Other News In Brief

UUP Calls For 'Functioning' Stormont To Address Windsor Framework

Northern Ireland needs a functioning devolved government to realise the opportunities and challenge the issues of the Windsor framework, UUP Leader Doug Beattie has said.

Following the vote in Westminster, Mr Beattie said: "The Windsor Framework has genuine opportunities, and it has serious challenges. The Ulster Unionist Party believes that in order to realise the opportunities and challenge the multiple issues then we need a functioning devolved government.

"The vote on the Stormont brake has shown that the UK Government are moving on and that the DUP boycott has failed. Unionism has a decision to make, do we want to have influence via the Assembly and Executive, or do we want to be nothing more than passengers with no say over the direction we are headed? The Ulster Unionist Party is clear as to which is best for Northern Ireland."

Alliance Calls For Clarity On £3m Tackling Paramilitarism Funding

Alliance has called for clarity on how an additional £3m allocated to Northern Ireland is to be spent. The budget statement said the money was to extend the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme.

North Belfast MLA, MLA Nuala McAllister, who is a member of the Policing Board, said: "Twenty five years after the Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by the majority of people in Northern Ireland it is time to put an end to paramilitarism once and for all. We have seen millions of pounds of taxpayer funds going into a wide range of programmes, yet we still have communities under the toxic influence of paramilitaries, whose main focus seems to be criminality.

"I am calling on the Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, to clearly set out what this additional £3m will be spent on and what results he expects.There are interventions that have demonstrated their positive impact and the public needs to be assured that this money will be spent wisely.

"The Secretary of State should also increase the levels of Additional Security Funding to help deal with the terrorist threat while not compromising day to day policing."

SF Calls For 'Electronic Travel Authorisation' Requirements To Be Scrapped

Sinn Féin has called for the has called on the British Home Office 'Electronic Travel Authorisation' requirements to be scrapped.

The party’s tourism spokesperson, Cathy Mason, said: "The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) proposals will create barriers for visitors coming into the north from the south. It should be scrapped.

"With around 70% of tourists in the north arriving in Ireland via Dublin, this legislation directly threatens £250 million that’s spent in the local economy.

"The visa-waiver document for journeys across the border will impact more than a half a million tourists annually and damage all-Ireland tourism.

"This policy is both absurd and offensive and shows a total lack of understanding by the British government about the damaging impact of this legislation to Ireland.

"Tourism and hospitality groups have been very clear in opposition to this legislation. The British Government should heed the call and scrap it."