Latest releases
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3,617 releases
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McGrath: Minister must listen to doctors and avert strike action
SDLP Opposition Health spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA calls on the Health Minister to urgently engage with the BMA and present a credible plan on pay and workforce, after the BMA announced a ballot of hospital doctors over a 3.5% pay uplift.
Health Economy and employment Issue: BMA ballot of members on industrial action over pay Original release: McGrath: Minister must listen to doctors and avert strike action (opens in a new tab)
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Royal College of Emergency Medicine report ‘deeply alarming’ – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan calls on the Health Minister to state whether he accepts the Royal College of Emergency Medicine report on emergency departments, its recommendations and its finding that overcrowding stems from system failure, and to set out specific actions and timescales for…
Health Issue: Royal College of Emergency Medicine report on excess deaths linked to ED waiting times Original release: Royal College of Emergency Medicine report ‘deeply alarming’ – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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Minister must rethink stance as fuel costs hit care workers - Forsythe
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe urges the Health Minister to revisit his refusal to cover travel costs for domiciliary care workers, saying rising fuel prices leave low-paid staff out of pocket and that his Assembly answer appeared to dismiss their concerns.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health Minister's Assembly answer on domiciliary care workers' travel costs Original release: Minister must rethink stance as fuel costs hit care workers - Forsythe (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Death dealers must face harsher sentences
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan calls for harsher sentences for drug dealers who supply vulnerable people, ahead of an SDLP Opposition Day motion asking the Justice Minister to review sentencing frameworks. He backs the Jasmine's Law campaign on vulnerability as an aggravating factor.
Justice and policing Health Original release: Durkan: Death dealers must face harsher sentences (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister announces new clinic and additional new dentists with £8m funding boost for dental services
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces £8m for general dental services, including six extra dental foundation training places, continued child examination funding and a new urgent dental clinic in the west of the region.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: £8m general dental services funding boost announced by Health Minister Original release: Health Minister announces new clinic and additional new dentists with £8m funding boost for dental services (opens in a new tab)
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Political and economic status quo no longer working – Pearse Doherty TD
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty says rising living costs and strained public services show the current political and economic order is failing, and that an alternative is urgently needed. Speaking at a 50th anniversary commemoration in Belleeks for IRA Volunteer Peter Cleary, he also calls for Irish…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Peter Cleary 50th anniversary commemoration in Belleeks Original release: Political and economic status quo no longer working – Pearse Doherty TD (opens in a new tab)
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Allister Calls for Action on Lobular Breast Cancer Research
TUV leader Jim Allister KC MP calls on the Government to take decisive action on research funding for lobular breast cancer, urging a ring-fenced £20 million for dedicated UK-wide discovery research. He says existing competitive funding programmes have failed to deliver disease-specific…
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Allister Calls for Action on Lobular Breast Cancer Research (opens in a new tab)
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Patients losing their lives needlessly in EDs due to ‘snail’s pace health reform’, says Donnelly
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says patients are dying needlessly in Northern Ireland's Emergency Departments due to slow health reform, citing a Royal College of Emergency Medicine report of over 1,000 excess deaths in 2025 linked to long waits. He calls on the Health Minister to…
Health Issue: Royal College of Emergency Medicine report on excess deaths linked to ED waiting times Original release: Patients losing their lives needlessly in EDs due to ‘snail’s pace health reform’, says Donnelly (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan urges urgent action to tackle persistent shortcomings in autism support, citing evidence heard by the All-Party Group for Autism from the Independent Autism Reviewer. He calls on the Department of Health to work closely with the reviewer and to prioritise the Autism…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Independent Autism Reviewer evidence to All-Party Group for Autism Original release: Boylan calls for urgent action to tackle failures in autism services (opens in a new tab)
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Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes the installation of a new sensory unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, a multisensory 'Cubbie' purchased with Little Heroes NI funding, which she says will officially open this week.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children sensory unit installation Original release: Brownlee welcomes installation of sensory unit at Children’s Hospital (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Executive Budget shambles demeaning devolution
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Executive's stalled multi-year Budget is demeaning devolution, citing doubts over whether a joint Finance Department-Treasury 'open book exercise' will be published and an invitation to the Secretary of State to attend an Executive meeting.
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Issue: Executive multi-year Budget delay and open book exercise publication doubts Original release: O'Toole: Executive Budget shambles demeaning devolution (opens in a new tab)
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Murray welcomes introduction of pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events
Alliance councillor Micky Murray welcomes Belfast City Council's passing of his motion seeking pilot drug-checking services at major city events, arguing testing gives people safety information and helps health authorities issue warnings.
Health Local government Issue: Belfast City Council motion on drug testing at city events Original release: Murray welcomes introduction of pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Clear need for closer EU alignment
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says the need for closer UK-EU relations has become clearer, pointing to Donald Trump's actions and US conduct, and welcomes any move to align the UK more closely with the EU after reports of planned legislation on single market rules.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UK Government legislation to ease adoption of EU single market rules Original release: Hanna: Clear need for closer EU alignment (opens in a new tab)
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Minister Nesbitt announces Cancer Charities Grant Scheme recipients
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces that 16 cancer service charities will share funding from the Cancer Charities Grant Scheme, jointly backed by his department and Macmillan, to deliver local support such as mental health help, rehabilitation and transport.
Health Issue: Cancer Charities Grant Scheme recipients announced Original release: Minister Nesbitt announces Cancer Charities Grant Scheme recipients (opens in a new tab)
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Removal of barriers between UK and EU markets essential for economic growth and stability, says Nicholl
Alliance Economy spokesperson Kate Nicholl MLA welcomes the UK Government's plan to legislate to remove red tape on adopting EU single market rules, arguing greater regulatory alignment with the EU benefits Northern Ireland businesses. She calls for a stronger UK voice early in drafting, via…
Economy and employment International affairs Issue: UK Government legislation to ease adoption of EU single market rules Original release: Removal of barriers between UK and EU markets essential for economic growth and stability, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party delivered the peace now we must deliver the prosperity
Ulster Unionist Leader Jon Burrows MLA marks the 28th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, saying the UUP helped deliver peace and that the hope of 1998 was undermined by failures to dismantle paramilitary structures and by later changes to the Agreement. He calls for a new phase of work on…
Constitutional affairs Original release: Ulster Unionist Party delivered the peace now we must deliver the prosperity (opens in a new tab)
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Gary Middleton Steps Back from Public Life to Focus on Health
DUP MLA Gary Middleton announces he is resigning his Foyle seat at the Assembly tomorrow, citing mental health challenges and the need to focus on recovery. DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP thanks him and pays tribute to his service.
Health Issue: Gary Middleton resignation from Foyle Assembly seat Original release: Gary Middleton Steps Back from Public Life to Focus on Health (opens in a new tab)
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Why did Unionists permit the Northern Ireland Executive X account to be used to promote Republican terrorism?
TUV leader Jim Allister MP asks who approved an Executive Office X post highlighting Michelle O'Neill's attendance at a Dublin Easter Rising commemoration, and whether it will be removed. He says Unionists in government must explain their role in allowing the account to be used this way.
Constitutional affairs Community relations and legacy Issue: Northern Ireland Executive X post on Michelle O'Neill's Easter Rising attendance Original release: Why did Unionists permit the Northern Ireland Executive X account to be used to promote Republican terrorism? (opens in a new tab)
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We have secured the peace, it’s time to write the next chapter: Irish reunification – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald calls for the government to lead on Irish reunification, urging planning and preparation ahead of the Good Friday Agreement's thirtieth anniversary. She accuses Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a dereliction of duty and says the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael government is the…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Original release: We have secured the peace, it’s time to write the next chapter: Irish reunification – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Martin’s neutrality shift ‘A fundamental break with Irish policy’ – Mary Lou McDonald
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald accuses Taoiseach Micheál Martin of dismantling Irish neutrality, citing his February remark on standing militarily with a country in conflict, and calls for a referendum on the issue. She also opposes plans to scrap the UN mandate safeguard on overseas…
International affairs Constitutional affairs Original release: Martin’s neutrality shift ‘A fundamental break with Irish policy’ – Mary Lou McDonald (opens in a new tab)