Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
2,846 releases
-
Money allocated for the cancelled USA250 concert must be returned – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason calls on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to guarantee that public funds set aside for the cancelled USA250 concert are recovered, after £10,000 was reportedly advanced to the Ulster Scots Agency.
Public finance and taxation Issue: Cancelled USA250 concert public funding recovery Original release: Money allocated for the cancelled USA250 concert must be returned – Mason (opens in a new tab)
-
Strong evidence now supports a Regional Mental Health Crisis Service – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn says the Health Minister should prioritise funding for a Regional Mental Health Crisis Service, citing a report that the crises cost over £45 million annually, emergency visits are up 74 % and could save £9 million each year.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Report on Regional Mental Health Crisis Service economics Original release: Strong evidence now supports a Regional Mental Health Crisis Service – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
-
Time for Clarity on City Deal project - Forsythe
DUP South Down MLA Diane Forsythe says £30 million agreed for a Mournes tourism project under the Belfast Region City Deal has disappeared from Department of Finance City Deal plans and progress reports. She calls for urgent clarity, blaming Newry, Mourne and Down Council for the collapse of the…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Mournes gondola project removal from City Deal plans Original release: Time for Clarity on City Deal project - Forsythe (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 13 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Scrap Irish Sea border and save a Billion
TUV leader Jim Allister says roughly £1 billion is being wasted on the Irish Sea border, citing £192m for border posts, £531m for the Trader Support Service, £122m in DAERA border costs and 221 funded staff, and calls for it to be scrapped to fund Stormont's request for more money.
Constitutional affairs Public finance and taxation Issue: Stormont Executive meeting with HMG seeking additional funding Original release: Scrap Irish Sea border and save a Billion (opens in a new tab)
-
Funding model is failing rural communities where schools are the glue holding everything together, says Burrows
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA warns that the Department of Education's latest school funding announcement risks accelerating the decline of rural schools. He calls for shared education campuses, such as Ballycastle, to be replicated by unlocking dormant capital…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education school funding announcement July 2026 Original release: Funding model is failing rural communities where schools are the glue holding everything together, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)
-
Paramilitary element in racist disorder highlights lack of TEO work on race relations, says Bradshaw
Alliance TEO spokesperson Paula Bradshaw says the Chief Constable's confirmation of loyalist paramilitary direction of recent racist violence exposes a lack of progress from the Stormont leadership on race relations. She criticises the executive's framework for omitting paramilitaries and lacking…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Chief Constable confirms loyalist paramilitary role in recent race riots Original release: Paramilitary element in racist disorder highlights lack of TEO work on race relations, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 13 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
New PSNI search guidance is confusion dressed up as compassion
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA criticises the Justice Minister's interim guidance on searching detainees, which asks the PSNI to first seek a female officer to search people who identify as women, calling it confusing and a dereliction of duty. He says officers need firm rules and that no female…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI interim guidance on searching transgender detainees Original release: New PSNI search guidance is confusion dressed up as compassion (opens in a new tab)
-
British government spending billions on weapons out of touch with reality – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane criticises London's plan to add £15 billion to military spending on drones, military technology and a hybrid navy, arguing funds should instead go to healthcare, housing and tackling poverty amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: British government £15 billion extra military spending announcement Original release: British government spending billions on weapons out of touch with reality – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
-
No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says the School Uniforms Bill’s latest Assembly stage provides an opportunity to guarantee every pupil the automatic right to wear trousers, urging school uniform policy to be brought into the 21st century.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill passes Assembly stage Original release: No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA introduces the Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill to the Assembly, seeking to ban conversion therapy and coercive conversion behaviour in Northern Ireland with penalties of fines or up to two years in custody.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill introduced to Assembly Original release: Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices (opens in a new tab)
-
McLaughlin calls on Finance Minister to reverse Civil Service withdrawal from Belfast Pride
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin urges the Finance Minister to overturn the Civil Service's decision to pull out of this year's Belfast Pride, arguing the legal basis cited, an English High Court judgment, does not apply in Northern Ireland.
Disability and equality Issue: Civil Service withdrawal from Pride march Original release: McLaughlin calls on Finance Minister to reverse Civil Service withdrawal from Belfast Pride (opens in a new tab)
-
Transparency needed from DUP on further Donaldson allegations, says Long, calling for fully independent investigation
Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA calls for a fully independent, external review into what DUP leadership knew about alleged victims of Jeffrey Donaldson, after BBC Spotlight revelations, and urges Edwin Poots to give a full account of his knowledge.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: BBC Spotlight programme on Jeffrey Donaldson allegations Original release: Transparency needed from DUP on further Donaldson allegations, says Long, calling for fully independent investigation (opens in a new tab)
-
Gaston Slams Growing Gender Identity Service as Officials Confirm Funding Will Increase
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston criticises the funding for the lifespan gender identity service after Department of Health officials told the health committee the initial £806,000 is recurrent and will increase. He expresses concern for vulnerable young people and calls the spending astonishing given…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health lifespan gender identity service funding briefing to health committee Original release: Gaston Slams Growing Gender Identity Service as Officials Confirm Funding Will Increase (opens in a new tab)
-
Givan voices disappointment over delay to SEN Regulations
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan expresses serious concern that the Special Educational Needs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 have been delayed from September 2026 to September 2027 after extended Education Committee scrutiny. He says the delay postpones reduced assessment timescales…
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 implementation delay to September 2027 Original release: Givan voices disappointment over delay to SEN Regulations (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath offers solidarity to striking doctors
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the party stands with striking specialist doctors and consultants, blaming the Executive’s failure to deliver promised pay parity and urging the Health Minister to engage unions and end the dispute to protect patients and waiting lists.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Specialist doctors strike over pay parity Original release: McGrath offers solidarity to striking doctors (opens in a new tab)
-
Mathison hits back at Minister’s statement on SEN Regulations
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, chair of the Education Committee, rejects the Education Minister's criticism of the committee's handling of SEN regulations, saying the rules need proper examination and accusing the DUP of responsibility for the special educational needs system and placement shortages.
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 implementation delay to September 2027 Original release: Mathison hits back at Minister’s statement on SEN Regulations (opens in a new tab)
-
Carroll: Civil Service Pride Withdrawal 'Regressive and Reckless'
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll condemns the head of the Civil Service's decision to withdraw staff from the Pride march, calling it regressive and reckless. He accuses political figures of stoking transphobia for gain and urges civil servants who wish to march to do so.
Disability and equality Issue: Civil Service withdrawal from Pride march Original release: Carroll: Civil Service Pride Withdrawal 'Regressive and Reckless' (opens in a new tab)
-
Why is public money going to the “political” Rainbow Project?
TUV deputy leader Councillor Ron McDowell questions why public money goes to the Rainbow Project after its CEO described it on the Nolan Show as a political organisation. He says TUV will table questions to all Northern Ireland government departments on funding over the last 10 years.
Public finance and taxation Issue: Rainbow Project CEO describes organisation as political on Nolan Show Original release: Why is public money going to the “political” Rainbow Project? (opens in a new tab)
-
Mallaghan welcomes major investment to tackle Lough Neagh water quality
Sinn Féin MP Cathal Mallaghan welcomes €33 million of Shared Island funding for a water quality programme in the Lough Neagh catchment running to 2031. He says it must be matched by sustained delivery to safeguard the lough.
Environment and climate Public finance and taxation Issue: Shared Island funding for Lough Neagh water quality Original release: Mallaghan welcomes major investment to tackle Lough Neagh water quality (opens in a new tab)
-
Whyte: Irish Government funding for Sailortown Bridge project must be matched by DFI.
SDLP North Belfast councillor Carl Whyte welcomes €800,000 from the Shared Island Fund for the next design phase of the Sailortown–Odyssey pedestrian and cycle bridge in Belfast. He calls on the Department for Infrastructure to guarantee funding to completion, warning against repeating the…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Shared Island Fund €800,000 for Cork–Belfast Docklands Bridges project Original release: Whyte: Irish Government funding for Sailortown Bridge project must be matched by DFI. (opens in a new tab)