Latest releases
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2,932 releases
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Elective Care Framework Delivering Improvement and Exceeding Targets
UUP Health Minister Mike Nesbitt says the Elective Care Framework is delivering improvement, with waiting lists falling, capacity and productivity rising, and 70,000 additional elective activities target nearly tripled. He credits Trusts, clinicians and data use at a Stormont Clinical Leaders…
Health Issue: Health Minister update on elective care waiting lists and capacity Original release: Elective Care Framework Delivering Improvement and Exceeding Targets (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin says all tools must be used against non-consensual sexual deepfakes ahead of an Assembly debate urging the Justice Minister to criminalise them. She criticises X's paywalling of Grok image features, urges British government and Ofcom action, and asks the education…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on criminalising sexually explicit deepfakes Original release: Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
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Mickey Brady – A Decent Human Being – Gerry Adams
Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, giving the oration at the graveside in Newry, pays tribute to Mickey Brady, recalling his welfare rights work and his commitment to Irish unity and people's rights.
Other Social security and welfare Original release: Mickey Brady – A Decent Human Being – Gerry Adams (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin to host major Irish unity health event in Belfast – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey says former Health and Social Care Board chief John Compton CBE will join a panel at a Belfast conference on creating a world‑class health system for a united Ireland. She will chair, with a keynote from health spokesperson David Cullinane TD, and urges the public to be‑
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Irish unity health system conference Belfast Original release: Sinn Féin to host major Irish unity health event in Belfast – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Reilly: New emergency department key to relieving pressure on health service
SDLP Waterside councillor Martin Reilly says a new emergency department at Altnagelvin Hospital is needed because the current unit, over 40 years old, cannot cope with demand. He is bringing a motion to full council asking councillors to back writing to the Health Minister on the project's status…
Health Local government Original release: Reilly: New emergency department key to relieving pressure on health service (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team
Ulster Unionist Party Leader-Elect Jon Burrows MLA announces his senior leadership team ahead of his ratification, confirming Mike Nesbitt MLA continues as Health Minister and Diana Armstrong MLA becomes Chief Whip alongside her role as Deputy Leader, and reaffirms staying in the Executive.
Health Issue: Ulster Unionist Party senior leadership team announcement by Jon Burrows Original release: Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women
SDLP MLA Hunter says she will bring forward an Assembly motion on online harm against women. The release gives no further detail on the motion's wording or timing.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women (opens in a new tab)
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Public Health policy shouldn’t be another casualty of the Windsor…
DUP health spokesperson and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds has written to Secretary of State Hilary Benn asking the Government to confirm whether the Tobacco and Vapes Bill applies fully in Northern Ireland, after EU Member States objected that it cannot. She warns that public health policy should not…
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: EU Member States objections to Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Northern Ireland Original release: Public Health policy shouldn’t be another casualty of the Windsor… (opens in a new tab)
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‘Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland’ report published
Health Constitutional affairs Original release: ‘Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland’ report published (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan urges the Health Minister to assess introducing newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, citing early diagnosis benefits and a pilot in Scotland, and says the North should not fall behind.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Spinal Muscular Atrophy screening review in Northern Ireland Original release: McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive failing people on suicide prevention
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says the Executive is failing on suicide prevention after 290 registered suicides in 2024, a 31% rise, and calls for cross-departmental funding and fuller backing for the Mental Health Strategy and Protect Life 2. He welcomes a newly opened inquiry into how such…
Health Issue: Cross-party inquiry into suicide prevention funding launched by All-Party Group Original release: Durkan: Executive failing people on suicide prevention (opens in a new tab)
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Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw
Alliance TEO spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says Northern Ireland wellbeing figures are encouraging overall but show persistent gaps for disabled people and those in deprived circumstances. She calls for early investment in healthcare, housing, education and mental health, and for the Executive…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland 2024 to 2025 report publication Original release: Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes a new cross-party inquiry into funding for suicide prevention in the north, set up by the All-Party Group she chairs. She says the inquiry will look at services beyond a purely health-focused approach, involving schools, prisons and youth clubs, and will hear…
Health Issue: Cross-party inquiry into suicide prevention funding launched by All-Party Group Original release: New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Health Minister’s winter preparedness plan has clearly failed
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the Health Minister's winter plan has failed in delivery, pointing to patients on trolleys and long ambulance waits. He calls for urgent action on staff retention, social care pay and safe staffing legislation, and for proper planning for…
Health Issue: Health Minister's winter preparedness plan Original release: McGrath: Health Minister’s winter preparedness plan has clearly failed (opens in a new tab)
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Patients and health staff deserve better than winter preparedness delay and disorganisation, says McAllister, ahead of Assembly motion
Alliance health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says patients and staff deserve better after the Winter Preparedness Plan was published in mid-October, months after it was due in August. She calls for the Health Minister to set a timeline so 2026-27 winter planning starts earlier, with detailed…
Health Issue: Winter Preparedness Plan publication delay Original release: Patients and health staff deserve better than winter preparedness delay and disorganisation, says McAllister, ahead of Assembly motion (opens in a new tab)
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All-island approach to paediatric pathology is necessary – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn says an all-Ireland approach to paediatric pathology is needed, after an Assembly motion on all-island collaboration passed. She says families currently travelling to England face extra strain, and that recruitment for specialist vacancies has been difficult.
Health Issue: Assembly motion on all-island collaboration for paediatric pathology services Original release: All-island approach to paediatric pathology is necessary – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw expresses ongoing concern at inaction by First and deputy First Ministers on key aspects of Covid-19 Inquiry
Alliance Executive Office Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says she remains concerned at the lack of visible action by the First and deputy First Minister on the Covid-19 Inquiry, including reforming institutions to respond better to future emergencies.
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Breast cancer waiting times a scandal - Dodds
DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds says new Department of Health figures, showing only 3.5% of urgently referred women with suspected breast cancer seen within the 14-day target, reveal a failing system. She calls on the Health Minister to set out a plan to expand diagnostic capacity and cut…
Health Issue: Department of Health breast cancer urgent referral waiting time figures Original release: Breast cancer waiting times a scandal - Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Cancer waiting times show Executive has lost focus
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says published cancer waiting time figures show the Executive is failing to prioritise cancer care. He points to only 30% of urgent GP referrals treated within 62 days, a fall on the previous quarter, and calls on the Executive to take…
Health Issue: Department of Health cancer waiting times statistics publication January 2026 Original release: McGrath: Cancer waiting times show Executive has lost focus (opens in a new tab)
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Staff and patients paying price for another year of late and ineffectual winter planning, says Donnelly
Alliance Health spokesperson and registered nurse Danny Donnelly MLA says the Winter Preparedness Plan should have prioritised patient flow, citing RCN testimony on corridor care. He calls the plan late and rushed and urges investment in social care to free hospital beds, ahead of an Assembly…
Health Issue: RCN testimony on corridor care and Winter Preparedness Plan Original release: Staff and patients paying price for another year of late and ineffectual winter planning, says Donnelly (opens in a new tab)