Andy Allen MLA

29/05/2026

🎉 You are invited to EastSide Greenways Community Fun Day 🎉

📍C.S. Lewis Square
🗓️ Saturday June 13th
⏰ 12pm - 3pm
Free, all welcome!

Expect food, music, community chats and lots of fun activities 🥳 It’s a day out for all ages to celebrate us kicking off a five year project funded by the National Lottery. Come and celebrate the next chapter for the Connswater Community Greenway 🎉🌳

28/05/2026

Important engagement on disability inclusion.

28/05/2026

Fibrus Play it Forward Fund

Fibrus has launched its 2026 Play it Forward fund, with a £50k pot available this summer to sports clubs who want to upgrade equipment, kits, facilities or subsidise training fees.

Clubs can apply for up to £1,000 today, with the application window closing at 12 noon on Friday 12 June 2026.

To learn more about the full eligibility criteria and how to apply to the Fibrus Play it Forward Fund, visit https://fibrus.com/play-it-forward-fund/.

Please share with or tag any clubs etc who might be interested.

24/05/2026

As you may already be aware, a significant fire has broken out this afternoon at a scrap metal recycling facility in the Harbour Estate.

Belfast Harbour Police are working closely with Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and Police Service of Northern Ireland in response to the incident.

Queens Road and Airport Road (both ends) are currently closed to traffic. Belfast Harbour Police are advising local residents to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.

Photo: Emergency services at the scene of a major blaze in Belfast Docks on May 24th 2026. Photo credit: Kevin Scott © Kevin Scott.

23/05/2026

PCSP Grants are now open!

£1,000 - £3,500 available to support Belfast-based voluntary groups to deliver projects to improve community safety locally.

Email [email protected] for an application pack and to register for one of the online information sessions.

Grant Applications close on Friday 5th June 2026

23/05/2026

An amazing evening sharing my life journey to date, from growing up in East Belfast, joining the Army, sustaining life-changing injuries in Afghanistan, the long road of recovery, charity work, competing at the Invictus Games, and reflecting on the amazing support I’ve had along the way which has made a massive difference to me and my family.

A sincere thank you to the Royal British Legion Women’s Section for everything they continue to do, particularly their support for the Invictus Games Family Programme, and to the Kilkeel section for their superb hospitality and a truly enjoyable evening.

𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗕𝗟 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗕𝗘

Last night our Women’s Section were honoured to host Andy Allen MBE In Kilkeel Legion at our dinner.

Andy is a true hero who so humbly shared his story of service and sacrifice. His journey is genuinely inspiring and his continued work for the veterans community is incredibly important. With the continued support of his wife Natalie and their family over the years Andy’s sincerity and openness of his experiences is very powerful. We thank them for joining us as well as thanking all in attendance.

Royal British Legion Kilkeel

21/05/2026

Spotlight on a Bill: Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill

The Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill seeks to introduce direct payments during school holiday periods for children and young people already entitled to Free School Meals.

The Bill would:

• Place a legal duty on the Education Authority to provide holiday meal payments;
• Provide payments directly into nominated bank accounts;
• Link payments to existing Free School Meal entitlement;
• Set payment levels in line with the published cost of school meals;

The Bill follows the ending of the previous School Holiday Food Grant scheme in 2023.

Estimated costs outlined within the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum suggest annual expenditure of approximately £20m–£23m, depending on uptake, inflation and school meal costs.

As always, I’m keen to hear views from the public and stakeholders on legislation coming before the Assembly.

Do you have any particular views on the Bill?

You can read the bill and the explanatory and financial memorandum here: https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2022-2027-mandate/primary-legislation-bills-22-27-mandate/education-holiday-meal-payments-bill/

20/05/2026

Non-Executive bills

Did you know there are several Non-Executive Bills currently making their way through the Northern Ireland Assembly or due to be debated in the near future?

These Bills are introduced by individual MLAs rather than by Ministers or Departments.

Present bills include:

• Hunting with Dogs Bill
https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2022-2027-mandate/primary-legislation-bills-22-27-mandate/hunting-with-dogs-bill/

The Hunting with Dogs Bill proposes to prohibit the use of dogs to hunt, attack, or kill wild mammals. The policy objectives of the Bill are to:

• prohibit the use of dogs to hunt, attack, or kill wild mammals; and

• close off any potential loophole where trail hunting is used as a smokescreen for illegal hunting.

• Areas with Natural Constraints (Payments) Bill
https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2022-2027-mandate/primary-legislation-bills-22-27-mandate/anc-bill/

The Areas with Natural Constraints (Payments) Bill proposes the reintroduction of payments to farmers operating in Areas with Natural Constraints (ANCs). The policy objectives of the Bill are to:

• Compensate farmers for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone due to production constraints in ANCs;

• Alleviate the burden of production costs in these difficult farming environments;

• Address the reduction in agricultural opportunities for those farming in designated ANC areas; and

• Better promote equality of opportunity for farmers in these regions.

• Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill
https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2022-2027-mandate/primary-legislation-bills-22-27-mandate/education-holiday-meal-payments-bill/

The Bill aims to address the serious issue of ‘holiday hunger’ by seeking to secure provision of permanent financial support through direct payments, in lieu of Free School Meals (FSMs), during school holiday periods for those who are entitled.

• Irish-medium Education (Workforce Plan) Bill
https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2022-2027-mandate/primary-legislation-bills-22-27-mandate/irish-medium-education-workforce-plan-bill/

The Bill seeks to address serious and persistent Irish-medium education (IME) sector staffing shortages across all roles and phases by requiring the Department of Education to prepare, publish and keep under review a strategic workforce plan at defined intervals.

Quite often MLAs receive a broad range of views on legislation from constituents, organisations and stakeholders which helps inform scrutiny and consideration as Bills progress through the Assembly process.

Do you have views on any of these Bills?

I’m always keen to hear views on legislation coming before the Assembly.

📧 [email protected]

11/05/2026

Today, as Chair of the All-Party Group on Fuel Poverty, supported by National Energy Action NI, I chaired an important discussion focused on current and future energy market volatility and the impact on households across Northern Ireland.

The APG is an important forum that brings together stakeholders, elected representatives, departmental officials, and others to discuss fuel poverty and the challenges many households face.

Today’s session brought together representatives from the Utility Regulator and energy providers to discuss the current position, the pressures within the energy market, and how they are preparing for the period ahead, particularly for those most vulnerable to fuel poverty.

With continued uncertainty around global energy markets, these discussions are important to ensure households are supported and that concerns around affordability and energy security remain firmly on the agenda.

10/05/2026

Band statement - 10/5/2026

The Protestant Boys East Belfast stand proudly for our culture, our traditions, and the right to celebrate our heritage through parades. These parades are not just events — they are a living expression of our community’s identity, history, and faith, passed down through generations. They bring families together, strengthen community bonds, and remind us who we are.

We unreservedly condemn any trouble, disorder, or antisocial behaviour from young people around our parade. Such actions do not represent us, our band, or the vast majority who attend to celebrate with pride and dignity. They disrespect the hard work our members put in year-round and damage the reputation of a tradition that means so much to so many.

Let us make this clear. This is NOT a parade issue, this is a societal issue. Parades are about respect — respect for our culture, respect for our community, and respect for each other. We call on all parents, families, and supporters to help us protect that. Our traditions survive because we uphold standards.

We will continue to work with community leaders, statutory agency’s and the PSNI to ensure our parades remain safe, family-friendly celebrations of our culture. We ask every young person involved to remember: you carry the name of your community - represent it well or stay at home.

The Protestant Boys East Belfast remain committed to preserving our parades, our music, and our traditions for the next generation — and we will not let the actions of a few undermine that for the many.

We want to make this very clear. Trouble makers are not welcome at our parade, or any parade for that matter. Parents, guardians, uncles, aunts, grandparents and siblings, if you know of anyone involved we implore you, speak to them before someone gets badly hurt.

With you in the cause, unity is strength - Protestant Boys East Belfast.

Statement ends