Latest releases
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1,981 releases
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Allen urges sustained investment in NISEP to help tackle fuel poverty
UUP Communities Spokesperson and East Belfast MLA Andy Allen MBE welcomes recent additional investment in NISEP and calls on the Economy Minister to sustain it and align it with the wider fuel poverty strategy, including renewable biofuel options for rural areas.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Additional investment in Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) Original release: Allen urges sustained investment in NISEP to help tackle fuel poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna backs removal of two-child welfare cap
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP welcomes Commons progress on a Bill to scrap the Universal Credit two-child limit, arguing it has pushed children into poverty and could benefit over 50,000 households in Northern Ireland.
Social security and welfare Issue: Removal of the two-child welfare cap Original release: Hanna backs removal of two-child welfare cap (opens in a new tab)
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More coordinated storm preparedness response on Portaferry Road crucial, says Armstrong, ahead of Assembly debate
Alliance Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong calls for a more coordinated storm response on the Portaferry Road and A20 ahead of her Stormont adjournment debate. She asks the Department for Infrastructure to set out closure procedures, inter-agency communication and signposting of an alternative…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Storm Bram impact on A20 Portaferry Road and Ards Peninsula Original release: More coordinated storm preparedness response on Portaferry Road crucial, says Armstrong, ahead of Assembly debate (opens in a new tab)
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McDaid: Executive must prioritise free school meals
SDLP Councillor Catherine McDaid says the Executive must prioritise universal free school meals across the North, after a Derry City and Strabane council motion she brought forward will see the council write to the Education Minister seeking a funded plan by 2030.
Education Local government Issue: Derry City and Strabane council motion on universal free school meals Original release: McDaid: Executive must prioritise free school meals (opens in a new tab)
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Hazzard welcomes progress on low-carbon heating support as ‘a vital step for affordability and climate action’
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald's decision to proceed with designing a new low-carbon home heating support scheme. He says it offers clarity for families reliant on oil heating and calls for affordability, rural needs and fuel-poor households to stay central…
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Department for the Economy low-carbon heating support scheme design next steps Original release: Hazzard welcomes progress on low-carbon heating support as ‘a vital step for affordability and climate action’ (opens in a new tab)
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Gynaecological and menopause waiting times ‘completely unacceptable’ – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for action on gynaecology and menopause waiting times, citing a BBC report that almost 60,000 women are on gynaecology waiting lists in the north. She urges the Health Minister to work with his southern counterpart and says the forthcoming women's health action…
Health Disability and equality Issue: BBC report on almost 60,000 women on gynaecology waiting lists Original release: Gynaecological and menopause waiting times ‘completely unacceptable’ – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Maskey expresses support for WASPI campaign
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey expresses support for the WASPI campaign after the British government rejected compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age. He says the decision denies women born in the 1950s what they are owed.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: British government rejects WASPI state pension compensation Original release: Maskey expresses support for WASPI campaign (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston challenges deputy First Minister on Irish Language Commissioner
TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston says the commencement order bringing the Irish Language Commissioner's powers into force is the DUP's surrender on Irish language demands, and calls on the deputy First Minister to ensure Pol Deeds stays within his legal powers, including over the Grand Central…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Commencement order bringing Irish Language Commissioner powers into force Original release: Gaston challenges deputy First Minister on Irish Language Commissioner (opens in a new tab)
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Families continue to be failed by lack of respite provision, says McAllister
Alliance health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says families are being failed by a lack of respite care after the Department of Health confirmed Lindsay House in the South Eastern Trust cannot reopen with no timeframe. She has tabled an urgent oral question for the Health Minister.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Lindsay House respite facility reopening delay confirmed Original release: Families continue to be failed by lack of respite provision, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Sheerin welcomes European Commission investigation into X
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin welcomes the European Commission's decision to investigate X over its Grok AI tool, which was misused to generate sexualised deepfake imagery. She calls on social media firms to stop enabling the digital undressing of women and children and says parties at Stormont have…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: European Commission investigation into X over Grok AI images Original release: Sheerin welcomes European Commission investigation into X (opens in a new tab)
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Presentations from Foras na Gaeilge and Turas show huge interest in Irish language across Ireland – Senator Conor Murphy
Sinn Féin's Senator Conor Murphy says Oireachtas committee presentations by Foras na Gaeilge and Turas show growing interest in Irish, but claims statutory funding is failing the sector and Good Friday Agreement commitments on language have not been honoured. He also calls on the Irish Government…
Disability and equality Education Issue: Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement Committee Irish language presentations from Foras na Gaeilge and Turas Original release: Presentations from Foras na Gaeilge and Turas show huge interest in Irish language across Ireland – Senator Conor Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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First Environmental Improvement Plan report shows progress, but political will is vital to save our environment, says Blair
Alliance Environment Spokesperson John Blair MLA says political will is vital to protect the environment after Andrew Muir released the first yearly update on the Environmental Improvement Plan, which Blair says shows progress.
Environment and climate Issue: Environmental Improvement Plan first annual progress report Original release: First Environmental Improvement Plan report shows progress, but political will is vital to save our environment, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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Holocaust Memorial Day
TUV leader Jim Allister MP says he signed a Holocaust commemoration pledge book on Holocaust Memorial Day and calls for antisemitism to be confronted wherever it appears, with action matching remembrance.
Disability and equality Original release: Holocaust Memorial Day (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin says all tools must be used against non-consensual sexual deepfakes ahead of an Assembly debate urging the Justice Minister to criminalise them. She criticises X's paywalling of Grok image features, urges British government and Ofcom action, and asks the education…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on criminalising sexually explicit deepfakes Original release: Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
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Mickey Brady – A Decent Human Being – Gerry Adams
Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, giving the oration at the graveside in Newry, pays tribute to Mickey Brady, recalling his welfare rights work and his commitment to Irish unity and people's rights.
Other Social security and welfare Original release: Mickey Brady – A Decent Human Being – Gerry Adams (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women
SDLP MLA Hunter says she will bring forward an Assembly motion on online harm against women. The release gives no further detail on the motion's wording or timing.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan urges the Health Minister to assess introducing newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, citing early diagnosis benefits and a pilot in Scotland, and says the North should not fall behind.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Spinal Muscular Atrophy screening review in Northern Ireland Original release: McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (opens in a new tab)
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Consultation on Nature Recovery Strategy a step in the right direction, says Blair
Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA welcomes the public consultation on the draft Nature Recovery Strategy announced by Minister Muir, calling it a timely step to reverse nature decline and urging public bodies, businesses, farmers and citizens to submit their ideas.
Environment and climate Issue: Draft Northern Ireland Nature Recovery Strategy consultation Original release: Consultation on Nature Recovery Strategy a step in the right direction, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw
Alliance TEO spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says Northern Ireland wellbeing figures are encouraging overall but show persistent gaps for disabled people and those in deprived circumstances. She calls for early investment in healthcare, housing, education and mental health, and for the Executive…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland 2024 to 2025 report publication Original release: Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Mournes must be protected for future generations – Hazzard
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard says the Mourne Mountains must be protected as visitor numbers rise, urging the Stormont Executive to grant regional asset status to secure sustainable investment and safeguard fragile habitats.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Rising visitor numbers to the Mourne Mountains Original release: Mournes must be protected for future generations – Hazzard (opens in a new tab)