Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Environment and climate: remove filter
- Infrastructure and transport: remove filter
- Health: remove filter
- Education: remove filter
4,793 releases
-
“Back-To-School Costs Pushing Families Against the Wall” - Mullen
Aontú deputy leader Cllr Denise Mullen says back-to-school costs are pushing families into debt, citing an average uniform price of £826 and a 38% debt figure, and calls on Stormont to end its political impasse. She describes the uniform grant increase as inadequate.
Education Economy and employment Original release: “Back-To-School Costs Pushing Families Against the Wall” - Mullen (opens in a new tab)
-
Families cannot afford to wait months for action on school uniforms- Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes the education minister's plan to look at making school uniforms more affordable but calls for action now. He urges insisting on competitive tendering, removing branded-item requirements and allowing cheaper high street alternatives, and calls for an Executive to…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Minister instructs officials on school uniform costs Original release: Families cannot afford to wait months for action on school uniforms- Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
-
Green Party welcomes the announcement of bank building reopening
Green councillor Áine Groogan welcomes the announcement that Primark will return to the historic Bank Buildings in Belfast later this year, following the 2018 fire, and praises its investment in the listed building. She calls for better protection of city centre built heritage and for greener…
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Primark return to Bank Buildings Belfast announcement Original release: Green Party welcomes the announcement of bank building reopening (opens in a new tab)
-
Mathison: Minister must follow through with action on school uniform crisis
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison says Education Minister must follow through on rising school uniform costs after she instructed officials to look for a common approach, calling the move too little too late for families facing hardship. He says he will bring forward private member's legislation if she…
Education Issue: Education Minister instructs officials on school uniform costs Original release: Mathison: Minister must follow through with action on school uniform crisis (opens in a new tab)
-
Education Minister taking action on school uniform costs
The DUP says Education Minister Michelle McIlveen is acting to ease the cost of school uniforms and to require schools to make uniforms more affordable in future years.
Education Original release: Education Minister taking action on school uniform costs (opens in a new tab)
-
Parents need Executive formed to help cut school uniform costs – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan calls for an Executive to be formed so a Sinn Féin plan can lower school uniform costs, urging legislation for competitive tendering, removal of branded requirements and use of cheaper high‑street alternatives, after welcoming the recent uniform grant increase.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Uniform grant increase Original release: Parents need Executive formed to help cut school uniform costs – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
Mathison: We must address school uniform hardship
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison calls for changes to school uniform pricing, saying community second-hand schemes are not sustainable. He says he will bring forward a Private Member's Bill at the first opportunity and blames the DUP's refusal to return to Executive work for greater hardship.
Education Economy and employment Original release: Mathison: We must address school uniform hardship (opens in a new tab)
-
‘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)
-
Dental treatment "not just added extra" – Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw says dental care should be central to health reform after a BBC investigation found most adults in Northern Ireland cannot register with an NHS dentist. She calls for urgent action to make dentists more accessible and to train more of them.
Health Issue: BBC investigation on adult NHS dentist registration in Northern Ireland Original release: Dental treatment "not just added extra" – Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
-
Doherty: Targeted intervention needed to help families deal with back to school costs
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty calls for a targeted intervention before September to help families with back to school costs, saying demand for uniforms at his Foodstock preloved uniform scheme has grown sharply. He urges Education Minister McIlveen to act on interim measures.
Education Social security and welfare Original release: Doherty: Targeted intervention needed to help families deal with back to school costs (opens in a new tab)
-
Waiting list figures demonstrate need for health service reform
DUP MLA Pam Cameron says figures showing over 17,000 people on waiting lists died in Northern Ireland in three years are deeply disturbing and calls for reform of the health service. She says the problems predate Covid-19 and pledges to press Westminster for funding and a future Executive focused…
Health Issue: Northern Ireland waiting list deaths figures over three years Original release: Waiting list figures demonstrate need for health service reform (opens in a new tab)
-
Urgent intervention needed for adult ADHD provision – Kearney
Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney, South Antrim MLA, calls on Health Minister Robin Swann to intervene urgently for adult ADHD services after a constituent was refused NHS medication following a private diagnosis and the Northern Trust reportedly refuses adult referrals.
Health Disability and equality Original release: Urgent intervention needed for adult ADHD provision – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
-
Executive needed now to hire more doctors- Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says a possible closure of Priory GP surgery in County Down, due to a shortage of doctors, is troubling for patients. He calls on the Department of Health to step in and explore ways to keep the service open, and urges the restoration of the Executive to fund more GP…
Health Issue: Priory GP surgery possible closure in County Down Original release: Executive needed now to hire more doctors- Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
-
Lockhart backs call for haulage taskforce
DUP MP Carla Lockhart joins cross-party MPs in urging the government to set up a haulage taskforce, citing fuel costs, a shortfall of about 11,000 lorry parking spaces and drivers' lack of safe rest facilities.
Economy and employment Infrastructure and transport Original release: Lockhart backs call for haulage taskforce (opens in a new tab)
-
McKee calls for plan to finally end plastic pollution this Marine Week
Green Party councillor Barry McKee calls on DAERA Minister Edwin Poots to produce a plan to end plastic pollution during Marine Week, noting no plan has followed a 2021 call for evidence. He also points to Ards and North Down council's single-use plastic ban and refill scheme and urges a shift to…
Environment and climate Local government Original release: McKee calls for plan to finally end plastic pollution this Marine Week (opens in a new tab)
-
Woodland restoration vital if Northern Ireland serious about a green recovery, says Burbank
Alliance Councillor Jay Burbank says investment in woodland restoration is essential for a credible green recovery. He welcomes Antrim & Newtownabbey council's talks with Forest Service NI on improving public access to three local forests, and calls for large-scale protection, restoration and…
Environment and climate Local government Original release: Woodland restoration vital if Northern Ireland serious about a green recovery, says Burbank (opens in a new tab)
-
Dunne alarmed at GP Surgery services being cut in North Down
DUP MLA Stephen Dunne says he is alarmed by the planned cessation of GP services at Priory Surgery in Holywood and Springhill Surgery in Bangor from 1 February 2023, has written to the Health Minister and asked for a meeting to secure new partners and maintain continuity for the 14,525 patients.
Health Issue: Holywood and Bangor GP surgery withdrawal of services from February 2023 Original release: Dunne alarmed at GP Surgery services being cut in North Down (opens in a new tab)
-
No place for discrimination against children because of choice of sport – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane expresses dismay at attempts to stop children and young people playing Gaelic Games at Victoria Park in East Belfast. He calls for work on a playing surface there to continue, saying discrimination based on choice of sport has no place in society.
Disability and equality Issue: Victoria Park East Belfast Gaelic Games pitch works halted Original release: No place for discrimination against children because of choice of sport – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
-
Muir: Potential closure of North Down surgery extremely worrying
Alliance MLA Andrew Muir says the announced withdrawal of GP services from February 2023 at two North Down surgeries, affecting over 14,000 patients, is causing serious concern. He calls on the Department of Health to give patients assurances and raise service standards, and says he has requested…
Health Issue: Holywood and Bangor GP surgery withdrawal of services from February 2023 Original release: Muir: Potential closure of North Down surgery extremely worrying (opens in a new tab)