Latest releases
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4,940 releases
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Comment on British government exclusion of Mary Lou McDonald from today’s roundtable meeting
Sinn Féin criticises the British government for excluding party leader Mary Lou McDonald from a roundtable with the Northern Ireland Secretary and Foreign Secretary, calling it bad faith. The party urges a swift Executive restoration amid the cost of living crisis and welcomes recent Protocol…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Mary Lou McDonald excluded from British government roundtable meeting Original release: Comment on British government exclusion of Mary Lou McDonald from today’s roundtable meeting (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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Talks around restoration of the institutions robust but constructive, says Muir
Alliance Chief Whip Andrew Muir MLA says the round‑table with the Secretary of State and the Foreign Secretary on restoring the institutions was robust and constructive, but was eclipsed by the UK Government’s “needless” move to dictate who could attend, urging parties to select their own delegates,
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Mary Lou McDonald excluded from British government roundtable meeting Original release: Talks around restoration of the institutions robust but constructive, says Muir (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP proposes changes to Speaker election to unblock Stormont logjam
SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole says the party is proposing a change to Assembly Speaker election rules, allowing a two-thirds majority of MLAs to choose a Speaker, to end what it calls a one-party veto blocking the Stormont institutions.
Constitutional affairs Issue: SDLP proposal to change Assembly Speaker election rules Original release: SDLP proposes changes to Speaker election to unblock Stormont logjam (opens in a new tab)
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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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Sir Jeffrey – Short-term fixes will not work
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the Protocol will not be supported by unionists and that short-term fixes will not work, urging London and Brussels to reach an outcome backed by unionists and nationalists ahead of his Belfast meeting with the Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Donaldson meeting with Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary on Protocol Original release: Sir Jeffrey – Short-term fixes will not work (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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TUV announces Causeway Council Candidate
TUV announces local electrical contractor Allister Kyle as its candidate for the Causeway DEA in the upcoming Causeway Coast and Glens Council elections, the first TUV candidate named for the council. Kyle says the council needs radical rebuilding over debt, mismanagement and the £1 land deals.
Local government Constitutional affairs Original release: TUV announces Causeway Council Candidate (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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Agreement on sharing trade data welcome – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney welcomes an agreement between the EU and British government on sharing trade data. He calls for continued work towards a pragmatic, durable Protocol solution and an early resolution giving certainty to local businesses.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on sharing trade data Original release: Agreement on sharing trade data welcome – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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It’s not pandering to EU we need
TUV leader Jim Allister says a joint UK-EU statement on EU access to UK IT systems should not be taken as progress on restoring UK sovereignty over Northern Ireland. He claims it means more EU involvement and that current talks only address better implementation of the Protocol, with the EU's…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Joint UK-EU statement on EU access to UK IT systems Original release: It’s not pandering to EU we need (opens in a new tab)
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Sir Jeffrey: Protocol recognised as the problem for unionists
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP said after a call with Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin that the NI Protocol is now viewed in London, Dublin and Brussels as a unionist problem, calling for its replacement with arrangements that restore Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and尊
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: DUP leader phone call on Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: Sir Jeffrey: Protocol recognised as the problem for unionists (opens in a new tab)
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Response to ‘Centre for the Union’ publication on the Protocol
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Protocol is a sovereignty issue and calls for Northern Ireland’s full restoration to the United Kingdom, respecting the equal‑footing principle of Article 6. He backs the Centre for the Union’s Constitutional Bill and argues that any border solution must reverse EU‑U
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Centre for the Union publication on the Protocol Original release: Response to ‘Centre for the Union’ publication on the Protocol (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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Farry welcomes UK-EU deal on data sharing
Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP says trust is essential to reaching a sustainable, mutually agreed Northern Ireland Protocol solution, welcoming the UK-EU data-sharing deal as a basis for further talks. He argues the Protocol Bill's unilateral option undermines that trust.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on sharing trade data Original release: Farry welcomes UK-EU deal on data sharing (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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O’Toole welcomes progress on access to trade data
SDLP Assembly Leader Matthew O'Toole MLA welcomes an agreement giving access to UK IT systems that provide real-time trade flow data, saying it builds trust in Northern Ireland Protocol talks. He also calls for a restored Executive to address public service delivery.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on sharing trade data Original release: O’Toole welcomes progress on access to trade data (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)