Latest releases
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4,525 releases
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Efforts to stymie growth of the Irish language will fail – McLaughlin
Sinn Féin councillor Ronan McLaughlin welcomes the court’s favourable decision on Belfast City Council’s call‑in case concerning its Irish language policy, saying efforts to block the language’s growth will fail and urging Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to advance an Irish Language Strategy while
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Court ruling on Belfast City Council Irish language policy Original release: Efforts to stymie growth of the Irish language will fail – McLaughlin (opens in a new tab)
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NI Secretary of State Pressed for Urgent Action
DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP warns households and public services in Northern Ireland are under severe strain and presses the Secretary of State for urgent action. He calls for VAT cuts on heating oil and fuel duty, more Treasury funding for the Executive including the Education shortfall, and…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: NI Secretary of State Pressed for Urgent Action (opens in a new tab)
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People need support and they need it now – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, Chair of the Communities Committee, urges London to introduce a substantial cost-of-living support package, calling its £17 million so far inadequate and asking for fuel duty to be cut.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: British government cost-of-living funding response to Executive Original release: People need support and they need it now – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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DUP will oppose ‘unjustified’ increase in firearm licencing fees
DUP Policing Board representative Trevor Clarke MLA says his party will oppose the Department of Justice's proposed 153% rise in firearms licensing fees, calling it unjustified. He urges the Minister to pause the consultation until an independent review of PSNI firearms branch is completed.
Justice and policing Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Justice proposed 153% firearms licensing fee increase Original release: DUP will oppose ‘unjustified’ increase in firearm licencing fees (opens in a new tab)
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Our failure to tackle fuel costs highlights a democratic deficit” – Aontú deputy leader Gemma Brolly says supports “do not go far enough” as most “will get no help.”
Aontú deputy leader Gemma Brolly criticises the fuel crisis support package as not going far enough, saying most people will get no help, and calls on Stormont to address its shortcomings and for fuel duty to be devolved.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive £36.4million home heating oil support package Original release: Our failure to tackle fuel costs highlights a democratic deficit” – Aontú deputy leader Gemma Brolly says supports “do not go far enough” as most “will get no help.” (opens in a new tab)
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Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says a biomethane strategy should focus on treating waste and by‑products rather than altering the agricultural system, urging local consultation, strong planning, robust regulation and direct benefits for rural communities.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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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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Léiríonn Gildernew imní faoi thodhchaí mhaoiniú Thionscadal Logainmneacha
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, Chair of the Communities Committee, calls on the Department for Communities to keep funding the Place-Name Project after a ministerial answer showed translation service funding runs only until Summer 2026.
Disability and equality Public finance and taxation Issue: Place-Name Project translation service funding ending Summer 2026 Original release: Léiríonn Gildernew imní faoi thodhchaí mhaoiniú Thionscadal Logainmneacha (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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O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill's omission of no-fault divorce is a missed opportunity to modernise marriage law. He asks the Finance Minister to explain why it was left out, arguing it could help tackle abuse.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill omission of no-fault divorce Original release: O'Toole: Absence of no fault divorce in Marriage Bill a missed opportunity (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin to press Economy Minister on Ulster University job losses
SDLP Opposition Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA says she will challenge the Economy Minister in the Assembly over up to 450 potential job losses at Ulster University. She says the Minister's Financial Needs Assessment shows no imminent crisis there, and asks what action is being taken.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Ulster University job cuts announcement Original release: McLaughlin to press Economy Minister on Ulster University job losses (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood welcomes sign off on first phase of investment package for Derry
SDLP MP Colum Eastwood welcomes British Government sign-off on the first phase of a £20m Pride in Place investment package for Derry, which he says he secured in talks with the previous government. He says projects including Austin's regeneration and a play park at Curryneirin will benefit.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Derry £20m Pride in Place investment package first phase sign-off Original release: Eastwood welcomes sign off on first phase of investment package for Derry (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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The Department for the Economy has failed Ulster University’s staff
Green Party NI Leader Mal O’Hara says the Department for the Economy has let down Ulster University staff as up to 450 jobs are at risk, and calls for an urgent higher‑education funding settlement, a clear plan from Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald and a transparent consultation with unions to避免 (
Education Economy and employment Issue: Ulster University job cuts announcement Original release: The Department for the Economy has failed Ulster University’s staff (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 17 April 2026 (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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Stormont’s rigorous implementers need to justify their support for a new tax facing Northern Ireland consumers ordering certain products online
UUP MLA Dr Steve Aiken OBE says the EU plans to end duty relief on parcels valued at €150 or under from July and proposes a €2 handling fee from 1 November, and claims Northern Ireland parcels will cost €5 extra. He challenges Alliance to justify its support for the charge and says HMRC data is…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: EU removal of duty relief on small parcels and handling fee Original release: Stormont’s rigorous implementers need to justify their support for a new tax facing Northern Ireland consumers ordering certain products online (opens in a new tab)
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Revise, don’t retreat Butler calls for realism on climate targets
UUP agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA urges a revision of the 2023-2027 Climate Action Plan targets rather than the DUP's proposed full withdrawal, citing energy and infrastructure failures and Stormont shutdowns. He says farmers must be central to any future plan and previews a UUP…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DUP motion calling for withdrawal of draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027 Original release: Revise, don’t retreat Butler calls for realism on climate targets (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)