Latest releases
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1,501 releases
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McGlone welcomes appointment of language commissioners
SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone welcomes the confirmation that Irish Language and Ulster Scots Commissioners will soon take up their posts, ending long uncertainty. He criticises the Executive for delays and asks the Executive Office to set out the experience of newly named appointees to the cultural body.
Disability and equality Issue: Pól Deeds appointed Irish Language Commissioner Original release: McGlone welcomes appointment of language commissioners (opens in a new tab)
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Language Commissioners must build trust not division - Butler
UUP Deputy Leader Robbie Butler MLA says the newly appointed Language Commissioners and the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression director must prove they serve the public and build trust. He criticises the Sinn Féin and DUP talks process as sidelining others, and urges value for money and…
Disability and equality Issue: Office of Identity and Cultural Expression appointments announced Original release: Language Commissioners must build trust not division - Butler (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes appointment of Language Commissioners
Alliance Executive Office Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw welcomes the First and deputy First Minister's sending of letters of offer to Pól Deeds and Lee Reynolds, appointees as Irish Language and Ulster-Scots Commissioners. She says the process took too long and looks forward to them presenting their…
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language Act Commissioner appointments delay Original release: Bradshaw welcomes appointment of Language Commissioners (opens in a new tab)
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PSNI must explain reason not to implement Ombudsman’s recommendations in full – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the PSNI to explain why it did not fully implement the Police Ombudsman's recommendations on four officers' conduct during a December 2022 arrest. She says the findings of misogynistic remarks toward a woman reporting domestic abuse are concerning.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Police Ombudsman report on officers' conduct during December 2022 arrest Original release: PSNI must explain reason not to implement Ombudsman’s recommendations in full – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone welcomes £100k funding to save Scoil Spreagtha scheme
SDLP Irish Language Spokesperson Patsy McGlone MLA welcomes £100,000 in funding to keep the Scoil Spreagtha Irish language lessons scheme running for another year, followed by an evaluation, and says he will keep pressing for future funding.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Scoil Spreagtha scheme £100,000 funding confirmation Original release: McGlone welcomes £100k funding to save Scoil Spreagtha scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Breaking Barriers in Agriculture and Championing Women Farmers
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong urges DAERA to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Breaking the Grass Ceiling report, saying women farmers are vital to NI’s agri‑food economy and the party will lobby for equality.
Agriculture and rural affairs Disability and equality Issue: Breaking the Grass Ceiling report recommendations Original release: Breaking Barriers in Agriculture and Championing Women Farmers (opens in a new tab)
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Oireachtas na Samhna opportunity to showcase Irish as vibrant and flourishing language – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney says Belfast's hosting of Oireachtas na Samhna, running 29 October to 2 November, shows Irish is vibrant and flourishing, citing the city's new Irish language policy and upcoming Gaeltacht and Fleadh hosting.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Oireachtas na Samhna festival hosted in Belfast 2025 Original release: Oireachtas na Samhna opportunity to showcase Irish as vibrant and flourishing language – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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If Government Don’t Achieve Families’ Scoliosis Demands Aontú will Table a Motion of no Confidence Within Next 6 months – Tóibín
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín says the party will not table a no-confidence motion next week, but will do so within six months unless the government meets scoliosis demands on an inquiry and CHI reform. He also says Aontú will table a motion on presidential voting rights for northern Irish citizens and…
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Aontú scoliosis no-confidence motion decision Original release: If Government Don’t Achieve Families’ Scoliosis Demands Aontú will Table a Motion of no Confidence Within Next 6 months – Tóibín (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister should set a date for the delivery of the Irish Language Strategy – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the Communities Minister to set a delivery date for the Irish Language Strategy, or failing that a clear publication timeframe, after a Communities Committee session heard from Irish language community members.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Committee session on Irish Language Strategy delay Original release: Communities Minister should set a date for the delivery of the Irish Language Strategy – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns suspected south Belfast racist attack
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns a suspected racist assault on a young woman in Botanic, south Belfast, on Wednesday night, and urges anyone who saw it to contact police. She says the woman has been discharged from hospital.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Botanic, south Belfast suspected racist assault on young woman Original release: Hargey condemns suspected south Belfast racist attack (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew welcomes Health Minister’s commitment to visit Dungannon respite facility
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes the Health Minister's commitment to visit Woodlawn House in Dungannon after an Assembly debate he tabled on respite care. He says families have reported planned respite cancelled at short notice and calls for timely, well-planned services.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Woodlawn House Dungannon respite facility Assembly debate Original release: Gildernew welcomes Health Minister’s commitment to visit Dungannon respite facility (opens in a new tab)
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Job of Assembly to grasp opportunities to improve people’s lives – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney welcomes the Executive's 2025–26 Legislation Programme, backing the Racial Equality Bill and the 'Good Jobs' Employment Rights Bill, which he says will protect vulnerable workers and be introduced by Minister Caoimhe Archibald next year.
Economy and employment Disability and equality Issue: Executive 2025–26 Legislation Programme and 'Good Jobs' Employment Rights Bill Original release: Job of Assembly to grasp opportunities to improve people’s lives – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone: DUP motion on Irish Language signage "deeply cynical and divisive"
SDLP Irish Language Spokesperson Patsy McGlone MLA says the DUP’s motion to scrap Belfast City Council’s bilingual street‑sign policy is a deeply cynical, divisive attempt to use the Irish language as a political football and stir up community tensions.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Conradh na Gaeilge survey on Belfast bilingual street signage Original release: McGlone: DUP motion on Irish Language signage "deeply cynical and divisive" (opens in a new tab)
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‘We must continue working to deliver on the rights of Gaeilgeoirí’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says Belfast City Council's dual-language street sign policy protects minority languages and follows international best practice, after a DUP Assembly motion seeking its replacement was defeated. He cites new Conradh na Gaeilge figures showing broad public support.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Conradh na Gaeilge survey on Belfast bilingual street signage Original release: ‘We must continue working to deliver on the rights of Gaeilgeoirí’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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New figures prove Belfast’s bilingual signage policy enjoys widespread support – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes Conradh na Gaeilge survey data finding that only 2.9% of residents on 536 approved streets opposed bilingual signage in Belfast. He points to the DUP's Assembly motion seeking to condemn the policy.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Conradh na Gaeilge survey on Belfast bilingual street signage Original release: New figures prove Belfast’s bilingual signage policy enjoys widespread support – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance calls on DUP and Sinn Féin to reflect on their approach to Irish language
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister questions why the DUP brought a Belfast City Council Irish language signage motion to the Assembly, which Alliance opposed. She says Stormont should focus on health and education, and calls on the DUP and Sinn Féin to reflect on their approaches.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Conradh na Gaeilge survey on Belfast bilingual street signage Original release: Alliance calls on DUP and Sinn Féin to reflect on their approach to Irish language (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister joins Hannah Scott at launch of boat funded by…
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons says the £1 million Olympic Legacy Fund will boost grassroots sport as he joins Olympic gold medallist Hannah Scott at Bann Rowing Club’s boat‑naming ceremony, where her £20,000 Medallist Fund donation funded new boats.
Other Issue: Bann Rowing Club boat launch funded by Olympic Medallist Fund Original release: Communities Minister joins Hannah Scott at launch of boat funded by… (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister leaving parents in limbo following withdrawal of nursing support for special educational needs children, says Mathison
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA says the Health Minister has left parents and special school staff in limbo after a review into nursing provision in special schools gave no clarity. He urges urgent answers and calls for full nursing provision to be reinstated.
Health Education Issue: Health Minister's review on nursing provision in special schools Original release: Health Minister leaving parents in limbo following withdrawal of nursing support for special educational needs children, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Justice System Failing Victims of Violence Against Women says Beattie
UUP Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MLA says non-fatal strangulation cases are handled inadequately, citing 2023-24 figures showing 329 of 344 prosecutions heard in the Magistrates' Court and only 28 prison sentences, and calls for sentences that deter.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Non-fatal strangulation prosecutions and sentencing figures 2023-2024 Original release: Justice System Failing Victims of Violence Against Women says Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw demands clarity on Language Commissioner appointments
Alliance Executive Office Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw, also South Belfast MLA, demands urgent clarity from the First and deputy First Minister on Identity and Language Commissioner appointments, as publicised appointees have not received confirmation after resigning from their current jobs.
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language Act Commissioner appointments delay Original release: Bradshaw demands clarity on Language Commissioner appointments (opens in a new tab)