Latest releases
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1,378 releases
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Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls on the Department of Health to explore expanding robotic-assisted surgery to other specialties, after Health Minister figures showed 513 of 599 such surgeries since 2019 were on males. She says the split reflects unequal access to…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Minister's figures on gender split in robotic surgery Original release: Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Sheerin welcomes additional funding to help communities tackle violence against women and girls
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin welcomes an additional £1.2 million for grassroots organisations to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, following an earlier £2 million commitment to local communities.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Additional £1.2 million funding for violence against women and girls awareness Original release: Sheerin welcomes additional funding to help communities tackle violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins welcomes cross‑party support for a motion urging the health minister to devise specialist autism mental health services, saying many with ASD lack needed care and the minister must work with families to deliver fully accessible support.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion calling for specialist autism mental health services Original release: Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support (opens in a new tab)
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Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is using unreliable data on vacant properties to excuse inaction on housing, and calls on the Finance and Communities Ministers to ensure empty homes records are accurate and up to date.
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party welcome rejection of UUP anti-trans motion
Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn welcomes the failure of a UUP motion on trans prisoners, calling it a distraction. He says the Assembly should instead deliver the LGBTQ equality strategy promised since 2007 and address hate crime and health inequalities.
Disability and equality Issue: UUP motion on trans prisoners rejected in Assembly Original release: Green Party welcome rejection of UUP anti-trans motion (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan says Executive inaction on empty homes is a missed opportunity after Department of Finance figures showed 21,081 vacant properties across the North. He calls for immediate action, including a review of the Empty Homes Strategy and a scheme similar to Scotland's Empty Home…
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000 (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister will be judged on delivery of SEN provision, says Alliance representatives, calling for urgent action.
Alliance Education MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy urge the Education Minister to publish a detailed delivery plan for special educational needs, saying his recent statements lack concrete actions, timescales and funding and that his performance will be judged on SEN provision.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education minister's SEN transformation statement Original release: Education Minister will be judged on delivery of SEN provision, says Alliance representatives, calling for urgent action. (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister marks Holocaust Memorial Day at PRONI
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons spoke at a PRONI event marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2025, which examined the story of Holocaust survivor Walter Sekules and his family's move to Kilkeel. Lyons calls for lessons from the past to be applied so that genocide and persecution are never repeated.
Disability and equality Original release: Communities Minister marks Holocaust Memorial Day at PRONI (opens in a new tab)
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‘People’s Kitchen must have adequate support, tools and resources to carry out vital homelessness work’ – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane says he and MLA Carál Ní Chuilín met Communities Minister Gordon Lyons with the People's Kitchen team, and calls on the minister to examine funding streams for the Belfast homelessness charity, which receives no public funding.
Housing Social security and welfare Original release: ‘People’s Kitchen must have adequate support, tools and resources to carry out vital homelessness work’ – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
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Minister commends organisations working to tackle homelessness
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons praised frontline homelessness charities during a visit to a north Belfast support centre, highlighted the Executive’s Housing Supply Strategy, announced an extra £6.7 m for the Housing Executive and a new 2025‑26 allocation for homelessness prevention, and thanked
Housing Issue: Housing Supply Strategy and homelessness funding boost Original release: Minister commends organisations working to tackle homelessness (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister’s reform of housing points welcomed
DUP East Antrim MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes Communities Minister Gordon Lyons's commitment to reform the Housing Executive points system for intimidated applicants. She urges swift reforms so housing is allocated on genuine need rather than intimidation points, which she says criminals can abuse.
Housing Disability and equality Issue: Removal of Housing Executive intimidation points Original release: Communities Minister’s reform of housing points welcomed (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: SEN plan must be fully funded
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says the Education Minister's special educational needs transformation plan must be fully funded, noting the Executive has earmarked no money for it in its latest budget. She welcomes proposals including a child development passport.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special Educational Needs Reform Agenda and five-year delivery plan Original release: Hunter: SEN plan must be fully funded (opens in a new tab)
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Rationale for female only prison spaces is clear - Bunting
DUP Justice Spokesperson Joanne Bunting MLA asks Justice Minister Naomi Long how she will keep Hydebank Wood women's prison exclusively for biologically female prisoners after a High Court ruling allowed a transfer from Maghaberry. She says the Minister must set out a plan and warns that admitting…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: High Court ruling on transfer of prisoner to Hydebank Wood Original release: Rationale for female only prison spaces is clear - Bunting (opens in a new tab)
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Commitment to SEN first approach a welcome step – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker welcomes the education minister’s announcement on overhauling provision for children with special educational needs, urging the minister to promptly release a SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan and to adopt a ‘SEN first’ placement policy.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education minister's SEN transformation statement Original release: Commitment to SEN first approach a welcome step – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Givan: Reform begins for children with special educational needs
Education Minister Paul Givan announces a reform agenda and five-year delivery plan for special educational needs support, moving away from one-to-one adult support toward more flexible school-led models. He also plans a bespoke early-years programme for toddlers aged two and three, including…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special Educational Needs Reform Agenda and five-year delivery plan Original release: Givan: Reform begins for children with special educational needs (opens in a new tab)
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Time for action on SEN education crisis, not more empty words says Alliance representatives.
Alliance MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy say the Education Minister's statement on SEN transformation offered only empty words, with no finalised action plan, costings or success measures. They call for a clear plan and outcome framework.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special Educational Needs Reform Agenda and five-year delivery plan Original release: Time for action on SEN education crisis, not more empty words says Alliance representatives. (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposition Day to focus on violence against women and girls
SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin and SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter call for urgent action on violence against women and girls, citing 25 women killed in Northern Ireland since 2020. Their Opposition Day motions cover new victim-protection laws, online abuse, RSE and gender-based budgeting.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: SDLP Opposition Day motions on violence against women and girls Original release: SDLP Opposition Day to focus on violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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Gregory Campbell MP Welcomes Ulster University’s Decision to Revise…
DUP MP Gregory Campbell welcomes Ulster University's decision to revise promotional imagery for its new sports science degree in Derry, after he raised concerns that the original images were exclusive. He urges the university to consider diverse backgrounds in future marketing.
Community relations and legacy Education Issue: Ulster University revising sports science course promotional imagery Original release: Gregory Campbell MP Welcomes Ulster University’s Decision to Revise… (opens in a new tab)
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Egan welcomes vital funding for ending violence against women and girls, stating it must be co-ordinated effectively.
Alliance spokesperson Connie Egan MLA welcomes the Executive Office's launch of the £2 million Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Local Change Fund, administered through councils. She says the funding must be co-ordinated across areas and agencies to avoid a siloed approach and to target…
Justice and policing Local government Issue: Executive Office launch of EVAWG Local Change Fund Original release: Egan welcomes vital funding for ending violence against women and girls, stating it must be co-ordinated effectively. (opens in a new tab)
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Racist signs appalling, says Tennyson
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson condemns racist signs tied to railings outside a Lurgan school as appalling and urges anyone with information to contact police. PSNI is investigating the incident on Pollock Drive as a hate crime.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Racist signs outside Lurgan school on Pollock Drive Original release: Racist signs appalling, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)