Latest releases
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3,801 releases
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McGrath: Growing pressures shows safe staffing legislation cannot wait
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA welcomes new figures showing a record HSC workforce of 68,341 whole-time equivalent staff, but calls on the Health Minister to set a clear timetable for safe staffing legislation, citing rising agency nurse spending and ongoing pressures.
Health Issue: Health and Social Care workforce statistics on recruitment and vacancies Original release: McGrath: Growing pressures shows safe staffing legislation cannot wait (opens in a new tab)
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Time for Stormont DFI Minister to End Derry Rail Timetable Disparity
People Before Profit's Eamonn McCann welcomes over a million Derry rail passengers in the last year and calls on the DFI Minister to fund equal train access on the Derry line, estimated by Translink at £1m.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Derry rail passenger numbers and timetable disparity funding Original release: Time for Stormont DFI Minister to End Derry Rail Timetable Disparity (opens in a new tab)
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Health and Social Care Statistics highlight scale of challenge facing our health service
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan says the latest health workforce statistics show the scale of pressure on the health service, with over 6,000 vacancies. He urges the Health Minister to introduce a properly financed workforce plan covering future need, more training posts, overseas recruitment where…
Health Issue: Health and Social Care workforce statistics on recruitment and vacancies Original release: Health and Social Care Statistics highlight scale of challenge facing our health service (opens in a new tab)
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Lockhart leads Westminster delegation in push for life-saving MLD…
DUP MP Carla Lockhart says she will lead a delegation to Westminster to press for Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) to be added to the UK newborn heel-prick screening programme. She will meet Health Minister Sharon Hodgson and Conservative and Reform health spokespeople, and cites the Prime…
Health Issue: MLD inclusion in newborn heel-prick screening programme review Original release: Lockhart leads Westminster delegation in push for life-saving MLD… (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Thousands waiting for homes while social housing fraud goes unchecked
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan urges Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to act against social housing fraud after a Northern Ireland Audit Office report estimated losses of at least £8 million last year. He warns the true cost is unknown without a baseline and asks the Housing Executive and housing…
Housing Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on social housing tenancy fraud Original release: Durkan: Thousands waiting for homes while social housing fraud goes unchecked (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Welcome Legal Challenge Filed Over ECNI Guidance on Women’s Rights
TUV equality spokeswoman Ann McClure welcomes a legal challenge brought by the Women's Rights Network NI against the Equality Commission's guidance, saying it raises whether the commission reflected the Supreme Court's clarification on sex in law.
Disability and equality Issue: Legal challenge against ECNI guidance on sex and women's rights Original release: TUV Welcome Legal Challenge Filed Over ECNI Guidance on Women’s Rights (opens in a new tab)
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SF Tying Itself in Knots on Climate Laws
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine says Sinn Fein is struggling with contradictions over amending the Climate Change Act to allow major infrastructure, arguing Michelle O'Neill's remarks on road projects were a kite-flying exercise. She says the Infrastructure Minister gave no answer on the A5 Court of…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Sinn Fein stance on amending climate change legislation for infrastructure Original release: SF Tying Itself in Knots on Climate Laws (opens in a new tab)
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Health checks are for more than just the GAA – Campbell
DUP MP Gregory Campbell calls for free health checks offered through Kingsbridge Private Hospital's GAA-focused Health Check Roadshow to be extended to football, rugby, cricket and other sports clubs. He says he wrote to the hospital in April and again last week without a reply.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Kingsbridge Private Hospital GAA Health Check Roadshow Original release: Health checks are for more than just the GAA – Campbell (opens in a new tab)
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Lockhart calls for PHA drugs post to be withdrawn
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the Health Minister to have the Public Health Agency withdraw a social media post on illegal drug use at music festivals, which she says sends the wrong message. She has asked the Department of Health who approved the campaign and what approval process was followed.
Health Issue: PHA social media post on drug use at music festivals Original release: Lockhart calls for PHA drugs post to be withdrawn (opens in a new tab)
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McAllister condemns Islamophobic mural in Newtownabbey
Alliance North Belfast MLA Nuala McAllister condemns an Islamophobic mural unveiled in the Tulleevin Walk area of Newtownabbey, which police are investigating as a hate incident and possible criminal damage. She says she will keep liaising with the PSNI.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Islamophobic mural unveiled in Tulleevin Walk, Newtownabbey Original release: McAllister condemns Islamophobic mural in Newtownabbey (opens in a new tab)
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‘Racist banner must be removed immediately’ – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew condemns a racist banner erected in Moygashel, calling for its immediate removal. He says it was put up to sow division and targets part of the community, and notes it was placed at a children's play park.
Community relations and legacy Disability and equality Issue: Racist banner erected in Moygashel play park Original release: ‘Racist banner must be removed immediately’ – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Milestone of Shame: 50,000 on Housing Waiting List
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says 50,000 families on the social housing waiting list, over 33,000 of them officially homeless, should shame Stormont ministers. He calls for rent controls, a ban on no-fault evictions, a funded social house-building programme and empty homes brought back…
Housing Issue: Social housing waiting list passes 50,000 households figures Original release: Milestone of Shame: 50,000 on Housing Waiting List (opens in a new tab)
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Kearney welcomes Finance Minister’s investment in pharmacy services
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney welcomes a £42 million investment in pharmacies, part of a wider £70 million health package announced by Finance Minister John O'Dowd, to fund digital prescriptions and expanded pharmacy services. He says it will ease pressure on GP surgeries and hospitals and calls…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: £70 million health service investment announced by Finance Minister O'Dowd Original release: Kearney welcomes Finance Minister’s investment in pharmacy services (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Minister must get to grips with housing and homelessness crisis – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, chair of the Communities Committee, calls on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to urgently address the housing crisis after figures showed over 50,000 households waiting for social housing. He says a scheme to buy 600 homes for temporary accommodation has yet to…
Housing Issue: Social housing waiting list passes 50,000 households figures Original release: DUP Minister must get to grips with housing and homelessness crisis – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Progress needed to address homelessness crisis
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA urges the Communities Minister to make progress on homelessness plans, citing a 5% rise in homelessness households and 50,381 households on social housing waiting lists. He says the Executive has fallen short and that the Minister is set…
Housing Issue: Social housing waiting list passes 50,000 households figures Original release: Durkan: Progress needed to address homelessness crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionists welcome £80m ringfenced for NI elective care and waiting lists
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA welcomes Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's plan to set aside £80 million this year for elective care and cutting waiting lists, and says the funding shows the Executive's priority on shorter waits. He points to the removal of four-year waits in several…
Health Issue: Health Minister ringfences £80m for elective care and waiting lists Original release: Ulster Unionists welcome £80m ringfenced for NI elective care and waiting lists (opens in a new tab)
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‘Progress has been made by Executive, but much more work remains’ – Ennis
Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis welcomes progress in the Programme for Government Annual Report, citing 237,000 extra health procedures and childcare support, but says much more work is needed. She calls on the British government to provide proper funding for the Executive.
Public finance and taxation Health Issue: Programme for Government Annual Report publication Original release: ‘Progress has been made by Executive, but much more work remains’ – Ennis (opens in a new tab)
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Finucane condemns Newtonabbey racist graffiti
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane condemns racist graffiti spotted in Newtownabbey’s Abbots Cross, saying there is no place for hate‑filled markings, urging all leaders to denounce it and asking anyone with information to contact police so perpetrators can be brought to justice.
Disability and equality Issue: Racist graffiti in Newtownabbey Abbots Cross Original release: Finucane condemns Newtonabbey racist graffiti (opens in a new tab)
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Agency costs expose years of workforce planning failures - Dodds
DUP MLA Diane Dodds, a Health Committee member, says a Northern Ireland Audit Office report on agency staffing exposes years of failed workforce planning and calls on the Health Minister to set a timetable for the long-delayed Safer Staffing Bill.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on agency nursing costs Original release: Agency costs expose years of workforce planning failures - Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Agency spending illustrates need for safe staffing legislation
SDLP Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA calls on the Health Minister to introduce safe staffing legislation after a Northern Ireland Audit Office report found health trusts spent over £160 million on agency nurses in a year. He also cites a 2,100-plus nursing shortfall and £186 million in…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on agency nursing costs Original release: McGrath: Agency spending illustrates need for safe staffing legislation (opens in a new tab)