Latest releases
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3,440 releases
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'Not Fit for Office’ - Deputy First Minister Should Step Aside
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll calls on Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to step aside after reports she was allegedly warned that Jeffrey Donaldson was a danger to a young woman, claiming the DUP closed ranks around him.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Belfast Telegraph reports on DUP handling of Jeffrey Donaldson allegations Original release: 'Not Fit for Office’ - Deputy First Minister Should Step Aside (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood: Executive cannot abandon commitment to Magee
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood says the Executive must honour its commitment to expanding Ulster University's Magee campus in Derry, after reports the planned growth in student numbers is in jeopardy. He criticises Ministers for inaction and calls for expansion to 10,000 students.
Education Issue: Magee campus expansion to 10,000 students in jeopardy Original release: Eastwood: Executive cannot abandon commitment to Magee (opens in a new tab)
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Yet more waste of public resources within our health estate without long term plan inexcusable, says Donnelly
Alliance health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says the Department of Health has failed to maintain Northern Ireland's health estate properly, calling the waste of public money on it inexcusable given the absence of an overall plan.
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Delargy welcomes new ATU measures to support students applying through CAO system
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy welcomes Atlantic Technological University’s new measures that will better support northern students applying through the CAO system, praises ATU’s leadership and urges the Irish government to remove barriers to all‑Ireland mobility.
Education Issue: ATU introduces new CAO support measures for northern students Original release: Delargy welcomes new ATU measures to support students applying through CAO system (opens in a new tab)
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Donna McGettigan TD welcomes changes to ATU’s admissions process to improve access for students from the North
Sinn Féin further and higher education spokesperson Donna McGettigan TD welcomes Atlantic Technological University’s new admissions scoring system that recognises mixed A‑level and alternative qualifications, saying it improves access for students from the North. She also welcomes the Dundalk IT‑QUB
Education Issue: Atlantic Technological University admissions policy changes Original release: Donna McGettigan TD welcomes changes to ATU’s admissions process to improve access for students from the North (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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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Cuts to skills programmes undermines economic potential and could have devastating effects, says Nicholl
Alliance economy spokesperson and All-Party Group on Skills chair Kate Nicholl MLA says she is disappointed and concerned for the economy after the Department for the Economy announced major cuts to skills development programmes.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Department for the Economy skills development programme cuts Original release: Cuts to skills programmes undermines economic potential and could have devastating effects, says Nicholl (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)