Latest releases
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2,847 releases
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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)
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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)
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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)
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McGrath: Executive managing collapse of health service
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the Executive is simply managing decline in health services, pointing to resident doctors' industrial action, high waiting lists and difficulty recruiting and keeping staff, and calls on the Executive and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to…
Health Issue: Resident doctors' industrial action and Health questions in the Assembly Original release: McGrath: Executive managing collapse of health service (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Green Party Councillor Shares Breast Cancer Diagnosis to Raise Awareness and Urge Early Detection
Green Party Councillor Lauren Kendall shares her breast cancer diagnosis to raise awareness of symptoms and urge women to seek prompt GP advice. She also says she waited six weeks for imaging and over 80 days for a treatment plan, and calls for more open conversations about breast health.
Health Issue: Councillor Lauren Kendall's breast cancer diagnosis Original release: Green Party Councillor Shares Breast Cancer Diagnosis to Raise Awareness and Urge Early Detection (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 3 July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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McGuigan welcomes launch of All-Island Public Health Knowledge Hub
Sinn Féin MLA and Health spokesperson Philip McGuigan welcomes the new All‑Island Public Health Knowledge Hub, praising the investment in cross‑border research and comparable health data to better tackle inequalities, mental health, chronic disease and demographic change across the island.
Health Issue: Launch of All-Island Public Health Knowledge Hub Original release: McGuigan welcomes launch of All-Island Public Health Knowledge Hub (opens in a new tab)
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Cullen calls on Minister and Department to urgently engage with hospital doctors
Sinn Féin's Pat Cullen calls on the Health Minister and Department to engage quickly with hospital doctors ahead of the first of two strike days this month, set for Thursday 25 June. She says doctors seek better pay and conditions to retain staff and recruit the next generation.
Health Economy and employment Issue: BMA hospital doctors strike action over 3.5% pay offer Original release: Cullen calls on Minister and Department to urgently engage with hospital doctors (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood welcomes funding for North West Cancer Centre
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood welcomes €3.5 million from the Shared Island Fund for a new cancer support facility at Altnagelvin Hospital, which he says builds on the North West Cancer Centre's cross-border model.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Shared Island Fund investment for Altnagelvin cancer support facility Original release: Eastwood welcomes funding for North West Cancer Centre (opens in a new tab)
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Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes an Assembly motion on IVF equality, calling for access to fertility treatment to be based on need rather than ability to pay and describing IVF as essential healthcare.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on IVF equality and access to fertility treatment Original release: Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive must live up to commitments on IVF treatment
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says the Executive must deliver its commitment to fund three cycles of IVF treatment, noting only two NHS rounds are currently available and the New Decade, New Approach pledge is still unenacted. He will urge the Executive to fully fund the expansion ahead of his…
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McGrath: Commitments on Muckamore must now become action
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's commitments after the Muckamore Abbey Inquiry report must now become action. He welcomes the pledge to act quickly on recommendations and calls for real accountability over the Belfast Trust's cultural and…
Health Issue: Publication of Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry report Original release: McGrath: Commitments on Muckamore must now become action (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposition sets out impact of Executive Budget chaos
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Executive’s inability to agree a Budget could slash almost £1bn from spending, risking thousands of nurse, teacher and police posts, delaying housing, school and university projects and threatening welfare payments, and urges action before 1
Public finance and taxation Education Issue: Executive failure to agree Budget Original release: SDLP Opposition sets out impact of Executive Budget chaos (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston welcomes a Scottish Court of Session judgment ruling that prison accommodation must be segregated by biological sex, and says it should prompt reflection in Northern Ireland. He points to Rule 90 of the 1995 Prison Rules and says his Amendment 97 to the Justice Bill will be…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Court of Session ruling on prison accommodation by biological sex Original release: Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation (opens in a new tab)