Latest releases
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1,981 releases
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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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Doherty: Holiday hunger legislation must be fully funded
SDLP West Belfast Councillor Paul Doherty says holiday hunger legislation, due for Second Stage in the Assembly on Monday, must be fully funded to restore payments removed during the collapse of Stormont. He urges the Sinn Féin Finance Minister to work with the Education Minister and calls on the…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Holiday hunger legislation Second Stage in the Assembly Original release: Doherty: Holiday hunger legislation must be fully funded (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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Baker welcomes Holiday Hunger Bill progressing to next stage
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker welcomes the Holiday Hunger Bill clearing second stage in the Assembly and moving to committee, saying it will help 90,000 disadvantaged children and families during holidays. He criticises the Education Minister for not backing the bill and pledges cross-party work to…
Social security and welfare Issue: Holiday Hunger Bill passes second stage in Assembly Original release: Baker welcomes Holiday Hunger Bill progressing to next stage (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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Carroll: Working Class Communities Paying Price for New Era of Austerity
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll condemns what he calls calculated austerity, saying Westminster's 64% cut to community support funding will cost around 400 sector jobs and 11,000 people employment support. He calls on the Executive to find £15.8 million to keep services running.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: £15.8 million cut to Community and Voluntary Sector funding Original release: Carroll: Working Class Communities Paying Price for New Era of Austerity (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)
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Wildfires Plan will protect communities, nature and the Mournes, says McMurray
Alliance MLA Andrew McMurray calls the Wildfires Action Plan to 2030, published by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir, a timely intervention for the countryside after around 200 wildfires. He highlights rewetting peatlands and the Wildfire Recovery Project led by the Pau Costa Foundation in at-risk areas…
Environment and climate Issue: Wildfires Action Plan to 2030 publication by DAERA Original release: Wildfires Plan will protect communities, nature and the Mournes, says McMurray (opens in a new tab)
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Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:…
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe says problems with summer schemes for children with SEN reflect a wider system failure that needs real action, not party political attacks. She calls for the Executive to unblock a 10-year SEN facilities investment plan and warns the draft budget's education cuts would hit…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on SEN summer provision and draft budget cuts Original release: Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:… (opens in a new tab)
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SEN summer scheme debacle must never be repeated – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says special school summer schemes must go ahead this year and that the chaos over SEN summer schemes must not recur. She calls for families and providers to receive information promptly and accuses Education Minister Paul Givan of deflecting blame.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: SEN summer scheme debacle must never be repeated – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Fein play politics with SEN support – Martin
DUP MLA Peter Martin accuses Sinn Fein of using an Assembly debate on SEN summer provision to make a personal attack on Education Minister Paul Givan. He says the party is blocking SEN capital investment by delaying a paper from reaching the Executive.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on SEN summer provision and draft budget cuts Original release: Sinn Fein play politics with SEN support – Martin (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Executive used SEN children as political pawns
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the Executive used SEN children as political pawns in a row over special school summer schemes, which were reinstated after a U-turn. He questions why the issue was not escalated to the Executive and calls the handling unnecessary distress…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: McGrath: Executive used SEN children as political pawns (opens in a new tab)
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Barr welcomes Council Motion on women’s health and praises Minister Nesbitt’s clear action plan for Gynaecology services
UUP Councillor Alan Barr welcomes Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's motion on women's health after Endometriosis Awareness Month and praises Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's £3.5 million ring-fenced gynaecology plan, with targets of a 40% waiting list cut by March 2027.
Health Local government Issue: Mid and East Antrim Council women's health motion on gynaecology waiting lists Original release: Barr welcomes Council Motion on women’s health and praises Minister Nesbitt’s clear action plan for Gynaecology services (opens in a new tab)
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Ministers must answer for SEN summer scheme debacle, says Guy
Alliance's Michelle Guy MLA says the Education and Health Ministers must answer for briefly halting special educational needs summer schemes, then reversing the decision a day later. She calls for an Assembly recall motion tomorrow and demands an apology to families.
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN summer schemes cancellation and reversal by Education and Health Ministers Original release: Ministers must answer for SEN summer scheme debacle, says Guy (opens in a new tab)