Dr. Alasdair McDonnell MP

Queried Employmenent and Learning Minister Stephen Farry MLA on whether he has facilitated talks to encourage greater partnership between St Marys and Stranmillis Colleges

From this morning pensioners can invest in National Savings 65+ Guaranteed Growth Bonds returning up to 4%. The so called “pensioner bonds” will offer fixed savings rates over one to three years and stem from a commitment by the UK Government last year. Earlier this month I wrote to the Treasury seeking confirmation of when these savings bonds would […]

Today in the Assembly I extended solidarity to the people of France in the wake of attacks in Paris last week. I asserted that the people of Northern Ireland will stand with France and Europe against terrorism. Last week an awful and unimaginable tragedy struck the city of Paris. The impact of this terrible event […]

Happy new year to everyone and the best of luck for 2015

Its good news that RTE have postponed the decision to shut the longwave radio transmitter. The signal was due to cease in mid January, and with the medium wave service having ended in 2008, it left listeners reliant on the FM signal. RTE have confirmed that the service will now be maintained to 2017, and […]

This week in the NI Assembly the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill was passed and it is expected to receive Royal Assent in January 2015. Measures include new consolidated offences, changes to sentencing, new civil prevention Orders, measures to support victims and provisions to assist with the confiscation of criminal assets of those who traffic or […]

I noted with interest the announcement by the Health Minister Jim Wells of policy plans to introduce minimum unit pricing for Alcohol. This morning Jim Wells has re-opened the debate on minimum unit pricing for Alcohol in the North, signalling an intent to introduce a policy paper. This is something I had advocated earlier in the […]