Latest releases
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11,734 releases
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Dodds welcomes pay parity approval for health staff
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes the Executive's approval of pay parity across the health service as overdue recognition of healthcare workers. She says the Health Minister should have prioritised departmental budget resources for staff pay and calls for a long-term workforce plan.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Executive approval of health service pay parity Original release: Dodds welcomes pay parity approval for health staff (opens in a new tab)
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New exhibition a powerful reminder of how far we have come – Maskey
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey welcomes the opening of a new visitor exhibition at St Comgall's on Divis Street, 'The Falls – Where the Troubles Began', which covers 1969 to 1970. He pays tribute to Falls Community Council and says the centre gives voice to local residents, and that it will boost…
Community relations and legacy Issue: The Falls – Where the Troubles Began exhibition opening at St Comgall's Original release: New exhibition a powerful reminder of how far we have come – Maskey (opens in a new tab)
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Finucane welcomes ‘positive’ £100m Belfast Harbour investment
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane welcomes a Belfast Harbour investment of over £100 million that will see two offshore wind farms developed, which he says could create up to 300 jobs by 2028. He describes it as positive for Belfast's emissions and economic goals.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Belfast Harbour £100m offshore wind farm investment Original release: Finucane welcomes ‘positive’ £100m Belfast Harbour investment (opens in a new tab)
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Mallaghan raises concerns over Royal Mail delays
Sinn Féin MP Cathal Mallaghan calls on Royal Mail to urgently fix ongoing postal delivery delays in mid Ulster, after residents reported letters and important correspondence arriving late. He says he has contacted the company seeking an update on the cause.
Infrastructure and transport Original release: Mallaghan raises concerns over Royal Mail delays (opens in a new tab)
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Timothy Gaston granted leave to intervene in legal challenge against DFI minister’s imposition of Irish signage at Grand Central Station
TUV welcomes a court decision granting MLA Timothy Gaston leave to intervene in the legal challenge to the infrastructure minister's imposition of Irish-language signage at Grand Central Station. The party says it looks forward to joining the case through his counsel, Emma McIlveen BL.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Grand Central Station Irish signage legal challenge leave to intervene Original release: Timothy Gaston granted leave to intervene in legal challenge against DFI minister’s imposition of Irish signage at Grand Central Station (opens in a new tab)
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Irish government must now begin planning and preparations for Irish unity – Hughes
Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes calls for the Irish government to start planning for a referendum on Irish unity after a Sinn Féin motion passed in the Dáil. He also urges Westminster to set out the conditions under which a border poll would be triggered.
Constitutional affairs Issue: Dáil Éireann motion on planning for Irish unity referendum Original release: Irish government must now begin planning and preparations for Irish unity – Hughes (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston calls for the blight of Maze prison buildings to be removed
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston calls for the former Maze prison buildings to be delisted and demolished, arguing public money spent maintaining them should instead fund development of the site. He compares the case to Spandau Prison and says the buildings would otherwise become a shrine to terrorists.
Community relations and legacy Economy and employment Original release: Gaston calls for the blight of Maze prison buildings to be removed (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath presses Chief Constable on violence against women cases
SDLP Policing Board member and South Down MLA Colin McGrath presses Chief Constable Jon Boutcher on PSNI handling of violence against women and girls, criticising the decision that only one of four officers under Police Ombudsman investigation faces a full misconduct hearing. He calls for…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Police Ombudsman report on officers' conduct during December 2022 arrest Original release: McGrath presses Chief Constable on violence against women cases (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath welcomes long overdue pay parity for health staff
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA welcomes confirmation of pay parity for health staff, but asks why the Executive and Health Minister took so long to reach it. He says staff should not have had to keep pressing the department, and he wants the Minister to honour his pledge to…
Health Economy and employment Issue: Executive approval of health service pay parity Original release: McGrath welcomes long overdue pay parity for health staff (opens in a new tab)
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Chambers Welcomes Agreement To Deliver Full Pay Award For Health Workers
UUP Health Spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA welcomes the Health Minister's agreement with the Executive to deliver this year's pay award for health workers, backdated in full to 1 April 2025. He says the decision is essential for morale, retention and the health service's sustainability.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health Minister confirms backdated 2025 healthcare pay award Original release: Chambers Welcomes Agreement To Deliver Full Pay Award For Health Workers (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows Warns School Meal Price Rise Will Hit Struggling Families
UUP MLA Jon Burrows, Education Spokesperson, says the Education Authority's roughly 20 per cent school meal price rise will hit struggling families hard, adding £92.50 per child over a 185-day year. He will write to the Education Minister seeking an explanation and urging reversal.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Authority school dinner price increase announcement Original release: Burrows Warns School Meal Price Rise Will Hit Struggling Families (opens in a new tab)
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Honeyford welcomes £100m Belfast Harbour offshore wind farm investment
Alliance Energy Spokesperson David Honeyford MLA welcomes the Prime Minister's announced £100m for Belfast Harbour's D1 Terminal, backing two Irish Sea offshore wind farms, which he says could supply up to three gigawatts of clean power and create local jobs.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Belfast Harbour £100m offshore wind farm investment Original release: Honeyford welcomes £100m Belfast Harbour offshore wind farm investment (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance will always stand firm in delivering for the people of Northern Ireland, says Long
Alliance leader Naomi Long MLA says intimidation will not deter the party from delivering for people across Northern Ireland, after police said an incident at Alliance Headquarters is being investigated as sectarian hate. She calls on everyone in public life to lower the temperature of current…
Justice and policing Issue: Sectarian-motivated incident at Alliance Headquarters under police investigation Original release: Alliance will always stand firm in delivering for the people of Northern Ireland, says Long (opens in a new tab)
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Confirmation of pay awards welcome despite delay, says McAllister
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister welcomes the Health Minister's confirmation that healthcare workers will receive this year's pay award, backdated to 1 April 2025, and praises his commitment to budgeting for pay awards early. She says the months of delay have again undermined staff confidence.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health Minister confirms backdated 2025 healthcare pay award Original release: Confirmation of pay awards welcome despite delay, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Education cuts the result of years of financial mismanagement – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan blames years of weak financial management by successive DUP Education Ministers for current education budget pressures, pointing to planned school meal price rises and possible higher music service charges, and says Audit Office warnings about the Education Authority have…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: School meals price rise and proposed music service charges Original release: Education cuts the result of years of financial mismanagement – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Excuse for removing tri-lingual letterheads ‘bogus’ – McHugh
Sinn Féin MLA Maolíosa McHugh calls the Communities Minister's reason for dropping tri-lingual letterheads 'bogus', saying a written answer showed no savings could be quantified. He accuses the minister of failing to publish an Irish Language Strategy.
Disability and equality Issue: Removal of tri-lingual letterheads from Department for Communities Original release: Excuse for removing tri-lingual letterheads ‘bogus’ – McHugh (opens in a new tab)
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Time to move forward with the redevelopment of Long Kesh – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy urges progress on redeveloping the Long Kesh site, citing Ebrington and Crumlin Road Gaol as models, and says she will write to the Executive's two top ministers seeking an update on Executive Office plans.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Original release: Time to move forward with the redevelopment of Long Kesh – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Brownlee welcomes progress on Sensory Room proposals for children’s…
East Antrim MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes the Health Minister's update on a sensory room for the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, following a DUP adjournment debate. She says the Minister asked officials to work with the Belfast Trust on the proposed facility.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Sensory room proposal at Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children Original release: Brownlee welcomes progress on Sensory Room proposals for children’s… (opens in a new tab)
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Forsythe: SDLP, SF, PBP & Alliance obsessed with anti-Israel politics
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe, Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee, accuses the SDLP, Sinn Féin, Alliance and People Before Profit of an anti-Israel agenda after the committee questioned the Education Minister's Israel visit rather than the Budget. She contrasts this with their silence on the Economy…
Public finance and taxation International affairs Issue: Education Minister's trip to Israel Original release: Forsythe: SDLP, SF, PBP & Alliance obsessed with anti-Israel politics (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister is failing women - Dodds
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Health Minister is failing women affected by the Southern Trust cervical screening scandal after his statement on three further reports. She calls for accountability for those responsible, including in the PHA and the Department, and full…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Southern Trust cervical screening reports statement by Health Minister Original release: Health Minister is failing women - Dodds (opens in a new tab)