Latest releases
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2,487 releases
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Burrows slams prison officers' exposure to second-hand smoke
UUP MLA Jon Burrows says prison officers in Northern Ireland should not have to endure second-hand smoke at work and calls on the Department of Justice and Prison Service to act now. He notes Northern Ireland lacks a prison smoking ban that applies elsewhere in the UK and says urgent questions…
Justice and policing Health Original release: Burrows slams prison officers' exposure to second-hand smoke (opens in a new tab)
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Stall on plans for new Altnagelvin children's unit greatly disappointing, says Donnelly
Alliance health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says he is deeply dismayed that the planned new children's unit at Altnagelvin has been paused pending a Department of Health review of capital spending. He calls for the Health Minister to explain his priorities and says his party will write to the…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Altnagelvin Hospital children's unit plans paused pending capital spending review Original release: Stall on plans for new Altnagelvin children's unit greatly disappointing, says Donnelly (opens in a new tab)
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McAllister condemns continuing failure to meet cancer waiting time targets
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA condemns continuing failures to meet cancer waiting time targets, citing quarterly figures for April to June 2025 showing fewer urgent GP-referred patients starting treatment within 62 days. She calls on the Health Minister to act.
Health Issue: Quarterly cancer waiting times statistics for April to June 2025 Original release: McAllister condemns continuing failure to meet cancer waiting time targets (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan welcomes new electric vehicle charging pilot scheme
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's announcement of a six-month pilot testing electric vehicle charging across footways for households without driveway access. He says it will encourage more switching to electric vehicles as part of efforts to cut emissions.
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Six-month pilot scheme for electric vehicle charging across footways Original release: Boylan welcomes new electric vehicle charging pilot scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes assessment appointments for boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes Belfast Trust appointments for boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to be assessed for Givinostat via an early access programme, and calls for families to be told urgently whether their child is eligible.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Belfast Trust Givinostat early access assessment appointments for DMD boys Original release: Dillon welcomes assessment appointments for boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey praises emergency services following Holylands incident
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey praises emergency services for making safe an incident in the Damascus Street area of south Belfast, after four people and several police officers were taken to hospital following possible contact with a suspected noxious substance.
Justice and policing Health Issue: Damascus Street south Belfast suspected noxious substance incident Original release: Hargey praises emergency services following Holylands incident (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister must get serious about improving public access to GP services, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls on the Department of Health to work with GPs on solutions to patient access problems, after the UK Government required GPs in England to offer online bookings throughout the day, which does not apply in Northern Ireland.
Health Issue: UK Government mandate for GP online booking in England Original release: Health Minister must get serious about improving public access to GP services, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly backs Sinn Féin motion for onsite drug testing at festivals – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes Assembly backing for a party motion urging the Health Minister to bring in drug testing at festivals and concerts across the north, noting it is the only region without such a scheme.
Health Issue: Sinn Féin motion on onsite drug testing at festivals Original release: Assembly backs Sinn Féin motion for onsite drug testing at festivals – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Ferguson committed to banning unfair letting fees
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson welcomes progress on her bill to ban unfair letting fees, following the close of her consultation, and says most respondents backed a ban on charges such as application, administration, credit check and inspection fees. The bill would also require Department for…
Housing Economy and employment Issue: Ferguson letting fees ban bill consultation closure Original release: Ferguson committed to banning unfair letting fees (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Minister must stop gaslighting public and deliver on housing
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is deflecting blame for racial tensions onto housing pressures, and calls on him to deliver social homes. He cites 1,504 new social homes started last year and a shortfall against the Executive's…
Housing Issue: Minister Gordon Lyons remarks linking housing pressures to racial tensions Original release: Durkan: Minister must stop gaslighting public and deliver on housing (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Nurses deserve pay rise - excuses won’t pay the bills
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA criticises the Finance Minister for not clarifying when nurses will receive a cost of living pay rise. He says the Health and Finance Ministers are passing responsibility between them and calls on the Executive to make a decision now.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Nurses cost of living pay rise timing at Stormont Original release: McGrath: Nurses deserve pay rise - excuses won’t pay the bills (opens in a new tab)
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Women and girls living with endometriosis must be supported – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes cross-party Assembly support for a motion backing specialist endometriosis diagnosis and treatment services. She calls on the Health Minister to act urgently and work with Dublin on an all-island approach.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion backing improved endometriosis care Original release: Women and girls living with endometriosis must be supported – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Flynn calls for onsite drug testing at festivals
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls on the Health Minister to extend onsite drug testing at music festivals and concerts to Northern Ireland, ahead of a party motion due for debate on Tuesday. She says the north is the only part of Ireland without such a scheme.
Health Issue: Sinn Féin motion on onsite drug testing at festivals Original release: Flynn calls for onsite drug testing at festivals (opens in a new tab)
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Patients at the Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre must be supported – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn urges the Health Minister and Belfast Trust to devise a plan so patients displaced by building damage at the Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre, some sleeping on sofas, receive needed care. She also calls for mental health infrastructure investment and full strategy…
Health Issue: Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre building damage and patients sleeping on sofas Original release: Patients at the Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre must be supported – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Early years support must be backed by cross-government action
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA welcomes the Health Department's updated early years framework and its focus on a child's first 1,000 days, but says Executive departments must work together or long-term gains will be lost. He calls for joined-up action across Health…
Health Issue: Healthy Child, Healthy Future framework refresh published by Department of Health Original release: McGrath: Early years support must be backed by cross-government action (opens in a new tab)
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Inaction continuing to come at a cost to patients, warns Bradshaw
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw warns that inaction on skin cancer is leaving patients to pay for a broken system, citing nine-month waiting list figures and calling for Rapid Diagnosis Centres, the Elected Care Framework and prevention-focused public information. She says the Reset Plan published in…
Health Issue: Nine-month skin cancer waiting list figures Original release: Inaction continuing to come at a cost to patients, warns Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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TUV challenges Health Minister on wearing NHS uniforms at demonstrations after Daisy Hill anti-Israel protest
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston calls on the Health Minister to act after staff at Daisy Hill Hospital reportedly posed in uniform with posters of children captioned 'Starved by Israel'. He says Northern Ireland lacks a uniform policy comparable to NHS England's guidance and has tabled written questions.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital staff uniforms at anti-Israel protest Original release: TUV challenges Health Minister on wearing NHS uniforms at demonstrations after Daisy Hill anti-Israel protest (opens in a new tab)
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New guidance to tackle unfinished roads in housing developments welcomed – Boylan
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes revised Department for Infrastructure guidance aimed at preventing housing estates from being left with unadopted roads, footpaths and streetlights. He says it sets a clear start point for enforcement, backdated to developments bonded from January 2024.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Revised guidance on unadopted roads in housing developments Original release: New guidance to tackle unfinished roads in housing developments welcomed – Boylan (opens in a new tab)
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UNADOPTED HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS: UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA calls for more to be done
UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA gives a qualified welcome to Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's new enforcement guidance on unadopted developments, but says it only applies from January 2024 and calls on the Department for Infrastructure to resolve existing estate cases.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Revised guidance on unadopted roads in housing developments Original release: UNADOPTED HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS: UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA calls for more to be done (opens in a new tab)
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‘Moratorium on new mineral licenses pending the completion of assessments welcome’ – McAleer
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer welcomes Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald's decision to halt new mineral licensing while environmental and habitats assessments are carried out, after awarding that assessment work to Tetra Tech RPS.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Moratorium on new mineral licences pending environmental assessments Original release: ‘Moratorium on new mineral licenses pending the completion of assessments welcome’ – McAleer (opens in a new tab)