Latest releases
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4,532 releases
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DUP’s cruel Executive boycott punishing workers and families – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey says the DUP's Executive boycott is punishing workers and families struggling with bills, and calls on Jeffrey Donaldson to end it and return to government amid rising gas prices.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: DUP boycott of Executive over cost of living support Original release: DUP’s cruel Executive boycott punishing workers and families – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Allen calls on Sunak and Truss to commit to ensuring the energy bills support scheme will be delivered in Northern Ireland before December
UUP MLA Andy Allen urges Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to pledge that the £400 energy support payment reaches Northern Ireland households before December, after the Utility Regulator warned of possible delays.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Utility Regulator warning on delays to £400 energy bill support payments in Northern Ireland Original release: Allen calls on Sunak and Truss to commit to ensuring the energy bills support scheme will be delivered in Northern Ireland before December (opens in a new tab)
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Time to ‘supercharge’ town centre regeneration, says Blair
Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA calls for a Green New Deal and investment in town centre regeneration, including EV charging hubs, to boost footfall, decarbonise the economy and create green jobs. He also blames ongoing political deadlock for risking economic growth.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Original release: Time to ‘supercharge’ town centre regeneration, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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British government must ‘get real’ on impact of soaring cost on businesses – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald calls on the British government to fund support for businesses and protect jobs, and to reinstate reduced VAT for bars and restaurants, as retailers face falling sales and closures. She also urges the DUP to end its boycott of the institutions.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Original release: British government must ‘get real’ on impact of soaring cost on businesses – Archibald (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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Statement by West Belfast Festival addresses none of the key issues
TUV North Belfast representative Ron McDowell says the West Belfast Festival's statement fails to apologise for pro-terrorist and racist chanting at its event and ignores a mural glorifying an attack on police. He calls for funders and public figures to withdraw, and says the festival's charity…
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Wolfe Tones concert pro‑IRA chanting at Féile an Phobail Original release: Statement by West Belfast Festival addresses none of the key issues (opens in a new tab)
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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)