Latest releases
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3,057 releases
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O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill's omission of no-fault divorce is a missed opportunity to modernise marriage law. He asks the Finance Minister to explain why it was left out, arguing it could help tackle abuse.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill omission of no-fault divorce Original release: O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity (opens in a new tab)
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Political and economic status quo no longer working – Pearse Doherty TD
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty says rising living costs and strained public services show the current political and economic order is failing, and that an alternative is urgently needed. Speaking at a 50th anniversary commemoration in Belleeks for IRA Volunteer Peter Cleary, he also calls for Irish…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Peter Cleary 50th anniversary commemoration in Belleeks Original release: Political and economic status quo no longer working – Pearse Doherty TD (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan urges urgent action to tackle persistent shortcomings in autism support, citing evidence heard by the All-Party Group for Autism from the Independent Autism Reviewer. He calls on the Department of Health to work closely with the reviewer and to prioritise the Autism…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Independent Autism Reviewer evidence to All-Party Group for Autism Original release: Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services (opens in a new tab)
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Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes the installation of a new sensory unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, a multisensory 'Cubbie' purchased with Little Heroes NI funding, which she says will officially open this week.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children sensory unit installation Original release: Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital (opens in a new tab)
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Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for…
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan says a visit to Holywood Nursery School shows the Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for children with special educational needs. He cites a new sensory room, extra classroom assistant hours and £4.5million invested in 2025/26 across…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Givan visit to Holywood Nursery School on Pre-School Inclusion Fund Original release: Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for… (opens in a new tab)
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Justice Minister refuses to confirm violence against women funding is spent on women
TUV Bannside councillor Anna Henry says Justice Minister Naomi Long refused to confirm that funding to tackle violence against women is spent on women, and calls for serious questions to be asked about how the money is allocated.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Justice Minister's response on violence against women funding in Assembly Original release: Justice Minister refuses to confirm violence against women funding is spent on women (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Executive Budget shambles demeaning devolution
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Executive's stalled multi-year Budget is demeaning devolution, citing doubts over whether a joint Finance Department-Treasury 'open book exercise' will be published and an invitation to the Secretary of State to attend an Executive meeting.
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Issue: Executive multi-year Budget delay and open book exercise publication doubts Original release: O'Toole: Executive Budget shambles demeaning devolution (opens in a new tab)
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One year on, women still waiting for law to be enforced - Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the UK Government to act quickly on the Supreme Court's For Women Scotland ruling, saying women's rights remain unclear a year on. She calls for the EHRC Code of Practice and NHS guidance to be published without delay and for the law to be enforced in full across the…
Disability and equality Issue: For Women Scotland Supreme Court ruling one-year anniversary Original release: One year on, women still waiting for law to be enforced - Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Clear need for closer EU alignment
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says the need for closer UK-EU relations has become clearer, pointing to Donald Trump's actions and US conduct, and welcomes any move to align the UK more closely with the EU after reports of planned legislation on single market rules.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UK Government legislation to ease adoption of EU single market rules Original release: Hanna: Clear need for closer EU alignment (opens in a new tab)
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Removal of barriers between UK and EU markets essential for economic growth and stability, says Nicholl
Alliance Economy spokesperson Kate Nicholl MLA welcomes the UK Government's plan to legislate to remove red tape on adopting EU single market rules, arguing greater regulatory alignment with the EU benefits Northern Ireland businesses. She calls for a stronger UK voice early in drafting, via…
Economy and employment International affairs Issue: UK Government legislation to ease adoption of EU single market rules Original release: Removal of barriers between UK and EU markets essential for economic growth and stability, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party delivered the peace now we must deliver the prosperity
Ulster Unionist Leader Jon Burrows MLA marks the 28th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, saying the UUP helped deliver peace and that the hope of 1998 was undermined by failures to dismantle paramilitary structures and by later changes to the Agreement. He calls for a new phase of work on…
Constitutional affairs Original release: Ulster Unionist Party delivered the peace now we must deliver the prosperity (opens in a new tab)
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Why did Unionists permit the Northern Ireland Executive X account to be used to promote Republican terrorism?
TUV leader Jim Allister MP asks who approved an Executive Office X post highlighting Michelle O'Neill's attendance at a Dublin Easter Rising commemoration, and whether it will be removed. He says Unionists in government must explain their role in allowing the account to be used this way.
Constitutional affairs Community relations and legacy Issue: Northern Ireland Executive X post on Michelle O'Neill's Easter Rising attendance Original release: Why did Unionists permit the Northern Ireland Executive X account to be used to promote Republican terrorism? (opens in a new tab)
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We have secured the peace, it’s time to write the next chapter: Irish reunification – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald calls for the government to lead on Irish reunification, urging planning and preparation ahead of the Good Friday Agreement's thirtieth anniversary. She accuses Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a dereliction of duty and says the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael government is the…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Original release: We have secured the peace, it’s time to write the next chapter: Irish reunification – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Martin’s neutrality shift ‘A fundamental break with Irish policy’ – Mary Lou McDonald
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald accuses Taoiseach Micheál Martin of dismantling Irish neutrality, citing his February remark on standing militarily with a country in conflict, and calls for a referendum on the issue. She also opposes plans to scrap the UN mandate safeguard on overseas…
International affairs Constitutional affairs Original release: Martin’s neutrality shift ‘A fundamental break with Irish policy’ – Mary Lou McDonald (opens in a new tab)
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TUV raises alarm over Sinn Fein influence in Invest NI appointments
TUV Business spokesman Councillor Keith Ratcliffe says the Department must show how two Invest NI board appointees with links to Sinn Fein were assessed on merit, and what criteria and political activity were weighed. He also claims Sinn Fein control is aligning Stormont's economic levers with an…
Economy and employment Constitutional affairs Issue: Invest NI board appointments with Sinn Fein links Original release: TUV raises alarm over Sinn Fein influence in Invest NI appointments (opens in a new tab)
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Honouring 1916, Building the Republic – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald TD announces a nationwide programme of over 200 Easter Rising commemorations and calls on people across Ireland to attend events marking 1916 and pursue a united, equal Republic. Her release names housing, cost of living and partition as unfinished issues.
Constitutional affairs Original release: Honouring 1916, Building the Republic – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the Justice Minister to urgently change regulations to speed up and improve PSNI disciplinary processes, following Rachel Langdale's review finding sexism, misogyny and a flawed misconduct process.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Rachel Langdale review of PSNI sexism and misogyny findings Original release: Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD
Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú says the government should adopt an All‑Ireland inclusion strategy and a shared North‑South definition of disability, and work harder to boost employment for disabled people, following the ESRI report on island‑wide disability rates.
Disability and equality Issue: ESRI report on disability rates across the island Original release: All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings
The SDLP calls on The Executive Office to deliver a coordinated response to the Langdale report's findings on violence against women and girls, proposing an independently chaired taskforce of TEO, the PSNI and women's sector representatives. Claire Hanna urges the DoJ and PSNI to act on failings…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Langdale report findings on violence against women and girls Original release: SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings (opens in a new tab)
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Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:…
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe says problems with summer schemes for children with SEN reflect a wider system failure that needs real action, not party political attacks. She calls for the Executive to unblock a 10-year SEN facilities investment plan and warns the draft budget's education cuts would hit…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on SEN summer provision and draft budget cuts Original release: Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:… (opens in a new tab)