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2,554 releases
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New PSNI search guidance is confusion dressed up as compassion
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA criticises the Justice Minister's interim guidance on searching detainees, which asks the PSNI to first seek a female officer to search people who identify as women, calling it confusing and a dereliction of duty. He says officers need firm rules and that no female…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI interim guidance on searching transgender detainees Original release: New PSNI search guidance is confusion dressed up as compassion (opens in a new tab)
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No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says the School Uniforms Bill’s latest Assembly stage provides an opportunity to guarantee every pupil the automatic right to wear trousers, urging school uniform policy to be brought into the 21st century.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill passes Assembly stage Original release: No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin welcomes stronger recognition for survivors as Redress Bill passes Final Stage
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes the final passage of the redress scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses. She says she secured an amendment raising the standard payment to £12,000 and backs a wider posthumous eligibility date, while urging…
Community relations and legacy Issue: Redress Scheme Bill final stage passage Original release: McLaughlin welcomes stronger recognition for survivors as Redress Bill passes Final Stage (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA introduces the Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill to the Assembly, seeking to ban conversion therapy and coercive conversion behaviour in Northern Ireland with penalties of fines or up to two years in custody.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill introduced to Assembly Original release: Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices (opens in a new tab)
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Middleton: Royal Navy Deserves a Warm Welcome in Londonderry
DUP Foyle MLA Julie Middleton praises this year's Maritime Festival for drawing thousands of visitors and backing local businesses, and condemns a small group who protested a Royal Navy vessel's visit to Londonderry. She says the navy has every right to visit and deserves a warm welcome, pointing…
Community relations and legacy Issue: Royal Navy vessel visit to Londonderry Maritime Festival protest Original release: Middleton: Royal Navy Deserves a Warm Welcome in Londonderry (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin calls on Finance Minister to reverse Civil Service withdrawal from Belfast Pride
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin urges the Finance Minister to overturn the Civil Service's decision to pull out of this year's Belfast Pride, arguing the legal basis cited, an English High Court judgment, does not apply in Northern Ireland.
Disability and equality Issue: Civil Service withdrawal from Pride march Original release: McLaughlin calls on Finance Minister to reverse Civil Service withdrawal from Belfast Pride (opens in a new tab)
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Transparency needed from DUP on further Donaldson allegations, says Long, calling for fully independent investigation
Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA calls for a fully independent, external review into what DUP leadership knew about alleged victims of Jeffrey Donaldson, after BBC Spotlight revelations, and urges Edwin Poots to give a full account of his knowledge.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: BBC Spotlight programme on Jeffrey Donaldson allegations Original release: Transparency needed from DUP on further Donaldson allegations, says Long, calling for fully independent investigation (opens in a new tab)
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‘Abuse will not stop Sinn Féin working for all in Lagan Valley’ – Lynch
Sinn Féin councillor Declan Lynch condemns sectarian abuse aimed at his mother, wife and party activists at a Lisburn filling station on Saturday morning, saying it will not deter him from working across Lagan Valley. He says the matter has been reported to police.
Community relations and legacy Issue: Sectarian abuse of Sinn Féin activists in Lisburn Original release: ‘Abuse will not stop Sinn Féin working for all in Lagan Valley’ – Lynch (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston Slams Growing Gender Identity Service as Officials Confirm Funding Will Increase
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston criticises the funding for the lifespan gender identity service after Department of Health officials told the health committee the initial £806,000 is recurrent and will increase. He expresses concern for vulnerable young people and calls the spending astonishing given…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health lifespan gender identity service funding briefing to health committee Original release: Gaston Slams Growing Gender Identity Service as Officials Confirm Funding Will Increase (opens in a new tab)
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Givan voices disappointment over delay to SEN Regulations
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan expresses serious concern that the Special Educational Needs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 have been delayed from September 2026 to September 2027 after extended Education Committee scrutiny. He says the delay postpones reduced assessment timescales…
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 implementation delay to September 2027 Original release: Givan voices disappointment over delay to SEN Regulations (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP speech Future of these Islands: Preparing for Change
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP, speaking at a future of these islands event, argues political leaders must shape change rather than react to it and says the SDLP wants a New and agreed Ireland. She calls for cross-party working and principles to plan for a New Ireland, and invites unionist…
Constitutional affairs Community relations and legacy Issue: SDLP "Future of these Islands: Preparing for Change" event at The MAC Original release: SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP speech Future of these Islands: Preparing for Change (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong welcomes inclusion of Twelfth in Discover Northern Ireland's summer events coverage
Ulster Unionist deputy leader Diana Armstrong MLA welcomes Discover Northern Ireland's decision to include the Twelfth of July in its summer events coverage. She says the event was previously neglected despite drawing tens of thousands to its parades and calls it right that visitors are made aware…
Community relations and legacy Issue: Discover Northern Ireland inclusion of Twelfth in summer events coverage Original release: Armstrong welcomes inclusion of Twelfth in Discover Northern Ireland's summer events coverage (opens in a new tab)
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Mathison hits back at Minister’s statement on SEN Regulations
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, chair of the Education Committee, rejects the Education Minister's criticism of the committee's handling of SEN regulations, saying the rules need proper examination and accusing the DUP of responsibility for the special educational needs system and placement shortages.
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 implementation delay to September 2027 Original release: Mathison hits back at Minister’s statement on SEN Regulations (opens in a new tab)
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Carroll: Civil Service Pride Withdrawal 'Regressive and Reckless'
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll condemns the head of the Civil Service's decision to withdraw staff from the Pride march, calling it regressive and reckless. He accuses political figures of stoking transphobia for gain and urges civil servants who wish to march to do so.
Disability and equality Issue: Civil Service withdrawal from Pride march Original release: Carroll: Civil Service Pride Withdrawal 'Regressive and Reckless' (opens in a new tab)
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Finnegan welcomes confirmation former Crossmaglen barracks is to be disposed of
Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan welcomes the confirmed disposal of the former Crossmaglen army base and urges that any redevelopment bring lasting social and economic gains for the area. She calls for work with the local community, council and agencies on jobs, community facilities, housing and…
Community relations and legacy Economy and employment Issue: Former Crossmaglen barracks disposal confirmed Original release: Finnegan welcomes confirmation former Crossmaglen barracks is to be disposed of (opens in a new tab)
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Irish Government cannot hide behind a veil of secrecy - Robinson
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP criticises the Irish Government for failing to provide meaningful access to information on Troubles legacy cases and calls on Dublin to end secrecy and fully cooperate. He also faults the Northern Ireland Office for being unable to explain how investigators will obtain…
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee session on Troubles legacy information access Original release: Irish Government cannot hide behind a veil of secrecy - Robinson (opens in a new tab)
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Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes an Assembly motion on IVF equality, calling for access to fertility treatment to be based on need rather than ability to pay and describing IVF as essential healthcare.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on IVF equality and access to fertility treatment Original release: Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin will continue to stand with Loughinisland families – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says the party will keep supporting the Loughinisland families as they seek the truth, citing the 1994 Heights Bar killings, weapons from the late-1980s Ulster Resistance arms shipment still unaccounted for, and the Police Ombudsman's finding of significant collusion.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Original release: Sinn Féin will continue to stand with Loughinisland families – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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John Finucane comments on the conclusion of Jeffrey Donaldson trial
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane says victims and their loved ones deserve credit and continued support after the guilty verdict in the Jeffrey Donaldson trial. He says the verdict brings accountability but cannot erase the abuse suffered, and calls for the focus to stay on the victims.
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Issue: Jeffrey Donaldson guilty verdict on historic sex abuse charges Original release: John Finucane comments on the conclusion of Jeffrey Donaldson trial (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston welcomes a Scottish Court of Session judgment ruling that prison accommodation must be segregated by biological sex, and says it should prompt reflection in Northern Ireland. He points to Rule 90 of the 1995 Prison Rules and says his Amendment 97 to the Justice Bill will be…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Court of Session ruling on prison accommodation by biological sex Original release: Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation (opens in a new tab)