Latest releases
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1,460 releases
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Green Party Cllr Kendall Again Condemns Executive Over Continued Delay of Safe Leave
Green Party Councillor Lauren Kendall accuses the Economy Minister and the Executive of stalling Safe Leave, which would give paid leave to domestic abuse victims, and says the delay is letting victims down. She links the criticism to new Women's Aid figures on refuge use and referrals in 2024/25.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Safe Leave legislation delay and inaction Original release: Green Party Cllr Kendall Again Condemns Executive Over Continued Delay of Safe Leave (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 29 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says the British Chancellor's Autumn Budget missed an opportunity to redirect public funding towards those most in need, arguing £18.8 million extra this financial year falls far short of front-line service needs.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Northern Ireland funding and tax threshold freeze Original release: Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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Scrapping of two child limit creates fairness for families – Gildernew
Sinn Féin communities spokesperson Colm Gildernew welcomes the British government's decision, announced in the budget statement, to scrap the two child benefit limit. He says the limit pushed families into poverty and that the change will help hard-pressed families.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: British government scrapping of two child benefit limit in budget Original release: Scrapping of two child limit creates fairness for families – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Mason welcomes support to allow girls the right to wear trousers in school
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes cross-party support on the Education Committee for a proposal giving girls a clear right to wear trousers in school. She says the DUP Education Minister missed a chance to modernise school uniform policy and pledges to work with others to deliver it.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Mason welcomes support to allow girls the right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin representatives welcome Health Minister to Dungannon respite facility
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew and Councillor Nuala McLernon welcome the Health Minister's visit to Woodlawn House in Dungannon, which provides adult respite for people with learning disabilities, and call for urgent action on repeated last-minute respite cancellations.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Health Minister visit to Woodlawn House Dungannon respite facility Original release: Sinn Féin representatives welcome Health Minister to Dungannon respite facility (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Minister must have ambition to deliver free school meals
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says the Education Minister must show ambition on universal free school meals, following the Assembly's passage of her party's motion on Tuesday. She accuses the Minister of deflecting, warns that children are going hungry and says Northern…
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Assembly Opposition Day motion on universal free school meals Original release: Hunter: Minister must have ambition to deliver free school meals (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget
SDLP leader Claire Hanna welcomes the scrapping of the two-child welfare limit and a £370m boost for Northern Ireland in the Budget, but calls on Executive Ministers to act on health, housing, justice and childcare rather than blaming Westminster.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood says the UK Budget fails working families, small businesses and vulnerable people, welcoming the removal of the two child benefit cap but criticising the income tax threshold freeze and the lack of a hospitality VAT cut. She urges the Finance Minister to replicate…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school
Alliance MLA Michelle Guy welcomes the Education Committee's decision to take forward a single-issue bill allowing girls to choose trousers as part of school uniform. She says the Education Minister could have made the change through his uniform guidance and urges him to update the guidelines…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns graffiti on a property near Ravenhill Embankment in south Belfast that she describes as racist. She says the community is diverse and urges anyone with information to contact police.
Disability and equality Issue: Racist graffiti on property near Ravenhill Embankment, south Belfast Original release: Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti (opens in a new tab)
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Costs faced by families in schools must be reduced – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to move towards free school meals for all children, ahead of an Assembly debate on school meals. He also says he is bringing forward legislation to support families during school holidays.
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Assembly debate on school meals Original release: Costs faced by families in schools must be reduced – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP, with cross-party MPs, urges the Chancellor to raise the Tax-Free Childcare cap in line with inflation, saying the £2,000 annual limit has been frozen since 2017 while childcare prices rose about 34%. The call comes ahead of the Autumn Budget.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Cross-party MPs letter on Tax-Free Childcare cap ahead of Autumn Budget Original release: MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap (opens in a new tab)
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16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan
Alliance North Down MLA Connie Egan says gender-based violence has no place in society and highlights this year's 16 Days of Activism theme, 'No Excuse for Online Abuse', amid a rise in deepfake videos of women.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses
UUP MP Robin Swann urges the Chancellor to scrap the proposed Family Farm Tax ahead of the Autumn Budget, arguing it endangers family farms in Northern Ireland. He also calls for scrapping the two-child Universal Credit limit, a Corporation Tax cut, duty-free parity for UK airports, and a…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Family Farm Tax proposal Original release: Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses (opens in a new tab)
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Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget
Alliance Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood calls on the Chancellor to prioritise easing pressure on working families ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November. She urges scrapping the two-child limit, cutting VAT for pubs, cafés and restaurants, and reforming inheritance tax to protect family farms.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Government Budget announcement on taxation and public spending Original release: Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Gerry Carroll Slams Labour’s Disastrous Asylum Reforms
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll calls the UK government's asylum reforms disastrous and says Labour is pandering to the far right, citing reviews of refugee status and changes to housing and allowances for asylum seekers.
Immigration International affairs Issue: UK Labour asylum reforms on refugee status reviews and asylum support Original release: Gerry Carroll Slams Labour’s Disastrous Asylum Reforms (opens in a new tab)
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Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion says she will host a conference in Limerick tomorrow on gender-based violence, bringing together frontline practitioners, policymakers and survivors to share best practice and strengthen cross-sector cooperation on ending violence against women and girls.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter urges Executive to back universal free school meals by 2030
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA calls on the Executive to commit to universal free school meals by 2030, ahead of an SDLP Opposition Day motion. She says the Minister and Executive failed to restore holiday hunger payments and that the Education Authority has raised school…
Education Social security and welfare Issue: SDLP Opposition Day motion on universal free school meals by 2030 Original release: Hunter urges Executive to back universal free school meals by 2030 (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools
Green Party councillor Flynn welcomes the Supreme Court judgment on compulsory religious worship in Northern Ireland schools, urging the Executive to act quickly to overhaul the education framework so pupils from all backgrounds, including non-religious families, feel respected.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools Original release: Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 20 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes changes to pensions for those diagnosed with a terminal illness
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes changes allowing people with a terminal diagnosis of one year to live to access pensions early from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme. She calls for the early payout to be extended to everyone facing an incurable illness.
Social security and welfare Issue: Legislative consent motion on early pension access for terminal illness Original release: Dillon welcomes changes to pensions for those diagnosed with a terminal illness (opens in a new tab)