Latest releases
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3,450 releases
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Education Minister must prioritise making childcare affordable for all – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason calls on the Education Minister to prioritise finalising a childcare strategy that makes high-quality care affordable for families and sustainable for providers, after an Education Committee meeting. She says childcare costs are unaffordable for many and that providers…
Education Economy and employment Original release: Education Minister must prioritise making childcare affordable for all – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Chancellor must take action on childcare : Forsythe
South Down MLA Diane Forsythe writes to the Chancellor urging the government to raise the tax‑free childcare contribution to at least 30% and eliminate the current cap in the forthcoming budget, citing family cost pressures and provider closures.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: 2024 UK budget childcare contribution Original release: Chancellor must take action on childcare : Forsythe (opens in a new tab)
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Official opening of Limavady Shared Education Campus
DUP's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Education Minister Paul Givan opened an £11million shared education campus in Limavady, combining the St Mary's and Limavady High sites with joint sixth-form, careers, drama, media and STEM facilities.
Education Community relations and legacy Issue: Limavady Shared Campus completion announcement Original release: Official opening of Limavady Shared Education Campus (opens in a new tab)
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Brett launches Children’s Hospice petition
DUP MLA Phillip Brett has opened a petition urging the Department of Health to close the funding gap facing the NI Children's Hospice, which he says has already reduced bed numbers and threatens respite care at Horizon House.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: NI Children's Hospice funding shortfall petition Original release: Brett launches Children’s Hospice petition (opens in a new tab)
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Butler welcomes Limavady Shared Campus
UUP Education spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA congratulates St Mary's High School and Limavady High School on finishing Limavady Shared Campus, which he calls a landmark for shared education. He urges other schools to follow this model and credits both principals for delivering it.
Education Issue: Limavady Shared Campus completion announcement Original release: Butler welcomes Limavady Shared Campus (opens in a new tab)
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Call for updated plan to tackle waiting list crisis
DUP MLA Diane Dodds proposes an Assembly motion urging an updated plan to cut NHS waiting lists, citing an NI Audit Office report showing waiting time targets have not been met for about a decade. She calls for regional, Northern Ireland-wide service planning and partners beyond local providers…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: NI Audit Office report on NHS waiting lists, October 2023 Original release: Call for updated plan to tackle waiting list crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Money to tackle educational underachievement will help most disadvantaged – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes the Irish Government's funding of €24m to address educational underachievement across the north, saying it will support the most disadvantaged children and young people. He urges the incoming education minister to make the issue a top priority.
Education Issue: Irish Government €24m funding for educational underachievement in the north Original release: Money to tackle educational underachievement will help most disadvantaged – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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New NI measles case greatly worrying, says Donnelly, encouraging public to make sure they’re up to date on vaccinations
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says a newly confirmed measles case in Northern Ireland, the first in seven years, is deeply concerning and urges people behind on MMR jabs to take up catch-up clinics. He notes only 85% of children are fully vaccinated by age five, well short of the…
Health Issue: Northern Ireland's first measles case in seven years Original release: New NI measles case greatly worrying, says Donnelly, encouraging public to make sure they’re up to date on vaccinations (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs welcome commitment to sign language legislation
Alliance MLAs Paula Bradshaw and Kellie Armstrong welcome the Communities Minister's pledge to bring forward sign language legislation as a priority, with Bradshaw criticising the 21-year wait for it.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Minister commitment on sign language legislation at Assembly Question Time Original release: Alliance MLAs welcome commitment to sign language legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Public purse losing out whilst hedge funds benefit from student…
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe says the public purse is losing out while hedge funds benefit from exemptions on rates for privately built student accommodation in Belfast. She reports the Finance Minister indicated over £2million a year in exempt rates and calls for action to stop costs passing to students.
Public finance and taxation Housing Original release: Public purse losing out whilst hedge funds benefit from student… (opens in a new tab)
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Get Organised Against Racism – Stand Together
People Before Profit says racism and fascist violence are rising in Ireland and calls for them to be stopped. It accuses groups including the National Party and Irish Freedom Party of redirecting anger over housing and living costs onto migrants and other minorities, and urges students to stand…
Disability and equality Immigration Original release: Get Organised Against Racism – Stand Together (opens in a new tab)
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Reform of the Apprenticeship Levy crucial, says Eastwood
Alliance Economy spokesperson Sorcha Eastwood MLA urges the Economy Minister to make reforming the Apprenticeship Levy a top priority, saying Northern Ireland employers pay around £80m through the levy without the funding directly reaching local apprenticeships.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Economy Minister Conor Murphy's economic vision speech Original release: Reform of the Apprenticeship Levy crucial, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Donnelly encourages Health Minister to urgently engage with BMA to resolve ongoing dispute after strike announcement
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA urges the Health Minister to quickly open talks with the BMA over junior doctors' pay and conditions before the planned 6 March strike, after a ballot backed industrial action.
Health Economy and employment Issue: BMA junior doctors strike ballot result and 6 March action Original release: Donnelly encourages Health Minister to urgently engage with BMA to resolve ongoing dispute after strike announcement (opens in a new tab)
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No ‘united Ireland’ clarification from RCN after 6 months
DUP MP Gregory Campbell says the Royal College of Nursing has not responded, after six months, to his letter asking whether General Secretary Pat Cullen's reunification remarks at a West Belfast Festival event reflected the College's position. He says the question should now be aired publicly.
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: Pat Cullen reunification remarks at West Belfast Festival event Original release: No ‘united Ireland’ clarification from RCN after 6 months (opens in a new tab)
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QUB must challenge antisemitism: Brett
North Belfast DUP MLA Phillip Brett condemns the projection of an antisemitic slogan onto Queen's University's Lanyon Building and calls for a full investigation into the incident, including whether staff were involved. He also calls for a clear condemnation statement from the University and for…
Disability and equality International affairs Issue: Antisemitic projection onto Queen's University Lanyon Building Original release: QUB must challenge antisemitism: Brett (opens in a new tab)
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Teachers deserve fair pay and conditions – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes teaching unions' decision to suspend planned strike action while pay negotiations continue, and says he hopes fair pay and conditions for teachers can be delivered. He pledges to work with other parties and the Education Minister to secure the pay rise education…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teaching unions suspend strike action during pay negotiations Original release: Teachers deserve fair pay and conditions – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Delargy welcomes support for cross border postgraduate students
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy welcomes the extension of tuition fee loans to postgraduate students from the north studying in the south, which he says ends an inequality that previously applied only to study in Britain. He notes his party made this recommendation in 2021.
Education Issue: Postgraduate tuition fee loans extended to students studying in the south Original release: Delargy welcomes support for cross border postgraduate students (opens in a new tab)
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Progress on cervical smear review must be increased: Dodds
Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds calls for faster progress on reviewing cervical smears in the Southern Trust area, where about 17,000 women have received review letters. She also urges the Department to review the Trust's lower cervical screening uptake target against the 90% national level.
Health Issue: Southern Trust cervical smear review backlog and screening uptake Original release: Progress on cervical smear review must be increased: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Allister pays tribute to Mr Tom Skelton in the Assembly
TUV leader Jim Allister paid tribute in the Assembly's personal statements to Tom Skelton, principal of Dalriada School in Ballymoney, following his sudden death. He praised Skelton's leadership and vision and offered sympathy to his family.
Education Original release: Allister pays tribute to Mr Tom Skelton in the Assembly (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister's statement on Sustainable Investment in Education…
Education Minister Paul Givan sets out a Capital Investment Strategy for Education and says he has submitted £528million in funding bids to the Department of Finance for next year. He calls for an extra £100million above the draft budget to meet Special Educational Needs placement pressures, and…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education capital investment strategy and £528million funding bids Original release: Education Minister's statement on Sustainable Investment in Education… (opens in a new tab)