Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Environment and climate: remove filter
- Social security and welfare: remove filter
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Health: remove filter
3,431 releases
-
Get on with delivering energy payments: Lyons
DUP MLA Gordon Lyons says the Government must deliver the Energy Support Payments to Northern Ireland now, after speculation that the process could run until June. He criticises the late-added 'cash out' option and says a statement on payment dates is not enough.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: Get on with delivering energy payments: Lyons (opens in a new tab)
-
Sunak must set out ‘definitive date’ for payment of £600 to families
Sinn Féin First Minister Designate Michelle O'Neill calls on the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to give a definitive date for payment of the £600 energy payment during his Belfast visit, saying people cannot wait longer to heat their homes. She also blames DUP refusal to form an Executive…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: Sunak must set out ‘definitive date’ for payment of £600 to families (opens in a new tab)
-
Issues at South West Acute Hospital reinforce need for planned transformation, says Bradshaw
Alliance's Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says a meeting with the Western Health and Social Care Trust over recruitment difficulties at South West Acute Hospital showed the need for planned transformation, and calls for a functioning Executive with a cross-departmental plan.
-
Planned cuts to youth services greatly concerning, says Alliance representatives, particularly for LGBTQIA+ young people
Alliance representatives express concern at planned Education Authority cuts to youth services, which could close LGBTQ youth groups. Connie Egan MLA says she has written to the EA seeking Section 75 protections in funding applications, while Andrew Muir MLA calls for the decision to be reversed.
Disability and equality Education Original release: Planned cuts to youth services greatly concerning, says Alliance representatives, particularly for LGBTQIA+ young people (opens in a new tab)
-
Eastwood: PM should stop toying with families over energy payment
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP calls on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to stop delaying and give clarity on when the £600 energy support payment will reach families in the North, after Sunak said an announcement would come soon.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: Eastwood: PM should stop toying with families over energy payment (opens in a new tab)
-
Girvan welcomes further steps for victims of contaminated blood
DUP South Antrim MP Paul Girvan welcomes further Government steps to address people affected by contaminated blood products from the 1970s and 1980s. He says he will meet victims in Northern Ireland to consider the announcement with them, building on the £100k interim payment announced last August.
-
Appointment of new GP contractor at Flax Medical Centre welcome news for patients – Kelly
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly welcomes confirmation that a new contractor has been brought in to run GP services at Flax Medical Centre in North Belfast. He says GP services must be protected and calls on an Executive and health minister to be restored, pledging an extra £1 billion for health.
-
Striking Nurses deserve our support – Chambers
UUP Health Spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA says he stood with striking nurses on a Royal College of Nurses picket at Bangor Community Hospital, citing public support and concerns over patient safety, staff retention and nurse-to-patient ratios, and calls for political leadership to set out an NHS…
Health Economy and employment Original release: Striking Nurses deserve our support – Chambers (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Emergency intervention required to support nurses
SDLP Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath urges the British government to meet the Royal College of Nursing and other unions and reach a fair pay agreement for nurses and health staff, and calls for Stormont's devolved government to resume.
Health Economy and employment Original release: McGrath: Emergency intervention required to support nurses (opens in a new tab)
-
Crisis situations in Emergency Departments at Royal and Mater hospitals ‘deeply concerning’ – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín says reports of crises in the Emergency Departments at the Royal Victoria and Mater hospitals alarm her, and will meet the Belfast Trust with Belfast MPs. She calls for an Executive to be formed to pass a three-year budget and invest an extra £1 billion in health.
-
Situation at RVH Emergency Department deeply concerning – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says the emergency care crisis at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital is deeply concerning, citing patients medically fit for discharge who cannot leave due to a lack of community care packages. He calls for an Executive to deliver a three-year budget and invest an extra…
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Situation at RVH Emergency Department deeply concerning – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
-
‘Heaton-Harris must give families date for payment of £600’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy urges Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to set a firm date for paying the £600 energy support, blaming DUP refusal to form an Executive for the delay as temperatures fall below zero.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: ‘Heaton-Harris must give families date for payment of £600’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
-
Domiciliary care must not be allowed to fail due to DUP boycott, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA warns domiciliary care must not fail because of the DUP boycott of the institutions, and calls for plans to improve pay and conditions for domiciliary carers and district nurses, citing rising fuel and travel costs after the Chancellor's autumn…
Health Economy and employment Original release: Domiciliary care must not be allowed to fail due to DUP boycott, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
-
Time to update the NI Act to remove designations in the assembly, says Armstrong, following NIHRC Annual Statement
Alliance Communities Spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA calls for the NI Act to be updated to remove designation in the Assembly, following the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's Annual Statement. She advocates a weighted majority system to replace the current designation system.
Constitutional affairs Disability and equality Original release: Time to update the NI Act to remove designations in the assembly, says Armstrong, following NIHRC Annual Statement (opens in a new tab)
-
“Delayed Pay Award Slap in the Face to Health Workers During Cost-Of-Living Crisis” – Connolly
Aontú's Daniel Connolly, Armagh Representative, accuses the Department of Health of delaying the NHS pay award during the cost-of-living crisis. He calls for it to be paid now, blames Stormont deadlock for blocking funding, and urges reform of Stormont and MLA pay.
Health Economy and employment Original release: “Delayed Pay Award Slap in the Face to Health Workers During Cost-Of-Living Crisis” – Connolly (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance MLAs meet with Royal College of Emergency Medicine to discuss pressures in NI A&E departments
Alliance MLAs say they met the Royal College of Emergency Medicine about growing pressures in Northern Ireland's A&E departments. Paula Bradshaw MLA, Health Spokesperson, says a shortage of hospital beds for admission is the most pressing issue and calls for investment in capacity. Danny Donnelly…
-
Doherty highlights community support after people turn to loan sharks
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty urges struggling families to seek community support rather than paramilitary loans, after a Spotlight investigation found groups offering loans to food bank users. He also says the British government and DUP have let people down over delayed energy…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Original release: Doherty highlights community support after people turn to loan sharks (opens in a new tab)
-
‘DUP should stop undermining postal workers ask for fair pay’ – O’Dowd
Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd tells the DUP to return to the Executive and back striking postal workers seeking fair pay, rejecting DUP MP Carla Lockhart's claims that postal strikes are hurting health services.
Economy and employment Health Original release: ‘DUP should stop undermining postal workers ask for fair pay’ – O’Dowd (opens in a new tab)
-
The NHS Strikes
People Before Profit reports visiting Belfast City and Royal Victoria hospitals during a 24-hour NHS strike by over 2,000 workers across five trusts, with GMB, NIPSA and Unison taking part. The release quotes union officials calling for a full return to collective bargaining over pay and…
Health Economy and employment Issue: NHS 24‑hour strike across Belfast trusts Original release: The NHS Strikes (opens in a new tab)
-
UK Government must act now to support households in Northern Ireland – Allen
UUP MLA Andy Allen calls for at least £200 of the £600 Westminster energy support to be released to Northern Ireland households before the end of December, after confusion over delivery timing. He has written to the Energy Minister, Prime Minister and Secretary of State.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Original release: UK Government must act now to support households in Northern Ireland – Allen (opens in a new tab)