Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Infrastructure and transport: remove filter
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Health: remove filter
- Social security and welfare: remove filter
- Environment and climate: remove filter
4,304 releases
-
Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomes the Prime Minister's Commons assurance that the triple lock on pensions will remain, after speculation it could be scrapped. She says the DUP secured the triple lock in its 2017 agreement and opposed any move to drop it.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Government assurance that triple lock on pensions will remain Original release: Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
-
‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald presses the economy minister to confirm when and how the £400 energy support payments will reach households, accusing the DUP of an information gap and of delaying support through its boycott of the Executive.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy support payment timing in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
-
“Growing Support for Aontú’s Proposed Stormont Reforms” – Cllr Mullen
Aontú Cllr Denise Mullen welcomes Alliance leader Naomi Long's comments backing Aontú's call to reform Stormont, arguing that one party should not be able to hold the institution hostage. She urges more parties to join calls for reform amid the cost-of-living and energy crisis.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Original release: “Growing Support for Aontú’s Proposed Stormont Reforms” – Cllr Mullen (opens in a new tab)
-
Bradshaw welcomes hospital announcement and says service transformation now appears to be happening at pace
Alliance health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA welcomes the decision to make Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry an elective overnight stay centre, saying hospital transformation now appears to be moving at pace. She calls for the full blueprint for the wider health estate reconfiguration to be…
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital elective overnight stay centre announcement Original release: Bradshaw welcomes hospital announcement and says service transformation now appears to be happening at pace (opens in a new tab)
-
Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong
Alliance's Kellie Armstrong MLA calls on the UK Government to confirm that benefits will rise with the 10.1 per cent CPI inflation figure, ahead of the April 2023 uprating. She says ministers have so far given vague answers, and urges an urgent announcement to protect universal credit claimants.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
-
Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury
Alliance Economy spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA says he is alarmed by the Economy Minister's decision to raise student maintenance loans by 40 per cent and tuition fees by 1.8 per cent. He calls for an urgent financial support package for students, including higher maintenance grants and…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Economy Minister's student finance changes and maintenance loan increase Original release: Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury (opens in a new tab)
-
O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter
SDLP Cost of Living Spokesperson Matthew O'Toole says rising inflation signals a hard winter for households, warning that families may struggle to afford heating and food. He calls for urgent support, including the SDLP's proposed 1,000 litre home heating oil voucher scheme, rather than an…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter (opens in a new tab)
-
McNulty urges Minister to clarify future of emergency general surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital
SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty asks Health Minister Robin Swann to clarify the future of emergency surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital after reports it could be moved permanently, while welcoming plans for an elective surgery hub there. Colin McGrath separately urges a statement on emergency…
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital emergency general surgery relocation reports Original release: McNulty urges Minister to clarify future of emergency general surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital (opens in a new tab)
-
Dolan raises concerns over surgical services at South West Acute
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says she is concerned about surgical services at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, urges an Executive to invest an extra £1 billion in health to recruit staff, and requests an urgent meeting with the health minister to address staffing shortages.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Staffing shortfall at South West Acute Hospital Original release: Dolan raises concerns over surgical services at South West Acute (opens in a new tab)
-
“Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly
Aontú Spokesperson for Agriculture Cllr. Sarah O'Reilly says the Government demands carbon cuts from farmers but fails to recognise or support emissions-reducing practices such as Anaerobic Digestion, which she says lacks support and incentives in Ireland.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: “Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly (opens in a new tab)
-
Financial burden for keeping people healthy should not fall on individual pharmacists, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA backs Community Pharmacy NI's call for work on a drugs tariff for dispensing medicines, warning that pharmacists should not bear the financial burden and urging the Department of Health to act urgently.
Health Issue: Community Pharmacy NI warning on medicine shortages from rising costs Original release: Financial burden for keeping people healthy should not fall on individual pharmacists, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
-
Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on the DUP to consider the stress its position is placing on carers across Northern Ireland, citing a Carers NI report finding fewer than one in three could afford their bills. She urges a return to the Executive to agree a budget.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Carers NI State of Caring Northern Ireland 2022 report Original release: Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive (opens in a new tab)
-
SDLP Leader announces changes to Front Bench Team
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP announces a new Opposition front bench team of MPs, MLAs and councillors, saying it will hold Ministers to account over the cost of living crisis and health service pressures while Stormont remains down.
Economy and employment Health Original release: SDLP Leader announces changes to Front Bench Team (opens in a new tab)
-
Amendment to Criminalise Care and Support Around Abortion Clinics Must be defeated - Brolly
Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly urges defeat of a proposed amendment by British MP Rupa Huq that would establish buffer zones restricting volunteers outside abortion clinics, arguing it threatens free assembly and support for pregnant women.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Rupa Huq amendment on buffer zones around abortion clinics Original release: Amendment to Criminalise Care and Support Around Abortion Clinics Must be defeated - Brolly (opens in a new tab)
-
Blair welcomes national report on police-perpetrated violence against women and girls
Alliance MLA John Blair welcomes the NPCC and College of Policing review of police-perpetrated violence against women, and says he wants the PSNI to set out reforms targeting lower-level sexual offending. He cites the Sarah Everard and Libby Squires cases to argue the police must prevent officers…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: NPCC and College of Policing review of police-perpetrated VAWG Original release: Blair welcomes national report on police-perpetrated violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
-
‘Need for greater awareness of challenges facing women during menopause’ – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for greater awareness of the challenges women face during menopause, particularly in the workplace, after attending a Menopause Conference. She urges the DUP to end its boycott and restore the Executive so women can get support.
Health Disability and equality Original release: ‘Need for greater awareness of challenges facing women during menopause’ – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
-
4,136 abortions in Northern Ireland under more liberal regulations
TUV leader Jim Allister publishes Department of Health figures showing 4,136 abortions in Northern Ireland since the March 2020 change in the law, broken down by Health Trust. He says the reasons for abortions are not recorded, unlike in Great Britain, and calls for regular publication of figures…
Health Issue: Department of Health abortion figures released since March 2020 law change Original release: 4,136 abortions in Northern Ireland under more liberal regulations (opens in a new tab)
-
Forsythe - menace to women should be in jail for longer
DUP South Down MLA Diane Forsythe welcomes the Lady Chief Justice's response to her complaint about Judge Sherrard's comments in Dungannon, which led to further judicial guidance and training. She says the comments were ill-judged and will write to Justice Minister Naomi Long on whether…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Judge Sherrard's comments in Dungannon court case Original release: Forsythe - menace to women should be in jail for longer (opens in a new tab)
-
Campbell welcomes rollout of Full-Fibre broadband in Claudy area
DUP MP Gregory Campbell welcomes the rollout of full-fibre broadband in the Claudy area under the Project Stratum scheme, which he says will connect up to 571 premises this winter. He credits £150million secured through the 2017 DUP Confidence and Supply Agreement and cites NI's 82% full-fibre…
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Project Stratum full-fibre broadband rollout in Claudy Original release: Campbell welcomes rollout of Full-Fibre broadband in Claudy area (opens in a new tab)
-
It’s time to break the stigma surrounding baby and pregnancy loss, says Kelly
Alliance Councillor Michelle Kelly, Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, calls for an end to the stigma around baby and pregnancy loss and more awareness of available support, marking the close of Baby Loss Awareness Week. She announces a Remembrance Tree at Belfast City Hall, created with Aching Arms…
Health Local government Original release: It’s time to break the stigma surrounding baby and pregnancy loss, says Kelly (opens in a new tab)