Long slams UDA for using council leisure centre for meeting

2.07.31pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 2nd Aug 2006

Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Naomi Long

Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Naomi Long, has attacked the UDA for using the Belfast City Council-owned Ballysillan Leisure Centre to hold a meeting in last night.

The East Belfast Councillor and Assembly Member stated: "Its disgraceful that a paramilitary organisation held a meeting in a council-owned facility. This leisure centre provides a valuable service to the whole community, and the UDA should never have used it.

"Alliance wants to see a shared future for everyone in Northern Ireland. All council facilities should be places that everyone feels comfortable using. Many people may not feel comfortable using this centre, with the knowledge that the UDA have used it to hold a meeting."

Naomi Long concluded: "The UDA should be stood down immediately, and a change of leadership will never mask the fact that this organisation has negligible support among unionists, let alone the wider community."

ENDS