Latest releases
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2,939 releases
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Urgent action needed to address the crisis in GP services across the north – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges immediate action on strained GP services after meeting GP representatives, citing Belfast practices closing their lists to new patients. He calls for an Executive to be restored to fund an extra £1 billion for health recruitment, and tells the DUP to end its…
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Unfair child benefit tax trap must be removed – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the UK Government to review the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge, arguing that a household with one income above £50,000 is penalised while a couple with two lower incomes totalling close to £100,000 pays no tax on child benefit.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Original release: Unfair child benefit tax trap must be removed – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Executive boycott during cost of living emergency a ‘dereliction of duty’ – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey accuses the DUP of acting irresponsibly by boycotting the Executive during the cost of living crisis, calling its conduct indefensible. She says Ministers met to find ways around the boycott and urges Jeffrey Donaldson to end it so the £400 energy payment can reach…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: DUP boycott of Executive over cost of living support Original release: DUP Executive boycott during cost of living emergency a ‘dereliction of duty’ – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance team meets mental health champion to discuss strategy implementation
Alliance MLAs say they back the full roll‑out of the Mental Health Strategy, warning that funding is not assured and highlighting the pandemic, sectarianism and the cost‑of‑living crisis as reasons the plan must be delivered without delay.
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Durkan: Pensioners need urgent help ahead of winter
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan urges the Communities Minister to create an emergency financial package for pensioners facing soaring energy bills, and to review the unchanged Winter Fuel Payment rate, which he says has stood since 2010/11.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Pensioner emergency support package and Winter Fuel Payment review call Original release: Durkan: Pensioners need urgent help ahead of winter (opens in a new tab)
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Opposition MLAs continue cost of living outreach
SDLP MLAs will meet National Energy Action, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Equality Commission and the General Medical Council to hear about the cost of living crisis, and Matthew O’Toole MLA says the UK and NI governments must use their powers to ease energy, food and fuel bills rather sp
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss visit Northern Ireland Original release: Opposition MLAs continue cost of living outreach (opens in a new tab)
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Energy payment needs to be done as a matter of urgency – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey, the communities minister, says she is concerned no workable solution has yet been agreed to deliver the £400 energy payment to households, and calls for urgent action ahead of autumn and winter. She also urges the DUP to end its Executive boycott.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy payment delay after meeting with British Chancellor Original release: Energy payment needs to be done as a matter of urgency – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to improve access to GPs – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says people need greater GP access and calls for the Executive to be restored to invest an extra £1 billion in health. He is worried by a temporary freeze on patients moving GP practices in North Down, Ards and East Belfast, which he calls a short-term fix, and blames…
Health Issue: Temporary freeze on GP patient registrations in North Down, Ards and East Belfast Original release: Executive needed to improve access to GPs – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes dual-strain vaccines
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw welcomes the UK approval of Moderna's dual-strain Covid-19 vaccine, which targets both the original variant and Omicron, and encourages take-up of the autumn booster.
Health Issue: UK approval of Moderna dual-strain Covid-19 vaccine Original release: Bradshaw welcomes dual-strain vaccines (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan calls for a review of how Maternity Allowance is treated under Universal Credit, where it is deducted from awards unlike Statutory Maternity Pay, and urges the Communities Minister to press Westminster on the policy.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Original release: Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes secondary breast cancer audit for Northern Ireland
Alliance health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA welcomes a secondary breast cancer audit funded by Cancer Focus NI with the Cancer Registry, which followed lobbying by the Seen to be Heard campaign. She says equal access to trials, drugs and treatment, plus more specialist nurses across Trusts, is…
Health Issue: Secondary breast cancer audit funded by Cancer Focus NI Original release: Bradshaw welcomes secondary breast cancer audit for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Allen welcomes Chancellor's commitment to delivering an equivalent energy bill support scheme to Northern Ireland households
UUP MLA Andy Allen welcomes the Chancellor's renewed commitment to deliver equivalent energy bills support to Northern Ireland households, but says the delivery mechanism should already be in place. He also calls on energy providers to help through charitable donations or efficiency measures.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Chancellor confirms energy cost payment does not require Stormont executive Original release: Allen welcomes Chancellor's commitment to delivering an equivalent energy bill support scheme to Northern Ireland households (opens in a new tab)
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Ministers must start to take cost of living crisis seriously
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says Stormont and Whitehall Ministers must take the cost of living crisis seriously after SDLP MLAs met organisations on energy, food and fuel costs. He calls for urgent direct support to reach people most in need and urges the DUP to get back to…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: SDLP Stormont meetings on energy, food and fuel costs crisis Original release: Ministers must start to take cost of living crisis seriously (opens in a new tab)
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Campbell urges Iceland to extend £30 voucher scheme to NI
DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell writes to Iceland urging the company to extend its Summer Cheer Scheme £30 shopping voucher for pensioners to Northern Ireland, saying the current exclusion overlooks areas of deep deprivation.
Social security and welfare Issue: Iceland Summer Cheer Scheme voucher extension request Original release: Campbell urges Iceland to extend £30 voucher scheme to NI (opens in a new tab)
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Macartney calls on council to act as Newtownards Foodbank Use Soars by 47%
Green Party councillor Maurice calls on Ards and North Down Borough Council to draw up an emergency action plan for vulnerable residents, citing a 47% rise in demand at a Newtownards foodbank and warning of rising living costs while Stormont is not sitting. He also urges the DUP to end its boycott…
Social security and welfare Local government Issue: Newtownards foodbank demand rise of 47% in first half of 2022 Original release: Macartney calls on council to act as Newtownards Foodbank Use Soars by 47% (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw reinforces Alliance support for maternity strategy
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says her party backs the Royal College of Midwives' blueprint and calls for a Maternity Strategy with a regional maternity network, better data and consistent safety approaches, after meeting the RCM's Northern Ireland Director.
Health Original release: Bradshaw reinforces Alliance support for maternity strategy (opens in a new tab)
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‘Access to dental care must be a priority’ – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls for NHS dental access to be made the priority, responding to a BBC investigation finding that most practices in the north are not accepting new patients. He urges progress on urgent dental care for unregistered patients and an Oral Health strategy, and says the…
Health Issue: BBC investigation on adult NHS dentist registration in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Access to dental care must be a priority’ – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Dental treatment "not just added extra" – Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw says dental care should be central to health reform after a BBC investigation found most adults in Northern Ireland cannot register with an NHS dentist. She calls for urgent action to make dentists more accessible and to train more of them.
Health Issue: BBC investigation on adult NHS dentist registration in Northern Ireland Original release: Dental treatment "not just added extra" – Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Recall parliament to deal with cost of living crisis urges SDLP Leader
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP backs a recall of parliament over the cost of living crisis, calling for an emergency budget with new support schemes and higher taxes on multinationals, and for direct intervention from London for Northern Ireland.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Original release: Recall parliament to deal with cost of living crisis urges SDLP Leader (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty: Targeted intervention needed to help families deal with back to school costs
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty calls for a targeted intervention before September to help families with back to school costs, saying demand for uniforms at his Foodstock preloved uniform scheme has grown sharply. He urges Education Minister McIlveen to act on interim measures.
Education Social security and welfare Original release: Doherty: Targeted intervention needed to help families deal with back to school costs (opens in a new tab)