Latest releases
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1,983 releases
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Durkan slams Executive delay on Health Pay award
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan criticises the Executive's delay in funding the 2025-26 health pay award and urges the Health Minister to address how the payment would be clawed back through Universal Credit for lower-paid staff.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health and Social Care Pay Awards 2025-26 Assembly motion Original release: Durkan slams Executive delay on Health Pay award (opens in a new tab)
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Finnegan welcomes launch of Peatlands Strategy
Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan welcomes the DAERA launch of its Peatlands Strategy as a step towards protecting and restoring bogs. She calls for a just transition, full engagement of communities including turbary rights holders, and Minister Muir to work with his southern counterpart on…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA Peatlands Strategy launch Original release: Finnegan welcomes launch of Peatlands Strategy (opens in a new tab)
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Oireachtas Committee backs Sinn Féin proposal to end geo-blocking of 6 County audiences – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne welcomes an Oireachtas committee recommendation to recognise audiences in the North as under-served and to incorporate Sinn Féin's All Ireland Service Bill provisions on RTÉ geo-blocking. She urges Minister Patrick O'Donovan to implement them in the final Bill.
Disability and equality Issue: Oireachtas Committee pre-legislative scrutiny report on Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill Original release: Oireachtas Committee backs Sinn Féin proposal to end geo-blocking of 6 County audiences – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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Blair welcomes Northern Ireland's first Peatland strategy, published by Minister Muir
Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA welcomes the publication of Northern Ireland's first Peatland Strategy by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir, saying it sets five objectives and 26 actions to tackle pressures on peatlands and enable restoration.
Environment and climate Issue: DAERA Peatlands Strategy launch Original release: Blair welcomes Northern Ireland's first Peatland strategy, published by Minister Muir (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister preventing development of Irish language – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says the Communities Minister is preventing and thwarting the development of the Irish language, citing his failure to publish an Irish Language Strategy and his removal of trilingual logos from departmental letterheads.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Department trilingual logo removal under new ministerial guidelines Original release: Communities Minister preventing development of Irish language – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says the DUP has missed an opportunity to cut school uniform costs after key amendments to the School Uniforms Bill were not accepted. He says the proposals included limiting branded items, allowing generic alternatives, and supporting uniform banks.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill amendments omitted Original release: ‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Ennis welcomes removal of RDF from Warrenpoint
Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis welcomes the removal of Refuse Derived Fuel from Warrenpoint Port, crediting sustained local and party pressure, including Sinn Féin's July resignation from the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority board. She says only odourless Solid Recovered Fuel will now be stored there.
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Refuse Derived Fuel removal from Warrenpoint Port Original release: Ennis welcomes removal of RDF from Warrenpoint (opens in a new tab)
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Harkin: Use Consultation to Challenge Stormont Executive on Betrayal to Tackle Poverty
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin says the Executive's draft Anti-Poverty Strategy, now out for consultation, is a betrayal and has no proposals, actions or targets, and urges the public to press the Executive to scrap and fully replace it using the expert working group's proposals.
Social security and welfare Issue: Stormont Executive draft Anti-Poverty Strategy public consultation Original release: Harkin: Use Consultation to Challenge Stormont Executive on Betrayal to Tackle Poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Time for meaningful action and a united front against racism, says Mulholland ahead of Alliance motion
Alliance Communities spokesperson Sian Mulholland MLA ahead of an Alliance motion calling for condemnation of racist and intimidating attacks on people and their homes, and for leaders to act on community relations and housing. She calls for a renewed Good Relations Strategy and for the…
Disability and equality Housing Issue: Alliance motion condemning racist and intimidating attacks on homes Original release: Time for meaningful action and a united front against racism, says Mulholland ahead of Alliance motion (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: Index showing Belfast and Derry among worst places to live highlights need for Regional Balance Bill
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin cites a UK Better Lives Index ranking Belfast and Derry poorly and says she is seeking to introduce a Regional Balance Bill to ensure every part of Northern Ireland gets fair investment and opportunity.
Disability and equality Issue: UK Better Lives Index ranking of Belfast and Derry Original release: McLaughlin: Index showing Belfast and Derry among worst places to live highlights need for Regional Balance Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Removal of Department for Communities trilingual logo a ‘backwards step for equality’ – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, chair of the Communities Committee, criticises Communities Minister Gordon Lyons for dropping the trilingual Irish and Ulster-Scots logo from official paperwork, calling it a retrograde move on inclusion and equality and saying attempts to roll back rights will fail.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Department trilingual logo removal under new ministerial guidelines Original release: Removal of Department for Communities trilingual logo a ‘backwards step for equality’ – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Ireland Against Racism Carnival
People Before Profit urges support for the Ireland Against Racism Carnival, a demonstration on 27 September, noting more than 70 backing organisations including the trade union congress. It condemns rising racism and a recent attack in Tallaght, and calls for unity against far-right scapegoating…
Disability and equality Immigration Original release: Ireland Against Racism Carnival (opens in a new tab)
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TUV welcomes comments in Grand Central case and challenges DUP approach to Irish going forward
TUV leader Jim Allister KC MP welcomes a judge's comments in the Grand Central case, saying the decision required Executive agreement, and calls on the DUP to block Irish language signage there and any Irish Language Commissioner proposal to impose signs.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Grand Central Irish language signage court case comments Original release: TUV welcomes comments in Grand Central case and challenges DUP approach to Irish going forward (opens in a new tab)
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SF dramatic U-turn on Lough Neagh welcome: SDLP
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA welcomes Sinn Féin's reversal on the Lough Neagh Action Plan, after its MLAs joined a successful Assembly motion removing a planned Nutrients Action Programme consultation. He calls on the Executive to take meaningful action to restore the lough.
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Assembly motion on Lough Neagh Nutrients Action Programme consultation Original release: SF dramatic U-turn on Lough Neagh welcome: SDLP (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone: Toxins in Lough Neagh fish underlines need to act
SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone says toxins found in some fish in Lough Neagh show action is urgently needed, warning the Food Standards Agency's safe-to-eat advice must not change. He calls for all Stormont parties to back plans to save the lough and welcomes Sinn Féin's shift after an SDLP…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Toxins found in Lough Neagh fish Original release: McGlone: Toxins in Lough Neagh fish underlines need to act (opens in a new tab)
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O'Hanlon demands urgent clarity on future of Middletown Centre for Autism
SDLP Councillor Thomas O'Hanlon has written to Education Ministers Paul Givan and Helen McEntee seeking urgent answers after staff at the Middletown Centre for Autism were told to work from home indefinitely. He asks whether the Ministers knew in advance and demands assurances that the centre will…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Middletown Centre for Autism staff instructed to work from home Original release: O'Hanlon demands urgent clarity on future of Middletown Centre for Autism (opens in a new tab)
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Collective effort needed to address Lough Neagh – Kearney
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA says Lough Neagh's pollution is a national emergency needing joint action from the Assembly and Irish government, citing the 2025 eel fishing shutdown and calling for immediate supports for affected fishermen.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Lough Neagh 2025 eel fishing season termination Original release: Collective effort needed to address Lough Neagh – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Protecting and restoring Lough Neagh a priority for Sinn Féin – Finnegan
Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan says safeguarding Lough Neagh is a party priority ahead of an Assembly debate, citing recurring blue-green algae. She backs a workable Nutrient Action Programme and calls for short and long term actions under the Executive's Lough Neagh Action Plan, shaped by lough…
Environment and climate Issue: Assembly debate on Lough Neagh blue-green algae Original release: Protecting and restoring Lough Neagh a priority for Sinn Féin – Finnegan (opens in a new tab)
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We must continue working together to restore Lough Neagh – Mallaghan
Sinn Féin MP Cathal Mallaghan says all parties have a responsibility to work together to tackle blue-green algae on Lough Neagh, following a public meeting on the issue. He calls for the Executive's plan to continue progressing alongside other measures.
Environment and climate Original release: We must continue working together to restore Lough Neagh – Mallaghan (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister must Guarantee One-to-One Support for SEN Pupils
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says the Executive keeps failing SEN pupils and their families, accusing Education Minister Paul Givan of warm words without action on school places, transport and classroom assistant support. He calls for guaranteed support for every pupil.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Debate on the crisis in special educational needs provision Original release: Education Minister must Guarantee One-to-One Support for SEN Pupils (opens in a new tab)