Latest releases
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1,377 releases
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‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker seeks an Urgent Oral Question so the Education Minister must answer in the Assembly on the handling of school placements for children with special educational needs. He says up to 160 such children still lack a confirmed place for the 2025/26 year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special educational needs school placement shortfall for 2025/26 academic year Original release: ‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the UK government to halt its planned welfare cuts, following a joint letter from the Communities Committees in the North, Wales and Scotland raising concerns about the measures. He argues money for military spending should instead fund employment support and…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Proposed UK welfare cuts for sick and disabled people Original release: British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie
UUP justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA says the failure to collect data on biological sex undermines efforts to end violence against women and girls. He says the PSNI and other departments are not recording victims' or perpetrators' sex for sexual offences, and calls for correct collection…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Independent Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Original release: Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to ensure all schools, including grammar schools, provide special educational needs placements. He says non-selective schools have carried most of the load and calls for a new approach, and has called for a committee inquiry into the issue.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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More regulation of AirBnBs and second homes essential, says McCully, after passing of Alliance motion
Alliance Causeway Councillor Peter McCully welcomes Causeway Coast and Glens Council's unanimous passing of Alliance's motion calling on the NI Executive to tackle housing shortages linked to AirBnBs and second homes. He says the balance is off and urges urgent action.
Housing Local government Issue: Causeway Coast and Glens Council motion on AirBnBs and second homes Original release: More regulation of AirBnBs and second homes essential, says McCully, after passing of Alliance motion (opens in a new tab)
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Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison
Alliance MLAs Michelle Guy and Nick Mathison say the Education Minister must explore all options to resolve the special educational needs placement crisis, after the Education Authority reported over 160 children still lack confirmed school places for next year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority reports 160+ SEN children awaiting school places Original release: Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes
Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes welcomes a new Sinn Féin bill, introduced by TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne, to end RTÉ geo-blocking and the exclusion of northern audiences from its competitions. He says the bill would require broadcasters to make reasonable efforts and would ask Coimisiún na…
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne say they have been given leave to introduce a first-stage Dáil bill requiring RTÉ to end the exclusion of Six County audiences from its services, including geo-blocking and audience competitions.
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP stands against Welfare Bill
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP backs two reasoned amendments, signed with Colum Eastwood, to block the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its Commons Second Reading. She warns the welfare reforms will push hundreds of thousands into poverty, hitting Northern Ireland hardest…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Commons Second Reading Original release: SDLP stands against Welfare Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Education system continues to fail vulnerable young SEN people and their families, say Mathison and Guy
Alliance MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy say the education system is failing vulnerable SEN children, pointing to poor communication, delayed statements and over 150 pupils still without school places, and call for a radical overhaul and cross‑departmental legislation to secure post‑19 pathways.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Equity in Education event reveals SEN support failures Original release: Education system continues to fail vulnerable young SEN people and their families, say Mathison and Guy (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP condemns ‘appalling and disturbing’ attack on Belfast Islamic Centre
SDLP MPs and MLAs Claire Hanna and Matthew O'Toole condemn an attack on the Belfast Islamic Centre, where a device was thrown through a window during prayers. They call for consistent political leadership against hate and for the Executive to deliver its anti-racism and integration strategies.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Attack on Belfast Islamic Centre while people inside Original release: SDLP condemns ‘appalling and disturbing’ attack on Belfast Islamic Centre (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposition announces plan to mark Executive card on delivery
SDLP Opposition announces amendments to the Fiscal Council Bill giving the independent Fiscal Council a legal duty to assess annually the Executive's delivery against specific Programme for Government targets. Leader Matthew O'Toole says the social housing target looks all but certain to be missed.
Public finance and taxation Housing Issue: Fiscal Council Bill amendments on Programme for Government delivery assessment Original release: SDLP Opposition announces plan to mark Executive card on delivery (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin welcomes new legislation on spiking but urges further action to protect women
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes the Justice Minister's move to bring forward a Legislative Consent Motion making drink spiking an offence in its own right, and calls for licensed venues to be required to supply testing kits.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Assembly approval of anti-spiking legislative consent motion Original release: McLaughlin welcomes new legislation on spiking but urges further action to protect women (opens in a new tab)
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TUV: Civil Service Must Address Concerns of Staff Opposed to Pride Participation
TUV Equality spokesperson Ann McClure says Timothy Gaston's questions to Finance Minister John O'Dowd on Civil Service participation in Belfast Pride received vague answers, and calls on the Civil Service and Minister to directly address concerns about impartiality and objecting staff.
Disability and equality Issue: NICS participation in Belfast Pride 2025 and Stonewall links Original release: TUV: Civil Service Must Address Concerns of Staff Opposed to Pride Participation (opens in a new tab)
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Guy calls for additional support for school children impacted by racial violence
Alliance education spokesperson Michelle Guy MLA calls on the Department of Education to allocate extra resources to the Education Authority and schools to support children affected by recent racial violence across Northern Ireland. She says newcomer children have been absent from school and asks…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Racial violence impact on school children and newcomer absences Original release: Guy calls for additional support for school children impacted by racial violence (opens in a new tab)
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Recent homelessness figures highlight growing crisis, says Armstrong
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA says the latest Department for Communities homelessness figures show prevention strategies are failing, with 5,200 households in temporary accommodation. She calls for a joined-up action plan alongside the Housing Supply Strategy to cut…
Housing Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Communities homelessness figures June 2025 Original release: Recent homelessness figures highlight growing crisis, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive failing young people with SEN
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says the Executive is letting down young people with special educational needs, arguing the Economy Minister's new post-school support proposals fall well short and calling for joined-up, fully resourced help.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Economy Minister's post-school proposals for pupils with additional needs Original release: Durkan: Executive failing young people with SEN (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Sinn Féin show contempt for housing crisis
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan accuses Sinn Féin of contempt for housing crisis victims after its MLAs did not vote on the SDLP's Opposition Day motion on Executive housing targets. He also says Sinn Féin ministers lack a plan for wastewater infrastructure needed for new homes.
Housing Issue: SDLP Opposition Day motion on Executive housing targets Original release: Durkan: Sinn Féin show contempt for housing crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew challenges Communities Minister over ‘irresponsible’ social media post
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew questioned Communities Minister Gordon Lyons on actions to secure safe housing for families driven from their Ballymena homes by racist thugs and condemned the minister’s recent Larne Leisure Centre social media post as irresponsible.
Housing Disability and equality Issue: Gordon Lyons social media post on Larne community centre housing Original release: Gildernew challenges Communities Minister over ‘irresponsible’ social media post (opens in a new tab)
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Minister’s statement on SEN protections must be backed up with action…
DUP MLA Phillip Brett, Chair of Stormont's Economy Committee, welcomes the Economy Minister's statement on special educational needs protections as a step forward, but calls for decisive action and legislative safeguards for young people moving into further education, skills and training.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Economy Minister's statement on SEN transition protections Original release: Minister’s statement on SEN protections must be backed up with action… (opens in a new tab)