Latest releases
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4,526 releases
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Unfair child benefit tax trap must be removed – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart urges the UK Government to review the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge, arguing that a household with one income above £50,000 is penalised while a couple with two lower incomes totalling close to £100,000 pays no tax on child benefit.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Original release: Unfair child benefit tax trap must be removed – Lockhart (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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Hunter calls for progress on single-use plastics ban
SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter urges action on banning single-use plastics in the North, noting Scotland introduced such a ban last week. She says the New Decade, New Approach pledge to end plastic pollution has seen little progress and blames the lack of a functioning Stormont.
Environment and climate Issue: Scotland single-use plastics ban introduction Original release: Hunter calls for progress on single-use plastics ban (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Pensioners need urgent help ahead of winter
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan urges the Communities Minister to create an emergency financial package for pensioners facing soaring energy bills, and to review the unchanged Winter Fuel Payment rate, which he says has stood since 2010/11.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Pensioner emergency support package and Winter Fuel Payment review call Original release: Durkan: Pensioners need urgent help ahead of winter (opens in a new tab)
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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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Energy payment needs to be done as a matter of urgency – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey, the communities minister, says she is concerned no workable solution has yet been agreed to deliver the £400 energy payment to households, and calls for urgent action ahead of autumn and winter. She also urges the DUP to end its Executive boycott.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy payment delay after meeting with British Chancellor Original release: Energy payment needs to be done as a matter of urgency – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Treasury is best way to deliver energy payment - Lyons
DUP East Antrim MLA and Economy Minister Gordon Lyons says a meeting with the Chancellor was constructive and that a taskforce is being set up to deliver the energy payment to Northern Ireland households. He argues Treasury should pay energy suppliers directly, as in Great Britain, and says he is…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £400 energy payment delay after meeting with British Chancellor Original release: Treasury is best way to deliver energy payment - Lyons (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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Businesses need support as recession looms – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane calls for the Executive to be restored and for the British Government to fund business support after the Ulster Bank purchasing managers index showed the biggest sales drop in ten years. He urges the DUP to end its boycott of the institutions.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Ulster Bank purchasing managers index shows biggest sales drop in ten years Original release: Businesses need support as recession looms – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
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Funders, Unionists and the BBC need to cut links to West Belfast Festival until they clean up their act
TUV leader Jim Allister calls for funding to be withdrawn from the West Belfast Festival by Belfast City Council, the Arts Council and the National Lottery after Kneecap's mural and chanting and the Wolfe Tones concert. He also urges the BBC and unionist parties to cut ties with the festival.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Wolfe Tones concert pro‑IRA chanting at Féile an Phobail Original release: Funders, Unionists and the BBC need to cut links to West Belfast Festival until they clean up their act (opens in a new tab)
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Election of new leader Councillor Mal O'Hara
The Green Party NI announces that Cllr Mal O'Hara has been selected as its new leader, unopposed, after Clare Bailey chose not to stand following the Assembly election. O'Hara says he will offer green solutions to cost of living, housing and climate challenges.
Other Environment and climate Issue: Green Party NI election of new leader Mal O'Hara Original release: Election of new leader Councillor Mal O'Hara (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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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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‘Action not appeals needed to tackle obscene energy corporation profits’ – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane calls on the British government to take action rather than make appeals to halt excessive energy company profits, urging it to cut fuel taxes and make energy firms pay their fair share to lower bills.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Original release: ‘Action not appeals needed to tackle obscene energy corporation profits’ – Finucane (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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Chancellor must move quickly to include NI in £400 energy payment…
DUP Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, East Antrim MLA, urges the Chancellor to bring Northern Ireland into the Treasury's £400 energy payment, proposing direct Treasury payments to local energy suppliers after a Belfast meeting. He also says tax cuts would have been a better route.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Chancellor confirms energy cost payment does not require Stormont executive Original release: Chancellor must move quickly to include NI in £400 energy payment… (opens in a new tab)
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Campbell calls for Westminster to help hard pressed households
DUP MP Gregory Campbell calls on Westminster to deliver the promised £400 per household energy support and urges measures on fuel, energy bills and rates. He says the Protocol blocks a VAT cut on energy efficiency measures in Northern Ireland.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Original release: Campbell calls for Westminster to help hard pressed households (opens in a new tab)
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Allen welcomes Chancellor's commitment to delivering an equivalent energy bill support scheme to Northern Ireland households
UUP MLA Andy Allen welcomes the Chancellor's renewed commitment to deliver equivalent energy bills support to Northern Ireland households, but says the delivery mechanism should already be in place. He also calls on energy providers to help through charitable donations or efficiency measures.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Chancellor confirms energy cost payment does not require Stormont executive Original release: Allen welcomes Chancellor's commitment to delivering an equivalent energy bill support scheme to Northern Ireland households (opens in a new tab)
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UK Government should plan for emergency budget in Northern Ireland – Aiken
UUP Finance spokesperson Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA calls on the UK Government to start urgent planning for an emergency budget for Northern Ireland, citing the lack of an Executive, unspent funds and rising household costs ahead of autumn.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: UK Government should plan for emergency budget in Northern Ireland – Aiken (opens in a new tab)