyed his wry sense of humour and inevitably found meetings with him interesting, enjoyable and worthwhile. I have the greatest of respect for him and his ability and his loss as Labour leader will undoubtedly be the gain of wherever he chooses to take his future career. I believe that history will judge him not only one of the most influential but also one of the more positive influences in Irish politics in his generation.”

East Antrim Alliance Forum Member, Alderman Sean Neeson, has condemned the weekend attack on the home of SDLP councillor Danny O’Connor.

Mr Neeson says, “Any such attack must be condemned as an attack on democracy itself, which was undoubtedly carried out by mindless thugs. I would appeal to the local community to assist police in ending this type of sectarian attack that has surfaced in the Larne area.”

Peninsula Alderman, Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the Minister for Political Development’s forthright assurances given to Councillors at last week’s meeting with Ards Borough Council members. Even though Mr Paul Murphy is not long in office, he seems to have a real grasp of the problems associated with Northern Ireland, from the underfunding of health and education, to the need for more local involvement in running Northern Ireland’s affairs.

Alderman McCarthy, as the Alliance representative for Strangford constituency at the Castle Buildings talks, has been in regular discussion with Mr Murphy, and said that the Minister’s response to the varied questions put to him set out in clear terms what we all have to do to reach an agreement. Mr Murphy explained that the most important part of the present political discussions is the agreed setting up of a Northern Ireland Assembly, representative of all parties where locally elected people can have responsibility for running the affairs of Northern Ireland.

There also has to be a good constructive and workable arrangements between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and the third element of the discussions must be the relationship between Ireland and Britain.

Mr Murphy reiterated once again that the Principle of Consent of the people of Northern Ireland was paramount and it is up to the elected representatives of the people to work together to bring about consensus. If and when that agreement comes about, Mr Murphy and his other ministers and go home, and Northern Irish politicians can exercise their responsibilities by running the affairs of Northern Ireland in a fair and equitable manner.

Alderman McCarthy hoped that all council members will play their part in supporting Mr. Murphy and his colleagues to bring about a resolution of our problems.