Latest releases
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3,431 releases
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Women’s health strategy could improve cancer screening, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA calls for a women's health strategy including cervical cancer screening, after BBC reporting that three abnormal smear tests were missed for a woman treated by the Southern and Western Trusts. She urges all Trusts to complete audits and clear the…
Health Issue: Cervical smear testing misreading review in Northern Ireland Original release: Women’s health strategy could improve cancer screening, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Extension of bereavement benefits is welcomed says Armstrong
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong welcomes new legislation extending bereavement benefit to parents of dependent children whose cohabiting partner has died, including backdated payments and a 12-month application window. She urges anyone needing help with applications to contact…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Bereavement benefit extension to cohabiting parents legislation Original release: Extension of bereavement benefits is welcomed says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin expresses concern at potential delay of Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy
SDLP Justice Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin voices concern that the Executive Office has warned work on the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy may stall without a functioning Executive, blaming the DUP boycott for putting it at risk.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Executive Office warning on delayed Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Original release: McLaughlin expresses concern at potential delay of Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy (opens in a new tab)
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Sheerin welcomes that Safe Access Zones Act is now law
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin welcomes the Safe Access Zones Act becoming law, noting it will be enforceable from 7 May 2023. She says the measure will protect people using healthcare services from intimidation and will safeguard women and healthcare workers.
Health Issue: Safe Access Zones Act receiving Royal Assent and becoming law Original release: Sheerin welcomes that Safe Access Zones Act is now law (opens in a new tab)
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The Secretary of State must progress organ donation legislation.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the Secretary of State to push secondary legislation through the Commons so Daithi's Law, the organ donation measure passed by the Assembly a year ago, can take effect in Northern Ireland. She raised the request with NIO Minister of State Steve Baker.
Health Issue: Daithi's Law organ donation secondary legislation Westminster progress Original release: The Secretary of State must progress organ donation legislation. (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party Leader welcomes Royal Assent for Clare Bailey’s Buffer Zones Bill.
Green Party leader Councillor Mal O'Hara welcomes Royal Assent for the Buffer Zones Bill, which he says will be enforceable from 7 May 2023 and end intimidation of people accessing abortion services. He credits former MLA Clare Bailey and campaigners.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Safe Access Zones Act receiving Royal Assent and becoming law Original release: Green Party Leader welcomes Royal Assent for Clare Bailey’s Buffer Zones Bill. (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Translink fares increase will punish worst off
SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson and Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says a 7% Translink fares increase, directed by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris, will hit families struggling with the cost of living. He calls for sustainable transport to be made more accessible rather than costlier.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Translink 7% fares increase directed by Secretary of State Original release: Durkan: Translink fares increase will punish worst off (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw marks Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and calls for restoration of the Executive so that vital action can be taken
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw backs this week's awareness campaign and says she has tabled an Assembly motion on infant mental health, urging support for the Mental Health Strategy and its infant-focused action. She blames the DUP's boycott for blocking action and calls for the…
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Ennis slams invasive use of counselling records in sexual assault trials
Sinn Féin MLA Sinead Ennis says the practice of introducing survivors’ counselling notes as evidence in sexual‑assault prosecutions is unacceptable, breaches privacy and could discourage victims from seeking help or reporting crimes.
Justice and policing Health Issue: Counselling records used in sexual assault trials Original release: Ennis slams invasive use of counselling records in sexual assault trials (opens in a new tab)
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‘No time to waste on forming Executive to deliver for people’ – Michelle O’Neill after Tánaiste meeting
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, Leas-Uachtarán, urges the DUP to return to the Executive table and form an Executive quickly, after meeting Tánaiste Micheál Martin in Belfast. She says the DUP's block is hurting public services, energy costs and Dáithí's Law on organ donation.
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: Michelle O'Neill and Tánaiste Micheál Martin Belfast meeting on Executive formation Original release: ‘No time to waste on forming Executive to deliver for people’ – Michelle O’Neill after Tánaiste meeting (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw marks World Cancer Day and calls for consistent five-year cancer strategies for NI
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw calls for consistent five-year cancer strategies in Northern Ireland, pointing to Denmark and England as comparators and saying NI has lagged on survival rates since 1995 ahead of World Cancer Day.
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Urgent action vital to conserve and restore wetlands, says Blair
Alliance environment spokesperson John Blair MLA, marking World Wetlands Day, says action is needed now to protect and rebuild NI's wetland ecosystems. He welcomes progress on peatland restoration but says the region trails other jurisdictions and is badly underfunded.
Environment and climate Original release: Urgent action vital to conserve and restore wetlands, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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Young people deserve evidence based and inclusive Relationship and Sexuality Education says Egan
Alliance Education Spokesperson Connie Egan MLA says a meeting with Northern Ireland Office officials on Relationship and Sexuality Education was positive and urges the Secretary of State to implement CEDAW-based RSE as a priority. She cites a Belfast Youth Forum study finding 73% of young people…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Northern Ireland Office meeting on Relationship and Sexuality Education Original release: Young people deserve evidence based and inclusive Relationship and Sexuality Education says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Lord Dodds issues warning over medicines supply to Northern Ireland
The DUP's Lord Dodds warns the Government to act on medicine supply to Northern Ireland, citing a year-end cliff edge that could see vital medicines withdrawn. He calls for medicines to be removed from the Protocol, arguing that EU rules and checks cause the problem.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Lords sub-committee evidence on Protocol impact on medicine supply Original release: Lord Dodds issues warning over medicines supply to Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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‘We will not give up on implementation of life-saving Dáithí’s Law’ – Reilly
Sinn Féin MLA Aisling Reilly calls for Dáithí's Law to be implemented quickly, saying it will save lives, and criticises the British Secretary of State for not committing to legislate to make it fully operational.
Health Issue: Dáithí's Law implementation delay and Secretary of State legislation Original release: ‘We will not give up on implementation of life-saving Dáithí’s Law’ – Reilly (opens in a new tab)
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O’Neill reiterates call for implementation of life-saving Dáithí’s Law
First Minister-Designate Michelle O'Neill urges full implementation of Dáithí's Law on organ donation after meeting the young boy and his family, and calls on the British Secretary of State to legislate in the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive.
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Wilson welcomes progress of trophy hunting legislation
DUP's Sammy Wilson welcomes progress of the Hunting Trophies Importation Prohibition Bill through Commons scrutiny, saying it is needed to stop trophy hunting of near-extinct animals. He warns the bill cannot cover Northern Ireland because of the Protocol, creating a smuggling loophole, and urges…
Environment and climate Constitutional affairs Issue: Hunting Trophies Importation Prohibition Bill Commons scrutiny Original release: Wilson welcomes progress of trophy hunting legislation (opens in a new tab)
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No compelling reasons for the SOS not to act on organ donation law – Chambers
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA urges the Secretary of State to urgently complete the stalled Organ and Tissue Donation Act at Westminster, ahead of a meeting with the Mac Gabhann family, whose son is awaiting a heart transplant.
Health Issue: Organ donation law implementation blocked by Executive deadlock Original release: No compelling reasons for the SOS not to act on organ donation law – Chambers (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood urges NI Secretary to progress Dáithí’s Law
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP urges NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to take forward Dáithí's Law at Westminster, saying the legislation could save lives and should not be delayed by the DUP's Stormont boycott.
Health Issue: Organ donation law implementation blocked by Executive deadlock Original release: Eastwood urges NI Secretary to progress Dáithí’s Law (opens in a new tab)
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Hazzard slams intimidatory sign at local school
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard condemns a 'racist and intimidatory' sign placed outside a school in Clough that attacked Irish-language learners and named the school. He urges anyone with information to contact the police.
Disability and equality Education Issue: Clough school intimidatory sign targeting Irish-language learners Original release: Hazzard slams intimidatory sign at local school (opens in a new tab)