Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
11,698 releases
-
The issue of unwanted Orange Order marches on the Garvaghy Road is closed – O’Dowd
Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd says he will tell the Assembly that the Garvaghy Road contentious parade issue is settled, after accusing the Orange Order and unionist leaders of trying to push through a march residents oppose. He says residents' wishes must be respected.
Community relations and legacy Issue: Orange Order application to march down Garvaghy Road Original release: The issue of unwanted Orange Order marches on the Garvaghy Road is closed – O’Dowd (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Burrows: More money must come with greater responsibility
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA urges the Assembly's final session of this mandate to focus on quality over volume, passing fewer, better Bills with proper committee scrutiny, and calls for any extra budget funding to come with wiser spending and waste reduction.
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Original release: Burrows: More money must come with greater responsibility (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong: Rural crime rising here while it falls everywhere else
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA warns that rural crime in Northern Ireland rose 24% to an estimated £2.2 million last year as UK-wide costs fell, and urges farmers to report every incident. She calls for more rural policing resources and cross-border cooperation…
Justice and policing Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Rural Crime Week NI 2026 and rise in rural crime costs Original release: Armstrong: Rural crime rising here while it falls everywhere else (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Does Minister’s review meet his Leader’s promises?
DUP MLA Diane Dodds says a Health Minister's review of an earlier review fails to meet UUP leader Jon Burrows' promises on change and transparency. She questions the document's authorship and asks how far Department of Health officials shaped it.
Health Issue: Health Minister's review of a previous review Original release: Does Minister’s review meet his Leader’s promises? (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Say No to Abortion Illuminations on Belfast City Hall!
Aontú opposes Belfast City Council's decision to light up Belfast City Hall for International Safe Abortion Day, calling it shocking use of the building. It says Sinn Féin and the SDLP councillors who backed the lighting have abandoned pro-life principles and calls for support for mothers instead.
Health Local government Issue: Belfast City Hall lighting for International Safe Abortion Day Original release: Say No to Abortion Illuminations on Belfast City Hall! (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Richmond should end his reckless agitation – Robinson
DUP Leader Rt Hon. Gavin Robinson MP condemns Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond’s demand to publish border‑poll criteria, saying Richmond should focus on Irish Government duties and that any poll decision rests with the UK Secretary of State.
Constitutional affairs Issue: Neale Richmond calls for border poll criteria publication Original release: Richmond should end his reckless agitation – Robinson (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 27 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Harkin: Strike Action Can Put it Up to Stormont Political Establishment
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin backs trade union strike action as a way to press the Stormont establishment for higher pay, public service funding and cost of living support. He accuses MLAs of backing a 27% pay rise for themselves and calls for all-out action demanding a change of…
Economy and employment Education Original release: Harkin: Strike Action Can Put it Up to Stormont Political Establishment (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
McGlone: Long-overdue NI Water audit must deliver answers and accountability
SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone welcomes the long-overdue audit of NI Water governance but says its terms of reference must establish accountability over public money and the handling of whistleblower concerns. He warns against a toothless investigation and says the Executive cannot shift blame…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins forensic governance audit of NI Water Original release: McGlone: Long-overdue NI Water audit must deliver answers and accountability (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
SDLP challenges Tánaiste to set out plans to advance Irish unity
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says the party met Tánaiste Simon Harris before Fine Gael's Irish unity blueprint is published, urging a shift from aspiration to concrete preparation for constitutional change and calling for an inclusive, all-island process.
Constitutional affairs Issue: Fine Gael Irish unity blueprint publication Original release: SDLP challenges Tánaiste to set out plans to advance Irish unity (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Officers must not feel they have to be assaulted before defending themselves, says Burrows
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA calls for fundamental reform of the Police Ombudsman and the PSNI Professional Standards Department after the Chief Constable said officers may wait to be assaulted before acting. He also backs a new offence for knowingly making false complaints against officers and…
Justice and policing Issue: Chief Constable comments on officers waiting to be assaulted before acting Original release: Officers must not feel they have to be assaulted before defending themselves, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 19 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Elliott: Windsor Framework Now Forcing Great Britain to Accept EU Rules Too
UUP peer Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard says the Windsor Framework now appears to require Great Britain to accept some EU regulations, not only Northern Ireland, during Lords debate on plant health retail movement rules. He cites a growing list of EU regulations and says businesses and the public…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Windsor Framework Retail Movement Scheme plant health amendment regulations Original release: Elliott: Windsor Framework Now Forcing Great Britain to Accept EU Rules Too (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back
UUP infrastructure spokesperson John Stewart MLA says NI Water's real crisis is wastewater capacity, not governance, blocking housing developments. He urges DfI to bring forward a funding plan now, alongside Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's forensic governance audit rather than after it.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins forensic governance audit of NI Water Original release: NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Border poll harassment of the Secretary of State has to stop
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA defends the Good Friday Agreement's legal test for calling a border poll after the Prime Minister said a referendum is "not on the table". He says the test is clear, calls Sinn Féin's border poll focus a distraction from its record in government, and criticises media…
Constitutional affairs Issue: Prime Minister's statement that a border poll is not on the table Original release: Border poll harassment of the Secretary of State has to stop (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 19 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA responds to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir's Croke Park climate speech, calling for Northern Ireland's climate targets to be reviewed and revised, citing Climate Change Committee advice on an 82% reduction and Scotland's move to…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA Minister Andrew Muir Environment Ireland Conference climate action speech Original release: Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hospital reform must deliver better outcomes for patients – McGuigan
Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Philip McGuigan MLA urges the Health Minister to ensure openness and public involvement in hospital service decisions, backing a proposed Independent Reconfiguration Committee if it is truly independent and hears clinicians, patients and communities. He says he will…
Health Issue: Proposed Independent Reconfiguration Committee for hospital reform Original release: Hospital reform must deliver better outcomes for patients – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 5 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight by RTÉ unacceptable – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says it is unacceptable that RTÉ is geo-blocking Katie Taylor's fight, locking out viewers in the North. She calls on RTÉ to immediately reverse the decision.
Disability and equality Issue: RTÉ geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight in Northern Ireland Original release: Geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight by RTÉ unacceptable – Murphy (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 5 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Givan launches enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers
Education Minister Paul Givan launches an online induction platform and expanded programme offering learning modules, webinars and face-to-face courses for newly qualified teachers in Northern Ireland's schools, covering literacy, numeracy, SEN, behaviour and classroom practice.
Education Issue: Northern Ireland Teacher Induction Online Platform launch Original release: Givan launches enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 28 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Green Party welcomes permanent closure of Drumbo Park greyhound track
Other Original release: Green Party welcomes permanent closure of Drumbo Park greyhound track (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Sheehan criticises Education Minister’s decision to deny four schools integrated status
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan criticises Education Minister Paul Givan's decision to deny integrated status to four schools, saying the DUP is preventing children from being educated together and that families will be dismayed.
Education Issue: Education Minister denies integrated status to four schools Original release: Sheehan criticises Education Minister’s decision to deny four schools integrated status (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hospitality Sector Deserves A Level Playing Field – Dáire Hughes MP & Cathal Mallaghan MP
Sinn Féin MPs Dáire Hughes and Cathal Mallaghan call on the British government to advance a reduction in VAT for hospitality in the north, after meeting Hospitality Ulster, arguing that the current 20% rate leaves local businesses at a disadvantage against the 9% rate in the south.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: Hospitality Sector Deserves A Level Playing Field – Dáire Hughes MP & Cathal Mallaghan MP (opens in a new tab)