Latest releases
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4,535 releases
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Another week, another crushing blow to education - Egan
Alliance Education spokesperson Connie Egan MLA criticises the Department of Education's cut to the School Enhancement Programme for 2023/2024, saying schools are left uncertain over promised building upgrades. She calls on the DUP to end its boycott of the institutions and return to Stormont to…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: School Enhancement Programme funding cut by Department of Education Original release: Another week, another crushing blow to education - Egan (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: Irreversible damage to public services must be stopped
SDLP Stormont Leader Matthew O’Toole MLA warns that cuts to public services will cause irreversible hardship for those least able to cope, and urges Assembly parties to form an Executive immediately to take back control of budget decisions, following a letter from public sector chairs to the…
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Issue: Public Sector Chairs forum challenge to Secretary of State over public spending cuts Original release: O’Toole: Irreversible damage to public services must be stopped (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Leader calls for parties to prioritise public sector pay crisis
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP urges Stormont parties able to form an Executive to treat the public sector pay dispute as a priority, ahead of this week's Northern Ireland Civil Service strike. He says the current pay award is derisory and calls on the British Government to address it.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Civil Service strike action over public sector pay Original release: SDLP Leader calls for parties to prioritise public sector pay crisis (opens in a new tab)
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£40m per year in negligence payouts cannot remain the norm - Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw says annual payouts of over £40m for medical negligence cannot remain the norm and calls for fundamental change to patient safety, citing a lack of improvement from Serious Adverse Incident reviews since 2009.
Health Issue: Northern Ireland medical negligence payouts exceed £40m last year Original release: £40m per year in negligence payouts cannot remain the norm - Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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PSNI enforcement of stalking legislation welcome, says Egan, marking one year since its introduction
Alliance spokesperson Connie Egan MLA welcomes PSNI enforcement of the Protection from Stalking Act, citing 88 arrests and 47 charges since April 2022, and calls for the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy to be unblocked by restoring the institutions.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI figures on arrests and charges under the Protection from Stalking Act Original release: PSNI enforcement of stalking legislation welcome, says Egan, marking one year since its introduction (opens in a new tab)
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Largest ever team of Sinn Féin candidates to stand in 18 May council election – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney says the party is fielding its largest ever team of candidates for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in the 18 May election, contesting every District Electoral Area and aiming to elect more councillors.
Local government Disability and equality Original release: Largest ever team of Sinn Féin candidates to stand in 18 May council election – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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DUP boycott of institutions delaying introduction of paid miscarriage leave – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says the DUP's boycott of the institutions is delaying paid miscarriage leave, now deferred until at least 2025 because the regulations needed to commence it cannot be introduced. She calls for the Executive to be restored.
Economy and employment Disability and equality Issue: Deferral of paid miscarriage leave commencement until at least 2025 Original release: DUP boycott of institutions delaying introduction of paid miscarriage leave – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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No health worker should be discriminated against due to age or disability – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew commends midwives in the Southern Trust area for resisting attempts to move them onto contracts with worse terms and conditions. He says the Trust has now abandoned the move and that no health worker should face discrimination due to age or disability.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Southern Trust midwives contract changes abandoned Original release: No health worker should be discriminated against due to age or disability – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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New approach to public finances needed: Lyons
DUP MLA for East Antrim and finance spokesperson Gordon Lyons says a new approach to Northern Ireland’s public finances is required, warning that restoring Stormont will not erase budget pressures and urging an honest review of the funding model.
Public finance and taxation Issue: Restoration of Stormont devolution and public finance pressures Original release: New approach to public finances needed: Lyons (opens in a new tab)
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Northern Ireland misses out on decarbonisation funding
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA says she is appalled Northern Ireland is missing out on Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant money, blaming the lack of a functioning Executive after Treasury confirmed no Barnett consequentials can be identified for…
Environment and climate Housing Issue: Northern Ireland excluded from Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant Original release: Northern Ireland misses out on decarbonisation funding (opens in a new tab)
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Devastating that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils has been cut, says Egan
Alliance Education spokesperson Connie Egan MLA says it is devastating that funding for disadvantaged pupils has been cut, after the Department of Education told schools the counselling and homework club support for 500 schools is ending due to savings. She blames the lack of a restored Executive…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education ending disadvantaged schools funding scheme Original release: Devastating that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils has been cut, says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP: Everyone has a part to play in fighting climate emergency
SDLP climate spokesperson Gary McKeown says everyone, from governments and large firms to households, must share responsibility ahead of Earth Day 2023, urging councils to use recycling, pollution controls and planning for biodiversity. SDLP active travel spokesperson Simon Lee calls for…
Environment and climate Local government Original release: SDLP: Everyone has a part to play in fighting climate emergency (opens in a new tab)
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People Before Profit Standing In North’s Local Elections
People Before Profit says it will stand candidates in the May 18th Northern Ireland local elections in Belfast, Derry, Strabane and Coleraine. It urges workers on picket lines to back the party, criticises the DUP and mainstream parties over rates rises, and calls for wealthier residents to pay…
Economy and employment Local government Original release: People Before Profit Standing In North’s Local Elections (opens in a new tab)
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Extended Schools decision underscores need to prioritise education…
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds, the Upper Bann MLA, calls for a fundamental overhaul of how education is financed after warning that the Extended Schools programme is likely to be one of several casualties of a shortfall in the education budget. She urges education to be placed alongside…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Extended Schools Programme funding cut and June closure Original release: Extended Schools decision underscores need to prioritise education… (opens in a new tab)
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‘Savage cuts to Extended Schools deeply unacceptable’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says cuts of 75% to the Extended Schools Programme, which is to end in June, are deeply unacceptable and calls for an Executive to be formed now to protect public services.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Extended Schools Programme funding cut and June closure Original release: ‘Savage cuts to Extended Schools deeply unacceptable’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong calls for free dental treatment and sight tests for UC claimants
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on the Health and Communities departments to legislate so Universal Credit claimants in Northern Ireland get free dental treatment and sight tests automatically, as in the rest of the UK. She says current HC1 form applications create unnecessary red tape ahead…
Social security and welfare Health Original release: Armstrong calls for free dental treatment and sight tests for UC claimants (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Loss of funding for disadvantaged schools shameful
SDLP Education Spokesperson and West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan calls the loss of funding for around 500 disadvantaged schools shameful, after the Department of Education cited budgetary pressures, and urges MLAs and Ministers back at Stormont.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education ending disadvantaged schools funding scheme Original release: McCrossan: Loss of funding for disadvantaged schools shameful (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to tackle chronic autism diagnosis waiting lists – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says an Executive is needed urgently to tackle chronic waiting lists for autism diagnosis and to implement the autism strategy, which she says is being held up without a functioning Executive.
Health Disability and equality Original release: Executive needed to tackle chronic autism diagnosis waiting lists – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Outrageous that DUP now blocking own member’s bill to enhance Autism Services, says Bradshaw
Alliance's Paula Bradshaw, Health Spokesperson and South Belfast MLA, urges an immediate Autism Reviewer appointment, saying the process has stalled because of the DUP's boycott of Stormont and that the Northern Ireland Office confirmed the post will stay vacant.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Autism Reviewer post remaining unfilled under Autism (Amendment) Act 2022 Original release: Outrageous that DUP now blocking own member’s bill to enhance Autism Services, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Families impacted by neurology scandal deserve truth and accountability – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín welcomes a Judicial Review win by neurology campaigner Danielle O'Neill that blocked Michael Watt from removing himself from the medical register. She calls on Watt to comply with investigations and on the Belfast Trust to implement the report's recommendations.
Health Issue: Judicial Review on Michael Watt's removal from medical register Original release: Families impacted by neurology scandal deserve truth and accountability – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)