Latest releases
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4,302 releases
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McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan condemns a reported British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings rather than inflation, calling it a betrayal. He has requested that Minister Deirdre Hargey produce figures on how the change would affect Northern Ireland households, citing Resolution…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings growth Original release: McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin says the Council Hardship Fund is a tiny drop compared with the need, condemns the SDLP, Sinn Féin, and DUP for blocking or diluting it, and pledges to push for extra funding and stronger action on the cost‑of‑living emergency.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Council Hardship Fund Original release: Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites (opens in a new tab)
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Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says the British Government's £100 payment for households relying on home heating oil is totally inadequate and an afterthought, and warns the switch to paying it via electricity providers may push people towards costlier electric heating. She also calls on the DUP…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £100 home heating oil payment announcement by British Government Original release: Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Language and Identity Bill another example of contempt for devolution…
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart says the Government's decision to proceed with the Language and Identity Bill is another case of disregarding devolution to push through legislation lacking cross-community support. The DUP says it will oppose the bill unless Unionist concerns are addressed.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill second reading at Westminster Original release: Language and Identity Bill another example of contempt for devolution… (opens in a new tab)
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Adult and social care services under huge pressure – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says adult and social care services are under huge pressure and near collapse, leaving patients stuck in hospital beds, and calls on the DUP to stop blocking an Executive so Sinn Féin can invest an extra £1 billion in health.
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Dillon writes to Lady Chief Justice about remarks in Tyrone sexual assault case
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says she has lodged a formal complaint with the Lady Chief Justice over a judge's remarks in a Tyrone sexual assault hearing, including encouraging the defendant to settle down and refusing to bar him from contacting women online. She calls for judges to be trained on…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Tyrone sexual assault hearing judge's remarks complaint to Lady Chief Justice Original release: Dillon writes to Lady Chief Justice about remarks in Tyrone sexual assault case (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr McKee welcomes support for workers undergoing fertility treatment
Green Party councillor Barry McKee welcomes unanimous backing from Ards and North Down Council's Corporate Committee for a motion to expand support for staff undergoing fertility treatment. He hopes officers' forthcoming report leads to a swift introduction of the measures.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Ards and North Down council motion on fertility treatment support for staff Original release: Cllr McKee welcomes support for workers undergoing fertility treatment (opens in a new tab)
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Agency spend issue should long ago have been dealt with, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw says the Department of Health's order to cut £15 million from agency staff spending shows the issue was known for years and Northern Ireland has not addressed it, unlike other parts of the UK that regulated agency pay or introduced safe staffing…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Health £15 million agency staff spending cut instruction Original release: Agency spend issue should long ago have been dealt with, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown
Alliance MLA Patrick Brown welcomes the first meeting of a cross-party Assembly working group on universal basic income, which discussed developing a UBI pilot for Northern Ireland. He says the economic pressures of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis make new support measures necessary.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Assembly All-Party Working Group on universal basic income first meeting Original release: Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna welcomes progress on Irish language legislation
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna welcomes progress on the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill ahead of its Westminster second reading, calling for the protections to be enacted promptly and criticising that the legislation is not being progressed locally at Stormont.
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill second reading at Westminster Original release: Hanna welcomes progress on Irish language legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan criticises refusal to show parking fine leniency
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says he is disappointed Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has declined to lengthen the 50% discount window for parking Penalty Charge Notices. Durkan had proposed extending it from 14 days to six weeks to ease cost-of-living pressures, and urges caretaker ministers…
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Infrastructure Minister rejects extended parking fine discount period proposal Original release: Durkan criticises refusal to show parking fine leniency (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew requests urgent meeting over emergency surgical services at Enniskillen Hospital
Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew says she has written to the Western Trust's chief executive seeking an urgent meeting over worries about emergency surgery provision at Enniskillen Hospital, after raising the issue with Health Minister Robin Swann last month.
Health Issue: Enniskillen Hospital emergency surgery concerns raised with Western Trust Original release: Gildernew requests urgent meeting over emergency surgical services at Enniskillen Hospital (opens in a new tab)
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Dickson encourages victims of hate crime to come forward and report incidents
Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson urges victims and witnesses of hate crime to come forward to support services and police, citing recent PSNI figures showing rises in five motivation categories, with disability-motivated incidents at their highest since records began.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI hate crime statistics showing rises across five motivation categories Original release: Dickson encourages victims of hate crime to come forward and report incidents (opens in a new tab)
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O’Dowd slashes road maintenance budget but increases cycle path spend
TUV leader Jim Allister says Infrastructure Minister O'Dowd has halved the 2022/23 road maintenance budget in Northern Division to £15m while raising cycle path spending, including £1.9m for a Coleraine Ring Road cycle path. He calls for the priorities to be reviewed.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Division road maintenance budget cut and cycle path spending Original release: O’Dowd slashes road maintenance budget but increases cycle path spend (opens in a new tab)
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‘Executive needed now to support mother and babies’ – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for an Executive to be formed immediately to fund a specialised mother and baby unit for women facing severe mental illness during or after pregnancy. She says the party is ready to form one now and back a three-year health budget.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Campaign for specialised mother and baby mental health unit Original release: ‘Executive needed now to support mother and babies’ – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Leaders Key Note Speech Aontú Ard Fheis 2022
Aontú expresses solidarity with the people of Cresslough after a tragic weekend, thanks volunteers for organising the Ard Fheis, highlights 55,000 votes and 1,300 new members, condemns the abortion law and cost‑of‑living crisis, and calls for a compassionate society that protects vulnerable children
Economy and employment Health Issue: Creeslough, Co Donegal tragedy with ten deaths Original release: Leaders Key Note Speech Aontú Ard Fheis 2022 (opens in a new tab)
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Regional Mental Health Service welcome, but long-term funding guarantees still essential, says Bradshaw
Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw welcomes the launch of a Regional Mental Health Service but says the absence of an Executive leaves long‑term funding for the wider Mental Health Strategy uncertain and urges swift action.
Health Issue: Regional Mental Health Service announcement Original release: Regional Mental Health Service welcome, but long-term funding guarantees still essential, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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DUP should end cruel and shameful boycott of the Executive – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane urges the DUP to drop its refusal to join the Executive, after the party confirmed at its conference that it will keep boycotting the institutions amid cost-of-living pressures and health waiting lists.
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: DUP conference confirmation of continued Executive boycott Original release: DUP should end cruel and shameful boycott of the Executive – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Conference 2022 - Leader's Speech
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, speaking at the 2022 Annual Conference, expresses sympathy for families bereaved and people injured in the Cresslough explosion in Donegal, and sets out a vision for unionism built on support for the Union across the community.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Original release: DUP Conference 2022 - Leader's Speech (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Conference 2022 - Gordon Lyons MLA - Director of Elections
DUP Director of Elections Gordon Lyons MLA, speaking at the 2022 DUP Annual Conference, says the party will stay ready for upcoming elections and lists DUP-secured funding, including a £165 million broadband scheme and £1 billion from the Confidence and Supply Agreement. He also attacks Sinn…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Original release: DUP Conference 2022 - Gordon Lyons MLA - Director of Elections (opens in a new tab)