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4,068 releases
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Hanna: UK Government and Executive must stop squabbling and deliver energy support
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP urges the UK Government and Executive to end their public disagreement over energy support, saying a £30 per household payment will not reach those struggling and calling for a means-tested scheme refocused on people most in need.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland £30 household energy support scheme confusion Original release: Hanna: UK Government and Executive must stop squabbling and deliver energy support (opens in a new tab)
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Toothless Voluntary Contributions Scheme Lets Developers Off the Hook
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll criticises the Finance Minister's voluntary developer contributions scheme as toothless, arguing it lets developers off the hook while about 50,000 families wait for social housing blocked by infrastructure shortfalls. He calls for profitable property…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Finance Minister's voluntary developer contributions scheme for infrastructure Original release: Toothless Voluntary Contributions Scheme Lets Developers Off the Hook (opens in a new tab)
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People Before Profit Condemn Attack on Activist at St Patricks Day Event
People Before Profit condemns the verbal harassment and physical assault of activist Marc Mac Seáin in Newry, which happened while he was marching at the St Patrick's Day event alongside a local hospital campaign. The party calls the attack severe, says it was witnessed by children and others, and…
Justice and policing Health Issue: Attack on People Before Profit activist Marc Mac Seáin in Newry Original release: People Before Profit Condemn Attack on Activist at St Patricks Day Event (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister must address ambulance waiting times – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan calls on the Health Minister to address pressures on the Ambulance Service after the Health Committee heard both Category 1 and Category 2 calls are missing target times. He urges improved patient flow through hospitals, timely handovers and support for frontline staff.
Health Issue: Health Committee briefing on Ambulance Service response times Original release: Health Minister must address ambulance waiting times – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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Introduction of developer contributions will help unlock more new properties – Boylan
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's announcement of voluntary developer contributions, with the funds used to upgrade wastewater infrastructure where capacity shortages are blocking new builds. He says it will complement recent housing unlocks.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Infrastructure Minister announcement on developer contributions for wastewater upgrades Original release: Introduction of developer contributions will help unlock more new properties – Boylan (opens in a new tab)
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O’Dowd congratulates Woodside Hill residents following ‘significant’ bilingual signage court case
Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd congratulates Woodside Hill residents in Portadown after their High Court win over Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council's refusal of bilingual street signage. He says unionist councillors blocked a proposal backed by most residents and that the council wasted public…
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Woodside Hill bilingual signage High Court ruling against council Original release: O’Dowd congratulates Woodside Hill residents following ‘significant’ bilingual signage court case (opens in a new tab)
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Paul Givan’s ‘reckless’ changes to how youth services are funded must be stopped – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on Education Minister Paul Givan to step back from changes to youth services funding, which will move a separate departmental pot into the Education Authority's wider budget. He says this leaves no guarantee current funding will be kept and notes funding guarantees…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Department youth services funding allocation change Original release: Paul Givan’s ‘reckless’ changes to how youth services are funded must be stopped – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter concerned at youth club funding cliff-edge
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA expresses concern after the Department of Education confirmed youth club funding only until June, with around £37m no longer ring-fenced. She urges the Education Minister to clarify his position and says the Executive's budget failures put…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Department youth services funding allocation change Original release: Hunter concerned at youth club funding cliff-edge (opens in a new tab)
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Infrastructure Minister's policy is water charging through back door, says McMurray
Alliance infrastructure spokesperson Andrew McMurray MLA criticises the Infrastructure Minister's plan to collect developer contributions for wastewater systems, calling it "water charging through the back door" that would raise house prices and deter new builds.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Infrastructure Minister announcement on developer contributions for wastewater upgrades Original release: Infrastructure Minister's policy is water charging through back door, says McMurray (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan calls on the Health Minister to outline measures to manage the potential spread of meningitis
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, Chair of the Assembly's Health Committee, says he has written to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt asking what preparations and preventative measures will be put in place to manage possible spread of meningitis. The call follows a suspected case in a Belfast student and…
Health Issue: Suspected meningitis case in Belfast student and Britain outbreak Original release: McGuigan calls on the Health Minister to outline measures to manage the potential spread of meningitis (opens in a new tab)
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First and deputy First Minister can no longer ignore Covid Inquiry’s demand for institutional reform – Bradshaw
Alliance's Paula Bradshaw, Executive Office spokesperson, says the First and deputy First Minister can no longer sidestep the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's findings on Executive dysfunction. She argues only institutional overhaul will prevent political deadlock from hampering future emergency health…
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: UK Covid-19 Inquiry recommendations on Executive dysfunction and institutional reform Original release: First and deputy First Minister can no longer ignore Covid Inquiry’s demand for institutional reform – Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Allister questions impact of ECJ ruling in support of trans ideology on Northern Ireland
TUV leader Jim Allister warns that a European Court of Justice ruling in the Shipovo case, recognising a trans woman's legal gender, could override the UK Supreme Court's finding that sex is biological under the Protocol. He has tabled an urgent Westminster question on its impact on gender…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: ECJ Shipovo ruling on gender recognition and Northern Ireland Original release: Allister questions impact of ECJ ruling in support of trans ideology on Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Hazzard raises serious concerns over Downe Hospital service reductions
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has raised concerns with the South Eastern Health Trust over reduced services at Downe Hospital on St Patrick's Day, calling for adequate staffing and a holiday contingency strategy.
Health Issue: Downe Hospital service reductions on St Patrick's Day 2026 Original release: Hazzard raises serious concerns over Downe Hospital service reductions (opens in a new tab)
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Women deserve timely, high-quality care at every stage of their lives – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says women in the north are let down by a health system that dismisses their pain, citing long waits for breast and gynaecology services and endometriosis care. She welcomes an Assembly vote backing a Women's Health Strategy and says her party supports a fully resourced…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on a Women's Health Strategy passed Original release: Women deserve timely, high-quality care at every stage of their lives – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Gordon Lyons must get financial support out the door – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to move urgently to get the £17 million confirmed by the British government for households reliant on oil to those in need, and to bring forward his proposal without delay.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: British government £17 million home heating oil support package Original release: Gordon Lyons must get financial support out the door – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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British government’s home heating oil funding ‘an insult to struggling families’ – Hazzard
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard says the British government's £17 million home heating oil support package, worth about £34 per household, 'doesn't even touch the surface' of rising energy costs. He calls for a proper financial support package now and says Sinn Féin will keep pressing the government.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: British government £17 million home heating oil support package Original release: British government’s home heating oil funding ‘an insult to struggling families’ – Hazzard (opens in a new tab)
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Keep Stormont delay away from underwhelmingly modest heating oil support
TUV leader Jim Allister says government support for heating oil dependent homes is underwhelmingly modest and should have been paid as AME funding overseen by Westminster rather than through Stormont. He warns against means testing that would hurt low income working families and calls for…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: British government £17 million home heating oil support package Original release: Keep Stormont delay away from underwhelmingly modest heating oil support (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: UK Government and Executive failing people on energy support
SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP says the Executive has failed households facing high energy costs, criticising its reliance on blaming London and its lack of a workable heating oil support scheme. She says the £17m Northern Ireland share of the UK Government's £53m announcement won't go far enough and…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: British government £17 million home heating oil support package Original release: Hanna: UK Government and Executive failing people on energy support (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party welcomes rural energy support but warns £53m not enough for hard pressed households
UUP cautiously welcomes the £53 million UK rural energy bill support but says it is far too small for struggling households, and expects Northern Ireland households to get most of it given heavy home heating oil use. It urges a universal scheme, a stronger Competition and Markets Authority to…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £53m UK rural energy bills support announcement Original release: Ulster Unionist Party welcomes rural energy support but warns £53m not enough for hard pressed households (opens in a new tab)
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Executive ministers must now act to ensure NI households don’t miss out on energy support package, says Eastwood
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood urges NI Executive ministers to act quickly on a scheme so households are not left out of the UK Government's £53 million heating oil support, arguing that funding should reflect the 68 per cent of NI households reliant on heating oil.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Government £53 million heating oil support for households Original release: Executive ministers must now act to ensure NI households don’t miss out on energy support package, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)