Cllr Brian Smyth

Never knew we would run Belfast, but if that's the case, pints will be £4 and we want more trees and bees.

Don't threaten us with a good time.

The Sanctuary Theatre, in East Belfast. Home to the Bright Umbrella Theatre Company.

Brilliant news for East Belfast. Bright Umbrella Theatre Company have received €35k from the Shared Island funding to support their work.

I encouraged their application to this & since becoming a councillor, I made it a priority to help arts & sports groups in the East.

Still plenty more to do.

I have written to the Chief Executive of the Irish Football Association, in light of the sponsorship deal signed last week between Linfield and a convicted sex offender. Which was later cancelled due to protests by Linfield supporters. The IFA has a duty of care for the local game and I am asking what safeguards are needed to be put in place, to make sure something like this never happens again. The IFA needs to put in place clear policies and procedures that protect the values of the local game and our footballing community.

I have written to the Chief Executive of the IFA to raise serious concerns around safeguarding procedures, following Linfield signing a sponsorship deal with a convicted sex offender.

The IFA needs to show leadership and that it is not left to fans to highlight such matters.

Hundreds expected for Reclaim the Night march in Belfast The rise in “vigilante groups” and other far-right organisations is fuelling hate and misunderstanding that is putting women at greater risk, according to a leading group campaigning against gender-ba...

'Hundreds of women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and supporters are expected to attend this year’s march against gender-based violence on Saturday, November 29.'

www.u105.com/news/u105-ne...

Belfast needs an overdose prevention centre.

Lives are needlessly being lost. We need leadership from Stormont, especially the Health & Justice Ministers.

Are they worried by how some voters will feel about the prospect of an overdose prevention centre, 20 months out from an election?

I approve this message.

Belfast city centre is at a crossroads.

Will community need beat developer greed? We say yes. Time for overdose prevention, safer streets, and real public transport - not empty promises or empty buildings. A greener, fairer Belfast starts now. #BelfastCityCentre #GreenPartyNI

I spoke on Nolan this morning and called on Translink & Department of Infrastructure to reduce the cost of public transport over the Xmas period. Put increased services in place to get Belfast & NI moving.

Ease congestion and make it economically viable for people to get on the bus or train.

'The guys who run Reform are absolute chancers.

The people who make our lives more difficult arrive in private jets, not dinghies.'

@ross-greer.bsky.social on #bbcdn

People in NI have been failed for decades by the Stormont Executive.

Migrants aren't to blame for collapsing public services, a lack of social homes, rising NHS waiting lists. It's down to Stormont and how they have prioritised division over investment in abandoned communities.

The #EchoChamberPod - Flags, Race Riots and Rising Inequality with Belfast Cllr @briansmyth99.bsky.social is out now everywhere.
S: open.spotify.com/episode/1epm...

Belfast City Council has agreed to partly fund a 2 year trail of a weekend night bus services beginning in November.

This will hugely benefit the night time economy and help people get out of the City Centre late at night. Delighted this is finally happening.

When racist violence erupted last summer, inaction from the executive let it fester and emboldened fascists. Stormont has a leadership vacuum on this and other issues.

When far-right thugs try to lynch migrant workers outside McDonalds, silence from elected representatives is complicity.

Draw the line. Join the Green Party today ⤵️

join.greenparty.org.uk?utm_source=s...

Online rumours only add to the pain - facts matter. Public bodies must step up and give honest answers about safety at large events.

Drug testing at events is a no brainer. It’s time for real harm reduction.

Apologies, only seeing this now. I've been dealing with this the past couple of weeks, working with community police on the ground. It's nothing more than racist scum and they aren't exactly quiet about it.

It's been reported today that nearly half of those arrested in Northern Ireland last August during the racist violence, have previously been reported for domestic abuse.

Don't tell me the biggest threat to women and children comes from immigrants, it's mostly comes from local straight white men.

I've been contacted by local residents about another potential pollution incident in the Loop River.

I've informed NIEA and Andrew Muir's office, but both I believe are weak and ineffective. It's not a question of if, but when water quality becomes a risk to human health in NI.

A message to all other Belfast City Councillors: Hopefully BCC acquires the Assembly Rooms in next few months, but don't pat yourselves on the back, thinking job done.

This is only the end of the beginning. We still have more to do in delivering a city centre people will be proud of.

Welcome to the party, Curtis. Looking forward to meeting you somewhere down the line.

Zohran Mamdani & Zack Polanski both show that a new politics can emerge with public support.

Immigrants, trans kids, the poor, disabled etc aren't the reason for the mess we are in. It's billionaires, backed up by right wing and liberal politicians. Take them on, we can win.

Cherryvale Park update:

he huge fallen tree from Storm Eowyn has now been cleared, we will be undertaking tree planting come the Autumn. I have asked for this in other South & East Belfast parks.

I've also asked for any new entrance on that side to include pedestrian access.

sMYTH BUSTING the Green Party, Pt 3: The Greens don't get the cost of living crisis

The working and middle classes are being squeezed, while Stormont shows no ambition or bravery.

We want to build a new Green economy, create thousands of jobs/apprenticeships, and end fuel poverty.

Tax wealth. Not work.

sMYTH BUSTING the Green Party, part 2: The Greens want to ban cars. No we don't.

We want to strengthen public transport & active travel. Our roads are congested & filled with dirty air. 34% of people in Belfast don't have access to a car. Is this really the best we can do?

sMYTH BUSTING the Green Party, part 2: The Greens want to ban cars. No we don't.

We want to strengthen public transport & active travel. Our roads are congested & filled with dirty air. 34% of people in Belfast don't have access to a car. Is this really the best we can do?

sMTYH BUSTING, the Green Party, part 1.

The Greens only care about the environment. Well that's not exactly the case, let's talk about Housing.

Plan to look at "harm reduction" rather than zero tolerance on drugs in Belfast Council officials are to study the model used in Bristol

Pleased and proud to see Belfast City Council seeing Bristol’s pioneering Bristol Nights as a harm reduction model to aspire to ☺️ and props to Cllr Brian Smyth for pushing for it. www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast...

Image of needle find in a small part of Belfast City centre this morning.

I'm often sent photos of needle finds in the city centre, this from 9am. Which I've reported to be cleaned.

Some in BCC want to ignore the issue & for me to be quiet. I'm not going to & I'll get louder, we need an overdose prevention centre: Save lives & build collective safety.

We need a new approach to drug and alcohol misuse in Belfast. We can't ignore rising drug deaths & the impact of zero tolerance policies.

Let's make Belfast the first harm reduction city in Ireland, support our night time economy & make this city a model of progressive change.