Latest releases
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1,981 releases
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Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood says the UK Budget fails working families, small businesses and vulnerable people, welcoming the removal of the two child benefit cap but criticising the income tax threshold freeze and the lack of a hospitality VAT cut. She urges the Finance Minister to replicate…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school
Alliance MLA Michelle Guy welcomes the Education Committee's decision to take forward a single-issue bill allowing girls to choose trousers as part of school uniform. She says the Education Minister could have made the change through his uniform guidance and urges him to update the guidelines…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns graffiti on a property near Ravenhill Embankment in south Belfast that she describes as racist. She says the community is diverse and urges anyone with information to contact police.
Disability and equality Issue: Racist graffiti on property near Ravenhill Embankment, south Belfast Original release: Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti (opens in a new tab)
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Costs faced by families in schools must be reduced – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to move towards free school meals for all children, ahead of an Assembly debate on school meals. He also says he is bringing forward legislation to support families during school holidays.
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Assembly debate on school meals Original release: Costs faced by families in schools must be reduced – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Do nothing Executive letting Belfast Lough go same way as Lough Neagh
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Executive lacks any plan to tackle sewage pollution in Belfast Lough, after the Office for Environmental Protection reported spills there are damaging the environment. He calls for the Infrastructure Minister and Executive to bring forward…
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Office for Environmental Protection investigation into NI Water sewage discharges into Belfast Lough Original release: O'Toole: Do nothing Executive letting Belfast Lough go same way as Lough Neagh (opens in a new tab)
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MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP, with cross-party MPs, urges the Chancellor to raise the Tax-Free Childcare cap in line with inflation, saying the £2,000 annual limit has been frozen since 2017 while childcare prices rose about 34%. The call comes ahead of the Autumn Budget.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Cross-party MPs letter on Tax-Free Childcare cap ahead of Autumn Budget Original release: MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast Lough investigation must prompt action from Infrastructure Minister, says Alliance representatives
Alliance MLAs Stewart Dickson and Connie Egan call on the Infrastructure Minister to act after an Office for Environmental Protection investigation into NI Water sewage discharges into Belfast Lough. They urge green-lighting Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works upgrades and criticise Executive…
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Office for Environmental Protection investigation into NI Water sewage discharges into Belfast Lough Original release: Belfast Lough investigation must prompt action from Infrastructure Minister, says Alliance representatives (opens in a new tab)
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16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan
Alliance North Down MLA Connie Egan says gender-based violence has no place in society and highlights this year's 16 Days of Activism theme, 'No Excuse for Online Abuse', amid a rise in deepfake videos of women.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses
UUP MP Robin Swann urges the Chancellor to scrap the proposed Family Farm Tax ahead of the Autumn Budget, arguing it endangers family farms in Northern Ireland. He also calls for scrapping the two-child Universal Credit limit, a Corporation Tax cut, duty-free parity for UK airports, and a…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Family Farm Tax proposal Original release: Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses (opens in a new tab)
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Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget
Alliance Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood calls on the Chancellor to prioritise easing pressure on working families ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November. She urges scrapping the two-child limit, cutting VAT for pubs, cafés and restaurants, and reforming inheritance tax to protect family farms.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Government Budget announcement on taxation and public spending Original release: Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Gerry Carroll Slams Labour’s Disastrous Asylum Reforms
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll calls the UK government's asylum reforms disastrous and says Labour is pandering to the far right, citing reviews of refugee status and changes to housing and allowances for asylum seekers.
Immigration International affairs Issue: UK Labour asylum reforms on refugee status reviews and asylum support Original release: Gerry Carroll Slams Labour’s Disastrous Asylum Reforms (opens in a new tab)
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Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion says she will host a conference in Limerick tomorrow on gender-based violence, bringing together frontline practitioners, policymakers and survivors to share best practice and strengthen cross-sector cooperation on ending violence against women and girls.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter urges Executive to back universal free school meals by 2030
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA calls on the Executive to commit to universal free school meals by 2030, ahead of an SDLP Opposition Day motion. She says the Minister and Executive failed to restore holiday hunger payments and that the Education Authority has raised school…
Education Social security and welfare Issue: SDLP Opposition Day motion on universal free school meals by 2030 Original release: Hunter urges Executive to back universal free school meals by 2030 (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools
Green Party councillor Flynn welcomes the Supreme Court judgment on compulsory religious worship in Northern Ireland schools, urging the Executive to act quickly to overhaul the education framework so pupils from all backgrounds, including non-religious families, feel respected.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools Original release: Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 20 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes changes to pensions for those diagnosed with a terminal illness
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes changes allowing people with a terminal diagnosis of one year to live to access pensions early from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme. She calls for the early payout to be extended to everyone facing an incurable illness.
Social security and welfare Issue: Legislative consent motion on early pension access for terminal illness Original release: Dillon welcomes changes to pensions for those diagnosed with a terminal illness (opens in a new tab)
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Allister meets RNIB in Westminster
TUV MP Jim Allister thanks the RNIB after a Westminster meeting, praising its vision rehabilitation teams and guide dog work, and cites local figures of about 3,470 people in North Antrim with sight loss and roughly 130 new cases each year.
Disability and equality Health Original release: Allister meets RNIB in Westminster (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly backs cost of living motion – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes the Assembly's backing of his party's cost of living motion, urging Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to strengthen proposals for tackling poverty amid families struggling to afford food and heating.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Assembly cost of living motion on poverty and Communities Minister's proposals Original release: Assembly backs cost of living motion – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty named as Right to Food Commissioner
SDLP councillor Paul Doherty says he has been named to the Right to Food Commission, which will gather evidence across Britain and the North on hunger and foodbanks. He says he will represent the North and push for policy shaped by people with lived experience of poverty.
Social security and welfare Local government Issue: Right to Food Commission launch at Westminster Original release: Doherty named as Right to Food Commissioner (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter criticises EA's handling of Sandelford School repairs
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter criticises the Education Authority over its handling of repairs at Sandelford School in Coleraine, where deteriorating classrooms and unsuitable mobile units have disrupted pupils with complex needs. She calls for faster repairs, clearer communication and a commitment that…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Sandelford School Coleraine classroom repairs and mobile unit closures Original release: Hunter criticises EA's handling of Sandelford School repairs (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Health staff on Universal Credit deserve fairness on ‘rightfully earned’ pay rise
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark Durkan MLA urges the Health, Communities and Finance Ministers to cooperate so health staff on Universal Credit can receive the backdated 2025/26 NHS pay award without losing benefit payments. He calls for a phased payment approach, warning single parents, mainly…
Social security and welfare Health Issue: Health Minister confirms backdated 2025 healthcare pay award Original release: Durkan: Health staff on Universal Credit deserve fairness on ‘rightfully earned’ pay rise (opens in a new tab)