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Doug Beattie Opinion Trimble had the courage to stand up and stand tall when he was most needed and NI is all the better for his presence

It is impossible to do justice to the life and legacy of David Trimble in a few hundred words.

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Doug Beattie Opinion Legal changes could deliver controlled, respectful, safe pyres

Bonfires the world over, in places like Spain, Norway and throughout Great Britain, are a genuine expression of identity, culture and historical events.

Doug Beattie Opinion This may be our final fight against Covid-19, but the war rages on in the world’s most fragile states

There is a sense that our struggle against Covid-19 is drawing to a close as the vaccine rolls out and we look to the pathway out of restrictions.

Doug Beattie Opinion Civil Service's treatment of mental illness exposes a dereliction of duty when it should be showing leadership

The news that the Health Minister, Robin Swann, is to appoint a mental health champion is extremely welcome and not before time. The position was first proposed by the Ulster Unionist Party nearly five years ago and was greeted with scorn by the-then health minister, who said she was the health champion. If that was the case, she failed spectacularly.

The Royal British Legion is failing Northern Ireland veterans by closing Bennet House facility

The news that Bennet House, the Royal British Legion respite centre in Portrush, is to close will be devastating news to many veterans and their families.

Doug Beattie: This is not about spreading fear, it’s about seeing patients like my darling little grandson die on a waiting list

Things have never looked so grim for the Northern Ireland Health Service. Waiting lists are at record levels, exceeding 300,000, and there are over 7,000 job vacancies, which include over 2,500 front line staff: nurses, carers, doctors and pharmacists. These figures are creating real hardship for many in Northern Ireland.

Doug Beattie: Why these pictures prove republicans are well-armed, well-trained and still pose a threat to hard-won peace

The image of masked men in paramilitary-style uniforms firing a volley of shots over the coffin of a terrorist, or at a staged event before or after a funeral, is something we in Northern Ireland thought we had left behind.

Doug Beattie: Baseless claim is slur against those who protected public

On June 5, 1976, terrorists attacked the Rock bar near Keady. This incident took place against the backdrop of some of the most sustained and brutal violence of the Troubles and came just a few months after the Kingsmill Massacre, which took place a few miles away. The past has become the latest theatre of operations in the political battlefield as republicans and their supporters try to rewrite history and seize control over how the past is remembered and understood.

Do we still have the moral fibre, as a nation, to fight a Total War? Yes, we do

As Armistice Day approaches, there will be some who may ask could we do it all again? Does the country have the moral fibre to fight another protracted war, where every last one of our nation's efforts, from the home front to the battlefield, would be co-ordinated and dedicated to military victory?

Doug Beattie: Parents are right to be furious over this mistaken decision

Every parent wants their child to do well at school. Some will be academically gifted, while others will not; yet each child should be given an opportunity to strive to better themselves and achieve all they can.

Bosnia taught me how languages can be used to foster division ... I never want to see that here

We live in a vibrant, eclectic and culturally rich part of the UK. My identity and culture are proudly represented by the Union flag, God Save the Queen, Ulster and Ireland rugby, Gaelic games, the shamrock, Guinness, St Patrick's Day, Derry and Londonderry, the sash my father wore, poets and authors, actors and artists, and Ulster-Scots and the Irish language.

Doug Beattie: I won't take offended rhetoric from a party with a callous heart

If Sinn Fein are upset by my words, let them be upset. I would much rather they were upset and offended by the execution of 10 innocent men at Kingsmill, the burning alive of 12 people at La Mon, the murder of innocent shoppers on the Shankill Road 24 years ago, the fact that the IRA butchered Paul Quinn - unfortunately the list of human rights abuse carried out by the IRA goes on and on. And all condoned or excused by Sinn Fein.

Issue of LGBT rights being exploited by parties to win votes

Time and time again political parties set the agenda on sectarian lines. Supporting or opposing policies not on their individual merits but simply to act in a contrary manner to their opponents. Instead of engaging on often nuanced, complex matters through debate and development of policies, the win/lose mentality drives political output.

Nairac: His death was one of most callous, cowardly acts of IRA

The moment Capt Robert Nairac was beaten and abducted by at least seven men in a pub car park in Drumintee, South Armagh, a number of things would have gone through his mind.

Hydebank jail concerns must not be dismissed out of hand

Earlier this year I visited Hydebank College with my colleague, Councillor Julie Flaherty.

EU Referendum: Without our military partners, UK would be like a sitting duck

National armies rarely act alone. Two hundred years ago Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by a coalition at Waterloo.