Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Community relations and legacy: remove filter
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Health: remove filter
- Constitutional affairs: remove filter
146 releases
-
Common sense prevails as Queen’s lifts Remembrance collarette ban
UUP Young Unionist chairman Jay Basra welcomes Queen's University Belfast's reversal allowing Orange collarettes at its 8 November Remembrance service. He thanks the Queen's Orange Society for raising the issue and urges the university to consult affected groups before future changes.
Community relations and legacy Education Original release: Common sense prevails as Queen’s lifts Remembrance collarette ban (opens in a new tab)
-
Brett Welcomes Queen’s U-Turn on Orange Collarettes
DUP MLA and Economy Committee Chair Phillip Brett welcomes Queen's University Belfast's reversal of its decision to ban Orange collarettes at its Remembrance Sunday service, crediting his direct intervention with senior management and calling for lessons to be learned.
Community relations and legacy Education Issue: Queen's University Orange collarette policy change Original release: Brett Welcomes Queen’s U-Turn on Orange Collarettes (opens in a new tab)
-
Queen’s urged to explain Remembrance collarette ban
Young Unionist chairman Jay Basra urges Queen's University Belfast to explain why its Remembrance Sunday Order of Service bars Orange collarettes, noting they were worn at earlier services without problems. He asks the university to reconsider the restriction.
Community relations and legacy Education Issue: Queen's University Belfast Remembrance Sunday service collarette ban Original release: Queen’s urged to explain Remembrance collarette ban (opens in a new tab)
-
Drumcree proving to be a pyrrhic victory for republicans – Empey
Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey says the Drumcree standoff has backfired on republicans, criticising Gerry Adams’s intervention and Sinn Féin’s involvement, and argues the dispute exposes threats to the Orange tradition and highlights demographic changes in a united Ireland.
Community relations and legacy Immigration Issue: Garvaghy Road residents' protest against Orange Order march Original release: Drumcree proving to be a pyrrhic victory for republicans – Empey (opens in a new tab)
-
PBP Support Daisy Hill Maternity March
People Before Profit's Newry and Armagh representative Marc Mac Seáin praises a large march against the suspension of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. He warns the cut would burden families travelling to Craigavon and calls for accountability from the Southern Trust, the Department of…
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services suspension Original release: PBP Support Daisy Hill Maternity March (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Patients Are Waiting While Executive Fails to Deliver Budget
SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath says Executive inaction on a budget is leaving patients exposed as emergency department waiting times worsen, citing September figures and Ulster Hospital performance. He calls for funding to plan winter pressures, staffing and services, including fuller use of…
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: McGrath: Patients Are Waiting While Executive Fails to Deliver Budget (opens in a new tab)
-
Eastwood urges UK Government to intervene over BBC NI Irish-language cuts
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy urging the UK Government to intervene over proposed BBC Northern Ireland cuts to Irish-language services, including a reported halving of its Irish-language unit staffing.
Disability and equality Issue: BBC NI Irish-language services proposed cuts announcement Original release: Eastwood urges UK Government to intervene over BBC NI Irish-language cuts (opens in a new tab)
-
Eastwood backs home carers amid rising pressures
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood backs home carers ahead of a Unison-organised public meeting in Derry, calling on Stormont to deliver the promised real living wage and help carers with rising fuel costs.
Economy and employment Health Issue: Stormont brake request on EU goods regulations Original release: Eastwood backs home carers amid rising pressures (opens in a new tab)
-
McGlone: BBC Cuts Demand Scrutiny
SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone seeks an urgent meeting with BBC Northern Ireland leadership over reported job losses and restructuring, wanting clarity on effects for staff, local output and Irish language services. He also plans talks with Foras na Gaeilge.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: BBC Northern Ireland job losses and restructuring plans Original release: McGlone: BBC Cuts Demand Scrutiny (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Our Doctors and Nurses Are Not Pawns in a Political Game
SDLP MLA Colin McGrath accuses the Executive of drawing health workers into a dispute with Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant over pay, after the BMA confirmed further doctors' strike action in November. He says the Executive should stop trading blame and act for patients and staff.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Stormont handling of health service pay disputes Original release: McGrath: Our Doctors and Nurses Are Not Pawns in a Political Game (opens in a new tab)
-
Allister: West Tyrone Can Vote for Strength, Not Weakness
TUV leader Jim Allister MP says the High Court revelations show the PIRA still exists and influenced policing at Drumcree, and calls on the DUP to resign Emma Little-Pengelly to end the First Minister's position. He urges West Tyrone voters to back TUV candidate Stevan Patterson at the next…
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Issue: Portadown policing controversy Original release: Allister: West Tyrone Can Vote for Strength, Not Weakness (opens in a new tab)
-
John Blair selected as Alliance South Antrim Assembly candidate
Alliance MLA John Blair has been selected to stand for Alliance in South Antrim at the 2027 Assembly election, pledging better rural facilities, lower living costs, animal welfare, environmental protection and cuts to health waiting lists.
Other Health Original release: John Blair selected as Alliance South Antrim Assembly candidate (opens in a new tab)
-
Buckley warns of further trade barriers
DUP Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley says sweeping EU reforms risk adding customs paperwork, tariffs and bureaucracy that could further separate trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, harming firms and supply chains, and calls for thorough scrutiny and a Unionist response.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: UK-EU trade agreement renegotiation Original release: Buckley warns of further trade barriers (opens in a new tab)
-
Robinson welcomes Secretary of State’s openness to ministerial…
DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP welcomes the Secretary of State's openness to legislative change that would let the Northern Ireland Act 1998 impose a sanction on Ministers found guilty of criminal offences. He calls for that openness to become an effective law change.
Constitutional affairs Justice and policing Issue: Secretary of State's openness to ministerial roles Original release: Robinson welcomes Secretary of State’s openness to ministerial… (opens in a new tab)
-
DUP reinforces need for transparency and action from Chief Constable
The DUP says its delegation, including leader Gavin Robinson, met the Chief Constable to press for full transparency on investigations into those who blocked the Garvaghy Road and on the threats behind the referral that led to the Drumcree parade being banned. Robinson says legal proceedings…
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Original release: DUP reinforces need for transparency and action from Chief Constable (opens in a new tab)
-
Paramilitary gangs must not be allowed to linger - Frew
DUP Justice Spokesperson Paul Frew says paramilitary groups must not be allowed to linger, responding to an independent report on paramilitary transition to disbandment. He calls for a pathway for those committed to leaving the past behind, while those refusing to give up violence should face the…
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Original release: Paramilitary gangs must not be allowed to linger - Frew (opens in a new tab)
-
DUP representatives welcome Court of Appeal ruling
Upper Bann DUP representatives Carla Lockhart MP and MLAs Jonathan Buckley and Diane Dodds welcome a Court of Appeal ruling upholding the Parades Commission determination on Portadown District Lodge's church parade. They call on the Secretary of State to clarify whether he knew the judgement's…
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Court of Appeal ruling Original release: DUP representatives welcome Court of Appeal ruling (opens in a new tab)
-
Green Party call for independent mediation as Drumcree "fails" the people of Garvaghy Road
The Green Party calls for independent international mediation over the Drumcree dispute, saying the Garvaghy Road community has been let down by institutions and parties that used it as a bargaining chip. Councillor Brian Smyth says a comprehensive mechanism for dealing with the past is still…
Community relations and legacy Constitutional affairs Issue: Drumcree dispute Original release: Green Party call for independent mediation as Drumcree "fails" the people of Garvaghy Road (opens in a new tab)
-
Green Party statement on Parades Commission ruling
Green Party East Belfast candidate and Belfast City Council group leader Cllr Brian Smyth calls for a peaceful passage of the newly permitted restricted Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road, urges full transparency from the Parades Commission after a court‑overturned decision, and stresses the need‑
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Parades Commission Garvaghy Road ruling Original release: Green Party statement on Parades Commission ruling (opens in a new tab)
-
Green councillor Anthony Flynn pledges clean water and better transport in North Down Assembly bid
Green Party NI announces Councillor Anthony Flynn as its North Down candidate for the 2027 Assembly election, pledging action on water quality, public transport, town centres, health waiting lists, animal welfare and Stormont reform.
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Original release: Green councillor Anthony Flynn pledges clean water and better transport in North Down Assembly bid (opens in a new tab)