Latest releases
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4,457 releases
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‘Executive needed now to tackle problems in health’ – Kimmins
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins urges the DUP to end its boycott of the Executive, saying one is needed to address pressures at Daisy Hill Hospital, including extra funding of £1 billion for staffing and waiting lists.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital pressures and Executive boycott Original release: ‘Executive needed now to tackle problems in health’ – Kimmins (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew seeking urgent meeting with Southern Trust on concerns of midwives
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew expresses alarm at reports that the Southern Trust may move up to 52 experienced midwives onto zero-hour contracts, and says he will meet the Trust and the affected midwives urgently.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Southern Trust plans to move 52 midwives onto zero-hour contracts Original release: Gildernew seeking urgent meeting with Southern Trust on concerns of midwives (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew welcomes compensation for victims of contaminated blood scandal
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes interim payments for contaminated blood scandal survivors and urges the Department of Health to progress them without further delay, saying families have waited too long for redress.
Health Issue: Interim compensation for contaminated blood scandal victims Original release: Gildernew welcomes compensation for victims of contaminated blood scandal (opens in a new tab)
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Tories have no regard for people of the north – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane calls the Tory leadership contest being held in the north 'totally insulting', claiming the Conservatives have no regard for the democratic wishes of people here. He accuses the Conservatives of backing the DUP's blocking of an Executive and of pursuing Brexit-related…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Tory leadership contest events in Northern Ireland Original release: Tories have no regard for people of the north – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
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Conservative leadership candidates have opportunity to set out their stall on dealing with the Protocol – Beattie
UUP leader Doug Beattie MC MLA urges Conservative leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to set out how they will resolve the Protocol and cost of living crisis, ahead of a Northern Ireland hustings. He says the EU and UK Government must return to negotiations and that UUP proposals…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Tory leadership contest events in Northern Ireland Original release: Conservative leadership candidates have opportunity to set out their stall on dealing with the Protocol – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent action needed to address the crisis in GP services across the north – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges immediate action on strained GP services after meeting GP representatives, citing Belfast practices closing their lists to new patients. He calls for an Executive to be restored to fund an extra £1 billion for health recruitment, and tells the DUP to end its…
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“Surge in cross-border trade must be built upon” – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says All-Ireland trade growth must be built upon amid inflation, citing CSO figures showing north-south goods trade up €413 million and south-north trade up €663 million in the first half of 2022. She calls on the British government to engage in good faith with the…
Economy and employment International affairs Issue: CSO figures on All-Ireland trade growth in first half of 2022 Original release: “Surge in cross-border trade must be built upon” – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance team meets mental health champion to discuss strategy implementation
Alliance MLAs say they back the full roll‑out of the Mental Health Strategy, warning that funding is not assured and highlighting the pandemic, sectarianism and the cost‑of‑living crisis as reasons the plan must be delivered without delay.
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Finucane accuses Tories of partisan approach
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane accuses the Conservatives of a partisan approach to Northern Ireland, saying they are shielding the DUP from allowing an Executive to form. He says this blocks cost-of-living support and a £1 billion health investment, and warns Protocol trade benefits are at risk.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Stormont Executive formation delay and British government stance, August 2022 Original release: Finucane accuses Tories of partisan approach (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to improve access to GPs – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says people need greater GP access and calls for the Executive to be restored to invest an extra £1 billion in health. He is worried by a temporary freeze on patients moving GP practices in North Down, Ards and East Belfast, which he calls a short-term fix, and blames…
Health Issue: Temporary freeze on GP patient registrations in North Down, Ards and East Belfast Original release: Executive needed to improve access to GPs – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes dual-strain vaccines
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw welcomes the UK approval of Moderna's dual-strain Covid-19 vaccine, which targets both the original variant and Omicron, and encourages take-up of the autumn booster.
Health Issue: UK approval of Moderna dual-strain Covid-19 vaccine Original release: Bradshaw welcomes dual-strain vaccines (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan calls for a review of how Maternity Allowance is treated under Universal Credit, where it is deducted from awards unlike Statutory Maternity Pay, and urges the Communities Minister to press Westminster on the policy.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Original release: Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants (opens in a new tab)
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Sir Jeffrey – “unionism moving forward together in South Down”
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP welcomes Newry, Mourne and Down Councillors Alan Lewis and Henry Reilly as they join the party, calling for a stronger, more cohesive unionism in South Down and inviting others to join.
Constitutional affairs Local government Issue: Councillors Alan Lewis and Henry Reilly join the DUP Original release: Sir Jeffrey – “unionism moving forward together in South Down” (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes secondary breast cancer audit for Northern Ireland
Alliance health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA welcomes a secondary breast cancer audit funded by Cancer Focus NI with the Cancer Registry, which followed lobbying by the Seen to be Heard campaign. She says equal access to trials, drugs and treatment, plus more specialist nurses across Trusts, is…
Health Issue: Secondary breast cancer audit funded by Cancer Focus NI Original release: Bradshaw welcomes secondary breast cancer audit for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Muir: 100 days on we need urgent reform
Alliance MLA Andrew Muir calls for urgent reform of the Stormont institutions 100 days after the May Assembly election, saying Alliance has written to the UK and Irish Governments proposing changes to nomination rules and weighted majority voting, and urging the DUP to end what it calls shameful…
Constitutional affairs Issue: One hundred days since Assembly election without Executive formation Original release: Muir: 100 days on we need urgent reform (opens in a new tab)
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Chancellor busts devolution myth
TUV Upper Bann spokesperson Darrin Foster welcomes the Chancellor's confirmation that Westminster's energy cost payment does not need a Stormont executive. He says the money comes from HM Treasury and claims the point undercuts critics who linked the issue to the Protocol, and that many Unionists…
Constitutional affairs Public finance and taxation Issue: Chancellor confirms energy cost payment does not require Stormont executive Original release: Chancellor busts devolution myth (opens in a new tab)
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Submissions open to the Commission on the Future of Ireland
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA announces that online submissions to its Commission on the Future of Ireland are now open, ahead of an October People's Assembly in Belfast. He says it aims to widen democratic participation, inviting unionist, loyalist and British-identifying…
Constitutional affairs Issue: Sinn Féin Commission on the Future of Ireland submissions launch Original release: Submissions open to the Commission on the Future of Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw reinforces Alliance support for maternity strategy
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says her party backs the Royal College of Midwives' blueprint and calls for a Maternity Strategy with a regional maternity network, better data and consistent safety approaches, after meeting the RCM's Northern Ireland Director.
Health Original release: Bradshaw reinforces Alliance support for maternity strategy (opens in a new tab)
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‘Access to dental care must be a priority’ – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls for NHS dental access to be made the priority, responding to a BBC investigation finding that most practices in the north are not accepting new patients. He urges progress on urgent dental care for unregistered patients and an Oral Health strategy, and says the…
Health Issue: BBC investigation on adult NHS dentist registration in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Access to dental care must be a priority’ – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Diplomatic whataboutery between EU and UK Government must end – Beattie
UUP leader Doug Beattie MC MLA calls for an end to the diplomatic back-and-forth between the EU and UK Government over the Northern Ireland Protocol, and for proper negotiations with Northern Ireland politicians involved. He welcomes Brandon Lewis's remarks that Liz Truss can be trusted to resolve…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Conservative leadership campaign comments on Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: Diplomatic whataboutery between EU and UK Government must end – Beattie (opens in a new tab)