Latest releases
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1,575 releases
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Paul Givan must heed ‘significant intervention’ from education bodies over flawed SEN reforms – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes the Children's Law Centre and other bodies' opposition to Education Minister Paul Givan's special educational needs reforms, and calls on him to pause the process and engage with them, unions and frontline staff on a rights-based plan.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Children's Law Centre opposition to SEN reform proposals Original release: Paul Givan must heed ‘significant intervention’ from education bodies over flawed SEN reforms – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Minister must halt SEN reform
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA calls on the Education Minister to halt proposed special educational needs (SEN) reforms, citing an open letter from 14 organisations including teaching unions and warnings from the Children's Law Centre. She says the Minister has ignored…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Children's Law Centre opposition to SEN reform proposals Original release: Hunter: Minister must halt SEN reform (opens in a new tab)
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Efforts to stymie growth of the Irish language will fail – McLaughlin
Sinn Féin councillor Ronan McLaughlin welcomes the court’s favourable decision on Belfast City Council’s call‑in case concerning its Irish language policy, saying efforts to block the language’s growth will fail and urging Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to advance an Irish Language Strategy while
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Court ruling on Belfast City Council Irish language policy Original release: Efforts to stymie growth of the Irish language will fail – McLaughlin (opens in a new tab)
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Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says a biomethane strategy should focus on treating waste and by‑products rather than altering the agricultural system, urging local consultation, strong planning, robust regulation and direct benefits for rural communities.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Léiríonn Gildernew imní faoi thodhchaí mhaoiniú Thionscadal Logainmneacha
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, Chair of the Communities Committee, calls on the Department for Communities to keep funding the Place-Name Project after a ministerial answer showed translation service funding runs only until Summer 2026.
Disability and equality Public finance and taxation Issue: Place-Name Project translation service funding ending Summer 2026 Original release: Léiríonn Gildernew imní faoi thodhchaí mhaoiniú Thionscadal Logainmneacha (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill's omission of no-fault divorce is a missed opportunity to modernise marriage law. He asks the Finance Minister to explain why it was left out, arguing it could help tackle abuse.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill omission of no-fault divorce Original release: O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity (opens in a new tab)
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Revise, don’t retreat Butler calls for realism on climate targets
UUP agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA urges a revision of the 2023-2027 Climate Action Plan targets rather than the DUP's proposed full withdrawal, citing energy and infrastructure failures and Stormont shutdowns. He says farmers must be central to any future plan and previews a UUP…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DUP motion calling for withdrawal of draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027 Original release: Revise, don’t retreat Butler calls for realism on climate targets (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan urges urgent action to tackle persistent shortcomings in autism support, citing evidence heard by the All-Party Group for Autism from the Independent Autism Reviewer. He calls on the Department of Health to work closely with the reviewer and to prioritise the Autism…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Independent Autism Reviewer evidence to All-Party Group for Autism Original release: Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services (opens in a new tab)
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Hazzard welcomes Council support for Strangford Lough Bridge Study
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes a unanimous vote by Newry, Mourne and Down Council backing a feasibility study for a fixed link bridge across Strangford Lough. He has contacted Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins about commissioning a full study of a Portaferry-to-Strangford crossing, citing…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Newry, Mourne and Down Council motion on Strangford Lough bridge study Original release: Hazzard welcomes Council support for Strangford Lough Bridge Study (opens in a new tab)
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Fuel Protests In The North
People Before Profit says today's fuel protests across the North have a right core demand for urgent action on fuel prices, blaming the Executive for years of rising costs and calling for price caps, windfall taxes on energy firms and a £500 energy credit for households.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Fuel protests and energy price caps across Ireland Original release: Fuel Protests In The North (opens in a new tab)
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Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes the installation of a new sensory unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, a multisensory 'Cubbie' purchased with Little Heroes NI funding, which she says will officially open this week.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children sensory unit installation Original release: Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital (opens in a new tab)
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Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for…
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan says a visit to Holywood Nursery School shows the Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for children with special educational needs. He cites a new sensory room, extra classroom assistant hours and £4.5million invested in 2025/26 across…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Givan visit to Holywood Nursery School on Pre-School Inclusion Fund Original release: Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for… (opens in a new tab)
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Justice Minister refuses to confirm violence against women funding is spent on women
TUV Bannside councillor Anna Henry says Justice Minister Naomi Long refused to confirm that funding to tackle violence against women is spent on women, and calls for serious questions to be asked about how the money is allocated.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Justice Minister's response on violence against women funding in Assembly Original release: Justice Minister refuses to confirm violence against women funding is spent on women (opens in a new tab)
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Net Zero targets must be met to protect our environment – Kearney
SDLP... no, Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney says Net Zero targets must be met during a Stormont debate, pointing to Lough Neagh's ecological decline, threats to eel fishing livelihoods and calls for investment in green energy such as offshore wind.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Original release: Net Zero targets must be met to protect our environment – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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One year on, women still waiting for law to be enforced - Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the UK Government to act quickly on the Supreme Court's For Women Scotland ruling, saying women's rights remain unclear a year on. She calls for the EHRC Code of Practice and NHS guidance to be published without delay and for the law to be enforced in full across the…
Disability and equality Issue: For Women Scotland Supreme Court ruling one-year anniversary Original release: One year on, women still waiting for law to be enforced - Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Parties Refuse to Face Cost of Net Zero – McIlveen
DUP Deputy Leader Michelle McIlveen MLA criticises other Assembly parties for voting down a DUP motion requiring departments to assess the costs and benefits of climate policies, arguing the Climate Action Plan's proposals remain unquantified and risk delaying the A5 and A1 road projects.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Assembly vote on DUP motion to cost net zero policies Original release: Parties Refuse to Face Cost of Net Zero – McIlveen (opens in a new tab)
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McAleer welcomes reconvening of Curraghinalt Goldmine Public Inquiry
West Tyrone MLA Declan McAleer welcomes the resumption of the Curraghinalt goldmine inquiry in Omagh next Monday after a 15-month break, saying it offers local people a chance to be heard. He calls for the process to move forward without further delay toward a timely conclusion.
Environment and climate Issue: Curraghinalt goldmine public inquiry resumption in Omagh Original release: McAleer welcomes reconvening of Curraghinalt Goldmine Public Inquiry (opens in a new tab)
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Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the Justice Minister to urgently change regulations to speed up and improve PSNI disciplinary processes, following Rachel Langdale's review finding sexism, misogyny and a flawed misconduct process.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Rachel Langdale review of PSNI sexism and misogyny findings Original release: Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD
Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú says the government should adopt an All‑Ireland inclusion strategy and a shared North‑South definition of disability, and work harder to boost employment for disabled people, following the ESRI report on island‑wide disability rates.
Disability and equality Issue: ESRI report on disability rates across the island Original release: All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings
The SDLP calls on The Executive Office to deliver a coordinated response to the Langdale report's findings on violence against women and girls, proposing an independently chaired taskforce of TEO, the PSNI and women's sector representatives. Claire Hanna urges the DoJ and PSNI to act on failings…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Langdale report findings on violence against women and girls Original release: SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings (opens in a new tab)