Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Constitutional affairs: remove filter
- Environment and climate: remove filter
- Infrastructure and transport: remove filter
- Disability and equality: remove filter
4,446 releases
-
Eastwood: Time to end the dramatics and get to work
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP says his party put a proposal to change the rules for nominating an Assembly Speaker, arguing it could restore the institutions with nationalist, unionist and other support. He urges party leaders to end the dramatics and work intensively on restoring devolution.
Constitutional affairs Issue: SDLP proposal to change Assembly Speaker election rules Original release: Eastwood: Time to end the dramatics and get to work (opens in a new tab)
-
Paisley welcomes announcement on Rathlin ferry operator
The DUP's North Antrim MP Ian Paisley welcomes the announcement of a new operator for the Rathlin Island ferry service, with services due to resume on 13 January. He urges the Department to restore the full service, including vehicle transport, as quickly as possible and to provide longer-term…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry service new operator secured Original release: Paisley welcomes announcement on Rathlin ferry operator (opens in a new tab)
-
McGuigan welcomes new operator for Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry service
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan welcomes the Department for Infrastructure's securing of a replacement operator for the Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry, and that existing staff will keep their jobs. He urges the Department to work with the new provider so the service is fully running as soon as possible.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry service new operator secured Original release: McGuigan welcomes new operator for Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry service (opens in a new tab)
-
Untitled
TUV leader Jim Allister criticises the SDLP for withdrawing from talks with the Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary over Sinn Fein's exclusion, and says TUV was not asked to attend. He calls on the UK Government to refuse Mary Lou McDonald a place at such talks and urges Unionists to end…
Constitutional affairs Issue: SDLP withdrawal from Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary talks Original release: Untitled (opens in a new tab)
-
Data sharing agreement entrenches the Protocol
TUV leader Jim Allister KC MLA argues that the UK-EU agreement on EU access to UK IT systems entrenches the Protocol, by committing UK trade data such as customs declarations and manifests to one-way sharing with the EU. He says the UK government has moved to the EU position and calls for radical…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Joint UK-EU statement on EU access to UK IT systems Original release: Data sharing agreement entrenches the Protocol (opens in a new tab)
-
Rathlin Island ferry essential and vital service – McGuigan
Sinn Féin North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan says the Department for Infrastructure must quickly put a contingency plan in place to keep a ferry service running between Rathlin Island and Ballycastle after RIFL ceased trading. He calls for the solution to protect islanders, island workers and…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: RIFL ceases trading Rathlin Island ferry service Original release: Rathlin Island ferry essential and vital service – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
-
Comment on British government exclusion of Mary Lou McDonald from today’s roundtable meeting
Sinn Féin criticises the British government for excluding party leader Mary Lou McDonald from a roundtable with the Northern Ireland Secretary and Foreign Secretary, calling it bad faith. The party urges a swift Executive restoration amid the cost of living crisis and welcomes recent Protocol…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Mary Lou McDonald excluded from British government roundtable meeting Original release: Comment on British government exclusion of Mary Lou McDonald from today’s roundtable meeting (opens in a new tab)
-
Rathlin Island ferry service closure greatly disappointing and appropriate contingency measures must be put in place, says O’Lynn
Alliance North Antrim MLA Patricia O'Lynn says she is deeply disappointed that Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd has ceased operating the Ballycastle route and calls for urgent contingency arrangements for islanders. She says she has sought assurances from the Department for Infrastructure on a plan…
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: RIFL ceases trading Rathlin Island ferry service Original release: Rathlin Island ferry service closure greatly disappointing and appropriate contingency measures must be put in place, says O’Lynn (opens in a new tab)
-
Talks around restoration of the institutions robust but constructive, says Muir
Alliance Chief Whip Andrew Muir MLA says the round‑table with the Secretary of State and the Foreign Secretary on restoring the institutions was robust and constructive, but was eclipsed by the UK Government’s “needless” move to dictate who could attend, urging parties to select their own delegates,
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Mary Lou McDonald excluded from British government roundtable meeting Original release: Talks around restoration of the institutions robust but constructive, says Muir (opens in a new tab)
-
McReynolds welcomes the success of late night buses in Belfast.
Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds welcomes the success of Translink's Christmas late-night bus and train scheme, which carried over ten thousand passengers in Belfast and Derry-Londonderry in December 2022. He calls for permanent late-night services and increased funding, and says he will raise this…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Translink late night bus and train services festive period ridership Original release: McReynolds welcomes the success of late night buses in Belfast. (opens in a new tab)
-
SDLP proposes changes to Speaker election to unblock Stormont logjam
SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole says the party is proposing a change to Assembly Speaker election rules, allowing a two-thirds majority of MLAs to choose a Speaker, to end what it calls a one-party veto blocking the Stormont institutions.
Constitutional affairs Issue: SDLP proposal to change Assembly Speaker election rules Original release: SDLP proposes changes to Speaker election to unblock Stormont logjam (opens in a new tab)
-
de Faoite: Hub will be transformative for LGBT+ community
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite says a proposed LGBT+ hub in Belfast would be transformative for the city's LGBT+ community after the council launched a public consultation on it. He encourages the public to respond to the consultation.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Belfast City Council LGBT+ hub public consultation launch Original release: de Faoite: Hub will be transformative for LGBT+ community (opens in a new tab)
-
Sir Jeffrey – Short-term fixes will not work
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the Protocol will not be supported by unionists and that short-term fixes will not work, urging London and Brussels to reach an outcome backed by unionists and nationalists ahead of his Belfast meeting with the Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Donaldson meeting with Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary on Protocol Original release: Sir Jeffrey – Short-term fixes will not work (opens in a new tab)
-
TUV announces Causeway Council Candidate
TUV announces local electrical contractor Allister Kyle as its candidate for the Causeway DEA in the upcoming Causeway Coast and Glens Council elections, the first TUV candidate named for the council. Kyle says the council needs radical rebuilding over debt, mismanagement and the £1 land deals.
Local government Constitutional affairs Original release: TUV announces Causeway Council Candidate (opens in a new tab)
-
Agreement on sharing trade data welcome – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney welcomes an agreement between the EU and British government on sharing trade data. He calls for continued work towards a pragmatic, durable Protocol solution and an early resolution giving certainty to local businesses.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on sharing trade data Original release: Agreement on sharing trade data welcome – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
-
It’s not pandering to EU we need
TUV leader Jim Allister says a joint UK-EU statement on EU access to UK IT systems should not be taken as progress on restoring UK sovereignty over Northern Ireland. He claims it means more EU involvement and that current talks only address better implementation of the Protocol, with the EU's…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Joint UK-EU statement on EU access to UK IT systems Original release: It’s not pandering to EU we need (opens in a new tab)
-
Sir Jeffrey: Protocol recognised as the problem for unionists
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP said after a call with Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin that the NI Protocol is now viewed in London, Dublin and Brussels as a unionist problem, calling for its replacement with arrangements that restore Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and尊
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: DUP leader phone call on Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: Sir Jeffrey: Protocol recognised as the problem for unionists (opens in a new tab)
-
Response to ‘Centre for the Union’ publication on the Protocol
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Protocol is a sovereignty issue and calls for Northern Ireland’s full restoration to the United Kingdom, respecting the equal‑footing principle of Article 6. He backs the Centre for the Union’s Constitutional Bill and argues that any border solution must reverse EU‑U
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Centre for the Union publication on the Protocol Original release: Response to ‘Centre for the Union’ publication on the Protocol (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance MLAs meet with DAERA to discuss environmental protection, budgetary pressures and other issues
Alliance MLAs John Blair and Kate Nicholl say they met DAERA's Permanent Secretary and senior team about pressures from having no Minister, including climate and environmental protection and budgets. Blair calls on the DUP to end its Assembly boycott and reform the institutions.
Environment and climate Issue: Alliance meeting with DAERA Permanent Secretary on Ministerial vacancy Original release: Alliance MLAs meet with DAERA to discuss environmental protection, budgetary pressures and other issues (opens in a new tab)
-
Farry welcomes UK-EU deal on data sharing
Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP says trust is essential to reaching a sustainable, mutually agreed Northern Ireland Protocol solution, welcoming the UK-EU data-sharing deal as a basis for further talks. He argues the Protocol Bill's unilateral option undermines that trust.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on sharing trade data Original release: Farry welcomes UK-EU deal on data sharing (opens in a new tab)