Latest releases
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4,532 releases
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“We need common sense and compassion in the midst of the ongoing crisis within Education.” - Gemma Brolly
Aontú education spokeswoman Gemma Brolly criticises the Education Minister's warning to teachers that industrial action could breach contracts, and calls on the minister to value school staff and prioritise education funding amid school deficits and SEN pressures.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Minister warning teachers over industrial action and contract breach Original release: “We need common sense and compassion in the midst of the ongoing crisis within Education.” - Gemma Brolly (opens in a new tab)
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DUP deadlock causing climate delay, says Tennyson
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson says the absence of a functioning Assembly is holding back climate action, with Climate Act actions delayed by the DUP's refusal to form an administration. He calls for an urgently restored Executive and a Green New Deal.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Original release: DUP deadlock causing climate delay, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to invest in our public services including education – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says the education funding crisis, including a reported £200 million shortfall, stems from Tory cuts and the DUP blocking an Executive. He calls for ring-fenced special educational needs funding, a three-year budget and a restored Executive.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Reported £200 million shortfall in education funding Original release: Executive needed to invest in our public services including education – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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DUP should end boycott of Executive and help tackle energy crisis – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says the DUP must end its boycott of the Executive and allow the hundreds of millions held in a Stormont account to be spent, urging the party to form a government so the £400 household payment and other aid can reach people facing the cost‑of‑living emergency.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: DUP boycott of Executive over cost of living support Original release: DUP should end boycott of Executive and help tackle energy crisis – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent action required to prevent further fish kills after latest incident, says Eastwood
Alliance MLA Sorcha Eastwood calls for DAERA to investigate a reported fish kill at the River Lagan near Dromore and other major fish kills across Northern Ireland to prevent repeats, and renews Alliance's call for an independent Environment Agency.
Environment and climate Issue: River Lagan fish kill at Thorneyford near Dromore Original release: Urgent action required to prevent further fish kills after latest incident, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Muir: NI deserves better than stop gap financial measures
Alliance spokesperson Andrew Muir says Northern Ireland deserves better than temporary financial fixes after a senior civil servant was given control of releasing funds to Ministers without an agreed budget. He urges the DUP to end its boycott so an Executive can be restored and a multi-year…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Senior civil servant given control of Executive funds without agreed budget Original release: Muir: NI deserves better than stop gap financial measures (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong calls for welfare mitigation recommendations to be published as soon as possible
Alliance's Kellie Armstrong MLA calls for the independent welfare mitigations review and its recommendations to be published as soon as possible, after Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey confirmed the Department holds the report. She says it could help people with the cost of living crisis.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Independent welfare mitigations review publication delay Original release: Armstrong calls for welfare mitigation recommendations to be published as soon as possible (opens in a new tab)
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‘Workers and families need Executive formed now to tackle cost-of-living emergency’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy says his party is ready to form an Executive immediately with other parties to ease cost-of-living pressures, citing a poll showing 9 in 10 households cutting back before winter. He claims hundreds of millions of pounds cannot be spent while the DUP refuses to form an…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Poll showing households cutting back ahead of winter amid Executive deadlock Original release: ‘Workers and families need Executive formed now to tackle cost-of-living emergency’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Lyons announces additional £2.8 million student hardship funding
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons announces an extra £2.8 million for 2022/23 to help higher education students facing financial hardship, citing cost of living pressures on student households. Institutions will assess needs and issue the payments.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Additional £2.8 million higher education student hardship funding 2022/23 Original release: Lyons announces additional £2.8 million student hardship funding (opens in a new tab)
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Arts Council’s £600,000 to West Belfast Festival challenged
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Arts Council cannot distance itself from sectarian chanting and a mural at the West Belfast Festival, after disclosing £685,850 in public funding over five years. He calls on all funders to make clear that public money will dry up unless the festival changes.
Community relations and legacy Public finance and taxation Issue: Arts Council funding of West Belfast Festival after sectarian chanting and mural Original release: Arts Council’s £600,000 to West Belfast Festival challenged (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong calls for clarification around the end of free lateral flow tests
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls for health Trusts to clarify how ending free lateral flow COVID tests from Monday will affect respite and day‑care provision, urging assurances that these services are restored to pre‑pandemic levels.
Health Disability and equality Issue: End of free lateral flow COVID tests Original release: Armstrong calls for clarification around the end of free lateral flow tests (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to address GP pressures- Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says an Executive must be restored to tackle pressures on GP services, after reports that up to 100 practices are seeking emergency support over staffing. He calls for £1 billion of extra health investment to recruit doctors and cut waiting lists, and blames the DUP's…
Health Issue: Reports of up to 100 GP practices seeking emergency support Original release: Executive needed to address GP pressures- Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Universal credit uplift should be restored as part of emergency Budget to tackle cost of living crisis, says Muir
Alliance MLA Andrew Muir says the £20‑a‑week universal credit uplift must be reinstated within a swift £30 billion UK emergency budget to ease the cost‑of‑living crisis, and urges the Executive’s immediate return to tap Barnett Consequentials for those in need.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: UK emergency budget to address cost of living crisis Original release: Universal credit uplift should be restored as part of emergency Budget to tackle cost of living crisis, says Muir (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: British government can’t be trusted to deliver for local projects
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says London cannot be relied on to run future community funding after the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, replacing the ESF, was confirmed for delivery by the UK government. He calls on Stormont ministers to secure replicated ESF levels and a fair share for the North.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Shared Prosperity Fund delivery by UK government confirmed Original release: Durkan: British government can’t be trusted to deliver for local projects (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole calls on Murphy to outline cost of living interventions
SDLP leader Matthew O'Toole MLA calls on Caretaker Finance Minister Conor Murphy to set out what steps he is taking on the cost of living crisis, after the Department of Finance said part of the deadlocked £400m could fund the £400 energy payment scheme. He urges coordinated action across…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Finance confirms deadlocked £400m could fund energy payment scheme Original release: O’Toole calls on Murphy to outline cost of living interventions (opens in a new tab)
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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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Durkan calls on Communities Minister to step up amid cost of living emergency
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan calls on Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey to use her department's spending powers to bring forward emergency cost of living support, citing projections that over 75% of households could be in fuel poverty by January 2023.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: Durkan calls on Communities Minister to step up amid cost of living emergency (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)