Latest releases
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4,535 releases
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Audit Office requests copy of report on funding awards after Alliance raises concerns about roll-out of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund
Alliance's Belfast City Councillor Sam Nelson welcomes the Audit Office's request for a copy of an independent review into Belfast City Council's use of Local Strategic Partners for the Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund and urges it to be completed quickly.
Local government Public finance and taxation Issue: Audit Office request for Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund independent review Original release: Audit Office requests copy of report on funding awards after Alliance raises concerns about roll-out of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP challenges NI Secretary over jobs at risk due to loss of ESF funding
SDLP MP Claire Hanna challenges the Secretary of State to set out what is being done to protect over 1,300 voluntary and community sector jobs at risk when European Social Fund money ends in March. SDLP's Daniel McCrossan says the sector faces a cliff edge without confirmation of UKSPF replacement…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Voluntary and community sector jobs at risk from ESF funding end Original release: SDLP challenges NI Secretary over jobs at risk due to loss of ESF funding (opens in a new tab)
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Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st.
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín, chair of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign, says a National Hospitals Campaign meeting has organised a national day of action on 21 January against A&E overcrowding and capacity cuts. He says the HSE's Navan ambulance bypass is causing chaos, and calls for a review of the HSE…
Health Issue: National Hospitals Campaign day of action on 21 January Original release: Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st. (opens in a new tab)
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Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today
Alliance Spokesperson for Migration Kate Nicholl MLA marks Martin Luther King Day, saying his fight against racial inequality remains as relevant today. She cites the 2022 killing of Keenan Anderson by Los Angeles police and says Black communities face violence from both police and white…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Original release: Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Winter services operating on shoestring budget puts road safety at risk
SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan says budget pressures at the Department for Infrastructure are limiting winter gritting services and putting road safety at risk, citing a £4 million allocation and rising salt costs. He calls for an Executive to be restored to address the risks.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Department for Infrastructure winter services budget allocation for 2022/23 Original release: Durkan: Winter services operating on shoestring budget puts road safety at risk (opens in a new tab)
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Transforming local health services is our priority – Hazzard
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes a £9 million investment to upgrade the power supply at Daisy Hill Hospital, part of a wider £20 million plan including a new MRI/CT suite. He calls for an Executive and health minister to be restored now and urges the DUP to end its blockade.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital £9 million power supply upgrade announcement Original release: Transforming local health services is our priority – Hazzard (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast is the 50th most congested city in the world - Cllr Mal O'Hara
Green Party councillor Malachi O'Hara responds to a report ranking Belfast 50th most congested city worldwide, blaming successive Executives for failing to invest in public transport and cut car dependence. He says the Assembly's 2020 climate emergency declaration has produced little action, and…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Belfast ranked 50th most congested city worldwide report Original release: Belfast is the 50th most congested city in the world - Cllr Mal O'Hara (opens in a new tab)
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Executive need to invest in health services – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls for a functioning Executive and a health minister to fund GP services and recruit more doctors and nurses, after meeting GP organisations about closures and staff shortages. He urges the DUP to stop obstructing the Executive.
Health Original release: Executive need to invest in health services – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty welcomes major investment for Daisy Hill
SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty welcomes a £9.2 million Department of Health investment in Daisy Hill Hospital, which will fund an MRI suite and wider service upgrades. He calls for these upgrades to be progressed at pace and kept on track.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital £9.2 million Department of Health investment Original release: McNulty welcomes major investment for Daisy Hill (opens in a new tab)
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More public awareness is key to saving lives, says Dickson, marking Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day
Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson, marking Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day, shares his experience of surviving oesophageal cancer and urges wider public awareness of symptoms so that people can be diagnosed and treated earlier.
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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)
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Fair pay key to safe staffing our health service – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart calls on the UK Government to prioritise safe staffing in healthcare at all times, not only during industrial action, and to agree enhanced pay awards for NHS staff. She claims the Independent Pay Review Body recommendation lags behind inflation.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Government legislation on safe staffing during industrial action in healthcare Original release: Fair pay key to safe staffing our health service – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposes Tory ‘Anti Trade Union’ Bill
SDLP Leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood opposes the British Government's Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which would let employers in critical public services sack and sue striking staff. He says nurses are using food banks and calls for essential workers to be paid properly.
Economy and employment Health Issue: Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill in the House of Commons Original release: SDLP Opposes Tory ‘Anti Trade Union’ Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent investigation needed into year-long waits for red flag referrals, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw calls for an urgent investigation into red flag referral waits that are now taking months, with some cancer referrals exceeding a year. She says MLAs should return to Stormont to scrutinise health reform.
Health Issue: Red flag referral waiting times for cancer patients in Northern Ireland Original release: Urgent investigation needed into year-long waits for red flag referrals, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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Durkan urges action on single-use plastics ban
SDLP Climate Change Spokesperson Mark H Durkan urges the North to move forward with a ban on single-use plastics after England announced one would proceed before year's end. He points to Scotland's ban, Wales' plans and the New Decade, New Approach pledge on plastic pollution.
Environment and climate Issue: England single-use plastics ban announcement January 2023 Original release: Durkan urges action on single-use plastics ban (opens in a new tab)
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Public sector workers deserve a fair pay rise – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan urges London to provide extra funding for a fair pay rise for civil servants and other public sector workers, including nurses and teachers. She says the current civil service offer is inadequate given inflation and calls for direct talks with unions to avoid strike action.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Civil service pay offer for Northern Ireland public sector workers Original release: Public sector workers deserve a fair pay rise – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew concerned at the rising crisis in our health service
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says it is deeply concerning that non-urgent operations are being cancelled because of health service pressures. He blames years of Tory cuts and calls for substantial health investment, fair pay for workers, and the DUP to return to the Executive.
Health Issue: Cancellation of non-urgent surgeries due to health service pressures Original release: Gildernew concerned at the rising crisis in our health service (opens in a new tab)
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Problems being caused to medicines supply by Protocol “indefensible” – Beattie
UUP Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA says a Nuffield Trust report confirms Protocol effects on medicine availability in Northern Ireland, calls for medicines to be removed from the Protocol's scope, and urges the UK Government to track divergence and defend equal access.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Nuffield Trust report on medicine availability under the NI Protocol Original release: Problems being caused to medicines supply by Protocol “indefensible” – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Health crisis will continue to deepen without political leadership – Chambers
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA warns that the health service crisis will worsen while the Executive remains unrestored, saying winter pressures are costing lives and staff are being let down. He says the delay is leaving the health system without the leadership needed to implement…