Northern Ireland assembly: Alliance argue for fewer members

The Northern Ireland assembly should be reduced from 108 members to around 80 by the next Stormont election, the Alliance Party has said.

The cross-community party, which currently has six assembly members, was setting out its 12 main election pledges on Tuesday.

It argued that a reduction in the number of assembly members would better reflect the population of Northern Ireland.

The party also called for a review of the number of government departments in Northern Ireland, claiming the current number of government departments at Stormont - 11 including the Office of First and Deputy First Minister - was excessive.

And it advocated a move away from the forced coalition of the Democratic Unionists, Ulster Unionists, SDLP and Sinn Fein at Stormont in favour of a voluntary coalition involving only some of the parties.

"In almost every democracy, like-minded parties, or those at least prepared to co-operate together, form a voluntary coalition that has either simple or weighted majority support within the legislature, and operates on the basis of collective responsibility," said the party.

"Involuntary coalitions in which parties are allocated portfolios on the basis of their comparative strength in the assembly, irrespective of their compatibility, simply do not work."

Manifesto pledges detailed by the Alliance - which is led by South Antrim assembly member David Ford - include the abolition of university tuition fees and free personal care for those living in residential and nursing homes.

For increased integration the party would implement the new community relations strategy to tackle segregation between Protestants and Catholics, set a target of 10 per cent of all children educated in integrated schools by 2010 and promote mixed housing.

Investment in better public transport services, reform of planning laws to protect the  countryside and important buildings and a smoking ban in all enclosed public places, were also promised.