News

Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA has said it is time to ‘supercharge’ town centre regeneration and capture the opportunities of a green economy.

The South Antrim MLA said focusing investment on revitalising and generating footfall would help decarbonise the economy, while creating well-paid, secure green jobs in existing and emerging industries.

“We are facing a cost of living crisis, a weakened economy and more entrenched inequalities. Alliance recognises tackling the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis go hand in hand, and we urgently need a Green New Deal to capture the opportunities a green economy provides. It would pave the way for thousands of new jobs and ensure all of us benefit,” he said.

“Significant areas of potential increased employment and new jobs include the evolution of travel in Northern Ireland. The upgrade of new technology and infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging points will be crucial as we strive to reduce emissions by ensuring local provision near town centres. Charging hubs, perhaps combined with parklets and eco schemes, could become an attraction for our town centres and generate footfall at the same time.

“It is time to supercharge regeneration by supporting and investing in town and neighbourhood centres so they can become more diverse, sustainable and thriving places for communities to live, work and enjoy.

“We want our towns and town centres to be vibrant, creative, enterprising and accessible. We must increase connectivity by building the next generation of active travel networks and digital infrastructure, along with delivering skills and innovation to help people access more opportunities and pursue better careers.

“Ongoing ransom politics and failure to reform the Assembly and Executive is risking our ability to deliver economic growth and improved productivity and spread opportunity across Northern Ireland. We need sustainable, creative, innovative, green solutions, and we need them now.”

The local agri-food sector is not a ‘plaything’ for the future Conservative leader, Alliance MLA John Blair has said.

Mr Blair made the comments in the wake of the Tories and the DUP passing the Protocol Bill through its Commons stages. It has been described as a ‘travesty’ by local agri-food sector representatives.

“Maintaining current levels of food production and self-sufficiency, plus further refocusing of funding towards sustainable food production and nature friendly farming, are among the priorities for the sector,” said Mr Blair, Alliance’s agricultural spokesperson.

“Enabling local farms to boost productivity and help move the industry towards net-zero is vital. As well as a reformed immigration system recognising agriculture needs and current labour challenges, addressing trading to support Northern Ireland’s continued food and drink exports, and ensuring our high animal welfare and environmental standards are maintained.

“If enacted, the UK Government’s plans to override parts of the Protocol would undermine Northern Ireland’s unfettered access to the Single Market. It allows for trade flows to continue seamlessly between Northern Ireland and the south. Unilateral action to change it will have severe implications for local farmers.

“These proposed changes will impact the local agriculture industry specifically because it relies on UK materials, such as grain and pesticide for its feedstocks. Under a dual regulatory regime, not co-designed with the EU, they would not be recognised as produced in accordance with EU standards and therefore could mean local food and drink products are not recognised within the Single Market.

“This would be a disaster for farmers and the wider agri-food sector.”

Alliance MLA John Blair has questioned the PSNI over on-going loyalist paramilitary activity he has described as “threatening and destructive”.

Speaking during this week’s Policing Board meeting, John asked if the PSNI were involved in or aware of any reassessment of the threat such criminals pose to national security and the safety of our community.

He added: “We still have a way to go to rid our society of the scourge of paramilitarism and recent reports of a sinister nature are extremely worrying.

“A perceived increase in high profile activities of loyalist paramilitaries – in some cases with arrests being made – signals we are entering worrying times. Yet we can all come together to deliver better for everyone in Northern Ireland.

“I made a point of raising this at the Policing Board as it is crucial the PSNI is across the detail of these threats, reassessing them as these loyalist paramilitaries become more active, either to national security or to communities and the safety of everyone caught up in the cycle.

“I will continue to push this issue with the Policing Board to ensure we do all we can to rid our streets of those who assume control.”

Alliance Policing Board spokesperson John Blair MLA has called for a special Policing Board meeting dedicated to issues around alleged misconduct and the associated processes within the PSNI.

The PSNI had confirmed it was investigating a number of alleged incidents of misconduct spanning a number of years, yet full details are yet to emerge.

John said: “We must have full disclosure and clarification around the number of outstanding investigations and while this morning gave some space to ask questions of the PSNI, this will never allow us to fully access what has happened.

“The impact of these revelations is far reaching, which is why we need a dedicated meeting where all the details can be laid out.

“The PSNI will be aware how serious this situation is, but we must ensure a full open and transparent process and that the policing board is kept fully up-to-date as the body responsible for holding the PSNI to account.”

The UK Government’s Bill legislation on the Northern Ireland Protocol will be a travesty for the local dairy sector, Alliance MLA John Blair has said.

The party’s agricultural spokesperson was speaking after the Government unveiled plans to override parts of the Protocol, which if enacted, would undermine Northern Ireland’s unfettered access to the EU Single Market.

“The dairy sector is an integral and important part of the local economy, providing employment for thousands of people and export sales of almost £600 million to dozens of countries,” said the South Antrim MLA.

“The Protocol allows for trade flows to continue seamlessly between Northern Ireland and the south. Unilateral action to change it will have severe implications for local dairy farmers.

“These proposed changes will impact the dairy industry specifically because it relies on UK materials, such as grain and pesticide for its feedstocks. Under a dual regulatory regime, not co-designed with the EU, they would not be recognised as produced in accordance with EU standards, and could therefore mean local dairy products are not recognised within the EU Single Market.

“This would be a travesty for dairy farmers and the wider agri-food sector.”