Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
2,980 releases
-
Audit report confirms Health estate is not fit for purpose – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan says the Comptroller and Auditor General's report shows years of underinvestment and poor strategic planning in the Health estate, citing Holywell in Antrim. He says vacant buildings worth nearly £40 million have sat unused and calls on the Minister to bring forward a…
Health Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on Health estate Original release: Audit report confirms Health estate is not fit for purpose – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Crumbling health estate threat to patients and staff
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the crumbling health estate threatens patients and staff after an Audit Office report found just 40% of buildings in acceptable condition. He calls for a long-term strategy and blames successive Health Ministers and the Executive for…
Health Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on Health estate Original release: McGrath: Crumbling health estate threat to patients and staff (opens in a new tab)
-
DoH must get to grips with ‘shocking’ breast cancer waiting times, says McAllister
Alliance Health Spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls on the Department of Health to redouble efforts on breast cancer waiting times after new statistics showed only 8% of urgent suspected-cancer referrals were seen within the 14-day target. She urges the Minister to increase system capacity and…
Health Issue: Breast cancer urgent referral waiting times statistics 2026 Original release: DoH must get to grips with ‘shocking’ breast cancer waiting times, says McAllister (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)
-
McGrath: Families and children let down by Executive inaction
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA accuses the Executive of failing to establish a Regional Children and Families Authority, recommended by the 2023 children's social care review. He criticises the Health and Justice Ministers for shelving it and for announcing the decision…
Health Issue: Regional Children and Families Authority decision announced by Health and Justice Ministers Original release: McGrath: Families and children let down by Executive inaction (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)
-
Blair honoured to receive Lord Houghton Award for services to animal welfare
Alliance MLA John Blair says he is honoured to receive the League Against Cruel Sports' Lord Houghton Award for Services to Animal Welfare and calls for Northern Ireland to ban hunting wild mammals with dogs, which he says it is the only part of the UK without.
-
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)
-
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)
-
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)
-
McGrath saddened by fire at former Downpatrick convent
SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath expresses sadness at a large blaze at the derelict former convent in Downpatrick, which he says many locals remember well. He pays tribute to firefighters and emergency services for their rapid response.
Other Issue: Downpatrick former convent fire Original release: McGrath saddened by fire at former Downpatrick convent (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)
-
A moment of truth for DUP
TUV leader Jim Allister says a BBC Spotlight programme will test the DUP's claim it never received complaints about Jeffrey Donaldson's behaviour, and calls for full transparency over when senior DUP figures knew of alleged misconduct.
Other Justice and policing Issue: BBC Spotlight programme on Jeffrey Donaldson allegations Original release: A moment of truth for DUP (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)
-
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)
-
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)