Latest releases
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3,054 releases
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Gerard Herdman Selected To Contest the Black Mountain DEA in West Belfast for Aontú
Aontú has selected Gerard Herdman, a West Belfast plumbing tutor, as its candidate for the Black Mountain district electoral area ahead of the upcoming local elections. Herdman says the Stormont parties have left West Belfast behind and calls for MLAs to lose salaries if they fail to work, and for…
Economy and employment Housing Issue: Aontú selects Gerard Herdman as Black Mountain local election candidate Original release: Gerard Herdman Selected To Contest the Black Mountain DEA in West Belfast for Aontú (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Rachel Woods slams recent domestic abuse statistics
Green Party councillor Rachel Woods reacts to PSNI figures showing a rise in domestic abuse calls over Christmas, with 3,604 calls logged and a 10% increase on Christmas Day. She calls for Northern Ireland to adopt a Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, noting it is the sole UK region…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI figures on domestic abuse calls over Christmas 2022 Original release: Cllr Rachel Woods slams recent domestic abuse statistics (opens in a new tab)
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Sabotage of organ donation law change could cost lives – Chambers
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers warns that the stalled organ donation law change, the soft opt-out Organ Donation Bill, could cost lives while Northern Ireland lacks ministers and a working Executive. He says the changes are now mothballed and that the delay will worsen the region's outdated…
Health Issue: Organ donation law implementation blocked by Executive deadlock Original release: Sabotage of organ donation law change could cost lives – Chambers (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Delay to Dáithí’s law disgraceful
SDLP health spokesperson Colin McGrath condemns the delay to Dáithí's law on automatic opt-out organ donation, caused by the lack of an Executive and Assembly, and urges the Northern Ireland Secretary to step in and remove the hold-up.
Health Issue: Organ donation law implementation blocked by Executive deadlock Original release: McGrath: Delay to Dáithí’s law disgraceful (opens in a new tab)
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Smyth welcomes Westminster intervention to block Nicola Sturgeon’s Gender Reform Bill
TUV spokesperson Lorna Smyth welcomes the UK Government's plan to lay a Section 35 order blocking Scotland's Gender Reform Bill, arguing it protects women and girls and accusing Alliance's Stephen Farry and Eóin Tennyson of hypocrisy.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Section 35 order to block Scotland's Gender Reform Bill Original release: Smyth welcomes Westminster intervention to block Nicola Sturgeon’s Gender Reform Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Retained EU Law Bill threatens gender equality in the workplace, says Nicholl
Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl says the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, due at its remaining Commons stages, threatens workplace protections such as holiday pay, maternity leave and equal pay, and risks women's rights. She says the party will oppose it.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill Commons stages Original release: Retained EU Law Bill threatens gender equality in the workplace, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
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Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st.
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín, chair of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign, says a National Hospitals Campaign meeting has organised a national day of action on 21 January against A&E overcrowding and capacity cuts. He says the HSE's Navan ambulance bypass is causing chaos, and calls for a review of the HSE…
Health Issue: National Hospitals Campaign day of action on 21 January Original release: Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st. (opens in a new tab)
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Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today
Alliance Spokesperson for Migration Kate Nicholl MLA marks Martin Luther King Day, saying his fight against racial inequality remains as relevant today. She cites the 2022 killing of Keenan Anderson by Los Angeles police and says Black communities face violence from both police and white…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Original release: Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today (opens in a new tab)
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Transforming local health services is our priority – Hazzard
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes a £9 million investment to upgrade the power supply at Daisy Hill Hospital, part of a wider £20 million plan including a new MRI/CT suite. He calls for an Executive and health minister to be restored now and urges the DUP to end its blockade.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital £9 million power supply upgrade announcement Original release: Transforming local health services is our priority – Hazzard (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast is the 50th most congested city in the world - Cllr Mal O'Hara
Green Party councillor Malachi O'Hara responds to a report ranking Belfast 50th most congested city worldwide, blaming successive Executives for failing to invest in public transport and cut car dependence. He says the Assembly's 2020 climate emergency declaration has produced little action, and…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Belfast ranked 50th most congested city worldwide report Original release: Belfast is the 50th most congested city in the world - Cllr Mal O'Hara (opens in a new tab)
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Executive need to invest in health services – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls for a functioning Executive and a health minister to fund GP services and recruit more doctors and nurses, after meeting GP organisations about closures and staff shortages. He urges the DUP to stop obstructing the Executive.
Health Original release: Executive need to invest in health services – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty welcomes major investment for Daisy Hill
SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty welcomes a £9.2 million Department of Health investment in Daisy Hill Hospital, which will fund an MRI suite and wider service upgrades. He calls for these upgrades to be progressed at pace and kept on track.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital £9.2 million Department of Health investment Original release: McNulty welcomes major investment for Daisy Hill (opens in a new tab)
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More public awareness is key to saving lives, says Dickson, marking Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day
Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson, marking Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day, shares his experience of surviving oesophageal cancer and urges wider public awareness of symptoms so that people can be diagnosed and treated earlier.
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de Faoite: Hub will be transformative for LGBT+ community
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite says a proposed LGBT+ hub in Belfast would be transformative for the city's LGBT+ community after the council launched a public consultation on it. He encourages the public to respond to the consultation.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Belfast City Council LGBT+ hub public consultation launch Original release: de Faoite: Hub will be transformative for LGBT+ community (opens in a new tab)
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Fair pay key to safe staffing our health service – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart calls on the UK Government to prioritise safe staffing in healthcare at all times, not only during industrial action, and to agree enhanced pay awards for NHS staff. She claims the Independent Pay Review Body recommendation lags behind inflation.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Government legislation on safe staffing during industrial action in healthcare Original release: Fair pay key to safe staffing our health service – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposes Tory ‘Anti Trade Union’ Bill
SDLP Leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood opposes the British Government's Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which would let employers in critical public services sack and sue striking staff. He says nurses are using food banks and calls for essential workers to be paid properly.
Economy and employment Health Issue: Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill in the House of Commons Original release: SDLP Opposes Tory ‘Anti Trade Union’ Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent investigation needed into year-long waits for red flag referrals, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw calls for an urgent investigation into red flag referral waits that are now taking months, with some cancer referrals exceeding a year. She says MLAs should return to Stormont to scrutinise health reform.
Health Issue: Red flag referral waiting times for cancer patients in Northern Ireland Original release: Urgent investigation needed into year-long waits for red flag referrals, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs meet with DAERA to discuss environmental protection, budgetary pressures and other issues
Alliance MLAs John Blair and Kate Nicholl say they met DAERA's Permanent Secretary and senior team about pressures from having no Minister, including climate and environmental protection and budgets. Blair calls on the DUP to end its Assembly boycott and reform the institutions.
Environment and climate Issue: Alliance meeting with DAERA Permanent Secretary on Ministerial vacancy Original release: Alliance MLAs meet with DAERA to discuss environmental protection, budgetary pressures and other issues (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan urges action on single-use plastics ban
SDLP Climate Change Spokesperson Mark H Durkan urges the North to move forward with a ban on single-use plastics after England announced one would proceed before year's end. He points to Scotland's ban, Wales' plans and the New Decade, New Approach pledge on plastic pollution.
Environment and climate Issue: England single-use plastics ban announcement January 2023 Original release: Durkan urges action on single-use plastics ban (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew concerned at the rising crisis in our health service
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says it is deeply concerning that non-urgent operations are being cancelled because of health service pressures. He blames years of Tory cuts and calls for substantial health investment, fair pay for workers, and the DUP to return to the Executive.
Health Issue: Cancellation of non-urgent surgeries due to health service pressures Original release: Gildernew concerned at the rising crisis in our health service (opens in a new tab)