Latest releases
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2,553 releases
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Retaining PEACEPLUS funding from EU is vital – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney calls for central EU funding for the PEACEPLUS programme to be retained, warning that no proposed EU funding from 2028 would seriously affect community services, victims and survivors, and young people.
Community relations and legacy International affairs Issue: PEACEPLUS funding continuation debate at the Assembly Original release: Retaining PEACEPLUS funding from EU is vital – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Ron McDowell highlights Belfast City Council’s appalling attitude to IRA memorials goes back years
TUV deputy leader Councillor Ron McDowell says Belfast City Council has for years facilitated an IRA memorial in Ballymurphy on council-owned land, including applying for planning permission for its fence in 2019. He calls this political bias and hypocrisy, citing the removal of a Union flag in…
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Council decision not to act on Bobby Sands statue Original release: Ron McDowell highlights Belfast City Council’s appalling attitude to IRA memorials goes back years (opens in a new tab)
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Decision on illegal terrorist statue underscores double standards
TUV deputy leader and Belfast councillor Ron McDowell condemns Belfast City Council's decision to take no action over an unauthorised statue of Bobby Sands, claiming it shows double standards compared with council removal of Union Flags.
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Council decision not to act on Bobby Sands statue Original release: Decision on illegal terrorist statue underscores double standards (opens in a new tab)
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Bobby Sands statue is symptom of a society dragged back to Troubles legacy every day
UUP Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA says the illegally erected Bobby Sands statue is a symptom of wider problems, arguing society is dragged back to Troubles legacy daily through media, social media and politicians. He says there are more memorials to perpetrators than victims and calls…
Community relations and legacy Issue: Illegally erected Bobby Sands statue Original release: Bobby Sands statue is symptom of a society dragged back to Troubles legacy every day (opens in a new tab)
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No one should be above the planning process, says Nelson
Alliance Belfast City Councillor Sam Nelson says everyone must be subject to planning rules, following a council decision not to enforce against a Bobby Sands statue erected on public land in west Belfast without permission. He calls for equal enforcement across all cases and seeks clarity on how…
Local government Community relations and legacy Issue: Belfast City Council decision not to act on Bobby Sands statue Original release: No one should be above the planning process, says Nelson (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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Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the Justice Minister to urgently change regulations to speed up and improve PSNI disciplinary processes, following Rachel Langdale's review finding sexism, misogyny and a flawed misconduct process.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Rachel Langdale review of PSNI sexism and misogyny findings Original release: Review clearly shows an urgent need to tackle underlying and unacceptable behaviours within the PSNI – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD
Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú says the government should adopt an All‑Ireland inclusion strategy and a shared North‑South definition of disability, and work harder to boost employment for disabled people, following the ESRI report on island‑wide disability rates.
Disability and equality Issue: ESRI report on disability rates across the island Original release: All-Ireland strategy on inclusion for those with disabilities needed – Ruairí Ó Murchú TD (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings
The SDLP calls on The Executive Office to deliver a coordinated response to the Langdale report's findings on violence against women and girls, proposing an independently chaired taskforce of TEO, the PSNI and women's sector representatives. Claire Hanna urges the DoJ and PSNI to act on failings…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Langdale report findings on violence against women and girls Original release: SDLP calls for intervention following Langdale findings (opens in a new tab)
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Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:…
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe says problems with summer schemes for children with SEN reflect a wider system failure that needs real action, not party political attacks. She calls for the Executive to unblock a 10-year SEN facilities investment plan and warns the draft budget's education cuts would hit…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on SEN summer provision and draft budget cuts Original release: Impassioned speeches need to be followed with concrete action:… (opens in a new tab)
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SEN summer scheme debacle must never be repeated – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says special school summer schemes must go ahead this year and that the chaos over SEN summer schemes must not recur. She calls for families and providers to receive information promptly and accuses Education Minister Paul Givan of deflecting blame.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: SEN summer scheme debacle must never be repeated – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Fein play politics with SEN support – Martin
DUP MLA Peter Martin accuses Sinn Fein of using an Assembly debate on SEN summer provision to make a personal attack on Education Minister Paul Givan. He says the party is blocking SEN capital investment by delaying a paper from reaching the Executive.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on SEN summer provision and draft budget cuts Original release: Sinn Fein play politics with SEN support – Martin (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Executive used SEN children as political pawns
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the Executive used SEN children as political pawns in a row over special school summer schemes, which were reinstated after a U-turn. He questions why the issue was not escalated to the Executive and calls the handling unnecessary distress…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: McGrath: Executive used SEN children as political pawns (opens in a new tab)
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Barr welcomes Council Motion on women’s health and praises Minister Nesbitt’s clear action plan for Gynaecology services
UUP Councillor Alan Barr welcomes Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's motion on women's health after Endometriosis Awareness Month and praises Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's £3.5 million ring-fenced gynaecology plan, with targets of a 40% waiting list cut by March 2027.
Health Local government Issue: Mid and East Antrim Council women's health motion on gynaecology waiting lists Original release: Barr welcomes Council Motion on women’s health and praises Minister Nesbitt’s clear action plan for Gynaecology services (opens in a new tab)
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Victims' Payments must be determined consistently, not based on how threats were communicated, says Bradshaw
Alliance Executive Office Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says victims' payments for Troubles-era death threats must be determined clearly and consistently, not depending on whether the threat was communicated directly or via police. She calls for equal treatment and an end to bureaucratic…
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Original release: Victims' Payments must be determined consistently, not based on how threats were communicated, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Ministers must answer for SEN summer scheme debacle, says Guy
Alliance's Michelle Guy MLA says the Education and Health Ministers must answer for briefly halting special educational needs summer schemes, then reversing the decision a day later. She calls for an Assembly recall motion tomorrow and demands an apology to families.
Education Disability and equality Issue: SEN summer schemes cancellation and reversal by Education and Health Ministers Original release: Ministers must answer for SEN summer scheme debacle, says Guy (opens in a new tab)
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Ministers must provide transparency over ‘shambolic handling’ of SEN summer schemes – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason calls on the Education Minister to give guarantees at Tuesday's Assembly recall that the cancellation of special school summer schemes will not recur, and demands full transparency over who made the decision and why.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: Ministers must provide transparency over ‘shambolic handling’ of SEN summer schemes – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Brett welcomes conviction of Glengormley Arch attacker
North Belfast DUP MLA Phillip Brett welcomes the conviction of an individual for sectarian vandalism of Glengormley's Orange Arch, commending Newtownabbey PSNI and warning others against similar vandalism in Glengormley town centre.
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Issue: Glengormley Orange Arch sectarian vandalism conviction and sentencing Original release: Brett welcomes conviction of Glengormley Arch attacker (opens in a new tab)
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Carroll Slams Special School Summer Scheme Fiasco
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll welcomes the reversal of a decision on special school summer schemes but says the fiasco should never have happened. He calls for those who made the original cancellation decision to be identified and says families of children with additional needs were…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: Carroll Slams Special School Summer Scheme Fiasco (opens in a new tab)
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Immediate Investigation into the Cancellation of SEN Summer Schemes
Aontú calls for an urgent, transparent and independent investigation into the Education Authority's decision to cancel SEN Summer Schemes, announced on 26 March and reversed the next day. It welcomes the reinstatement but demands accountability and safeguards against a repeat.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Failure to provide special school summer programmes Original release: Immediate Investigation into the Cancellation of SEN Summer Schemes (opens in a new tab)