Latest releases
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2,846 releases
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Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has re-submitted amendments to the School Uniforms Bill to reduce family costs, proposing limits on branded items, generic alternatives, girls' right to wear trousers, support for children with additional needs, and uniform banks and swap schemes.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill amendments re-submitted in the Assembly Original release: Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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UUP Welcomes Assembly Support on Pay Parity for Health and Social Care Workers
UUP MLA Robbie Butler welcomes the Assembly’s backing of the UUP motion for pay parity for Health and Social Care workers, saying it sends a clear message that unequal pay is unacceptable and urges swift action to address recruitment, retention and waiting‑list pressures.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Assembly backs UUP motion on health worker pay parity Original release: UUP Welcomes Assembly Support on Pay Parity for Health and Social Care Workers (opens in a new tab)
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Robbie Butler MLA: Essential that facts always come before fiction in healthcare
UUP Deputy Leader Robbie Butler MLA criticises US President Donald Trump for linking paracetamol and childhood vaccines with autism, urging parents in Northern Ireland to keep engaging with vaccination services and trust health professionals.
Health Issue: Trump comments linking paracetamol and childhood vaccines to autism Original release: Robbie Butler MLA: Essential that facts always come before fiction in healthcare (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds outlines support for pay parity for nurses and healthcare…
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds says the party supports pay parity for Northern Ireland nurses and healthcare workers with those in Great Britain, calling for the Pay Review Body award to be delivered as soon as possible. She also cites concerns about waste and accountability within Trusts.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Pay Review Body award for nurses and healthcare workers in Northern Ireland Original release: Dodds outlines support for pay parity for nurses and healthcare… (opens in a new tab)
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Seán Crowe TD appeals for all-island co-operation on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe calls for an all-island healthcare model so children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy can access treatment available in the north but not the south. He raised the issue at an Oireachtas committee with Shared Island Initiative officials and urges faster progress on the drug…
Health Disability and equality Original release: Seán Crowe TD appeals for all-island co-operation on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (opens in a new tab)
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PASSED! Pay HSC Workers - Not Private Sector Profiteers!
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says the Executive has again failed to maintain HSC pay parity and calls on the Health Minister to end stealth privatisation, after his amendment to the Assembly debate on HSC pay awards passed.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health and Social Care Pay Awards 2025-26 Assembly motion Original release: PASSED! Pay HSC Workers - Not Private Sector Profiteers! (opens in a new tab)
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Health workers deserve fair pay – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan says health workers deserve fair pay and good conditions and urges the Assembly to approve the 2025‑26 health pay awards in a motion to be debated on Tuesday.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Pay Review Body award for nurses and healthcare workers in Northern Ireland Original release: Health workers deserve fair pay – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty: Families failed by delays to life-saving cancer treatment
SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty urges immediate steps to bring CAR-T cancer therapy to Belfast, after an SDLP Opposition Day motion asking the Health Minister to explore cross-border provision was backed. He says clinicians at Belfast City Hospital are ready and criticises Department of…
Health Issue: SDLP Opposition Day motion on cross-border CAR-T cancer treatment Original release: McNulty: Families failed by delays to life-saving cancer treatment (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan slams Executive delay on Health Pay award
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan criticises the Executive's delay in funding the 2025-26 health pay award and urges the Health Minister to address how the payment would be clawed back through Universal Credit for lower-paid staff.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Health and Social Care Pay Awards 2025-26 Assembly motion Original release: Durkan slams Executive delay on Health Pay award (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong welcomes progress by Courts to help prevent homelessness
Alliance housing spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA welcomes changes in court practice, including at bail hearings, that allow more time for support to be arranged before people leave prison. She credits Justice Minister Naomi Long for expanding prison-based advice on benefits and housing.
Housing Justice and policing Issue: Courts change approach to prisoner release and homelessness prevention Original release: Armstrong welcomes progress by Courts to help prevent homelessness (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes Health Minister’s update on IT outage
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the Health Minister's written statement to the Assembly on the Southern Health Trust IT outage and backs an independent investigation group. She calls for a clear timeframe to reschedule 1,600 cancelled appointments, with proactive patient communication, and…
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust IT issues disrupting services across sites Original release: Dillon welcomes Health Minister’s update on IT outage (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP: Concern following serious healthcare disruption
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA expresses concern over IT issues disrupting health services across the Southern Trust area. He urges the Trust to reassure the public, reschedule lost or delayed appointments quickly, and communicate clearly, and says he will raise it with the…
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust IT issues disrupting services across sites Original release: SDLP: Concern following serious healthcare disruption (opens in a new tab)
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Oireachtas Committee backs Sinn Féin proposal to end geo-blocking of 6 County audiences – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne welcomes an Oireachtas committee recommendation to recognise audiences in the North as under-served and to incorporate Sinn Féin's All Ireland Service Bill provisions on RTÉ geo-blocking. She urges Minister Patrick O'Donovan to implement them in the final Bill.
Disability and equality Issue: Oireachtas Committee pre-legislative scrutiny report on Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill Original release: Oireachtas Committee backs Sinn Féin proposal to end geo-blocking of 6 County audiences – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes full investigation into Southern Trust IT issues
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the Health Minister's announcement of a full investigation into the IT failure that took down Southern Health and Social Trust services. She calls on the Minister to explain the outage's cause, set out measures to prevent recurrence across all Trusts, and…
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust IT issues disrupting services across sites Original release: Dillon welcomes full investigation into Southern Trust IT issues (opens in a new tab)
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TUV expresses serious concern over IT outage at Southern HSC Trust
TUV Cusher councillor Keith Ratcliffe calls on the Health Minister and Southern Trust management to publish details of a major IT systems failure, contact affected patients with rescheduled dates, review backup systems, and support staff. Timothy Gaston MLA will table written questions on the…
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust IT issues disrupting services across sites Original release: TUV expresses serious concern over IT outage at Southern HSC Trust (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon comments on IT issues in Southern Trust area
Mid Ulster MLA Linda Dillon says she has contacted the Southern Trust after IT problems across its sites, which have led patients with pre-scheduled appointments to be told to stay away. She urges local people to follow the Trust's social media and news for updates.
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust IT issues disrupting services across sites Original release: Dillon comments on IT issues in Southern Trust area (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister preventing development of Irish language – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says the Communities Minister is preventing and thwarting the development of the Irish language, citing his failure to publish an Irish Language Strategy and his removal of trilingual logos from departmental letterheads.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Department trilingual logo removal under new ministerial guidelines Original release: Communities Minister preventing development of Irish language – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says the DUP has missed an opportunity to cut school uniform costs after key amendments to the School Uniforms Bill were not accepted. He says the proposals included limiting branded items, allowing generic alternatives, and supporting uniform banks.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill amendments omitted Original release: ‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Minister Lyons welcomes the construction of social homes in Cushendall
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited a 34-home social housing phase at Kilnadore Brae in Cushendall and announced the development will be named Lir View, chosen from pupils' suggestions in local primary schools.
Housing Issue: Lir View social housing naming at Kilnadore Brae, Cushendall Original release: Minister Lyons welcomes the construction of social homes in Cushendall (opens in a new tab)
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Time for meaningful action and a united front against racism, says Mulholland ahead of Alliance motion
Alliance Communities spokesperson Sian Mulholland MLA ahead of an Alliance motion calling for condemnation of racist and intimidating attacks on people and their homes, and for leaders to act on community relations and housing. She calls for a renewed Good Relations Strategy and for the…
Disability and equality Housing Issue: Alliance motion condemning racist and intimidating attacks on homes Original release: Time for meaningful action and a united front against racism, says Mulholland ahead of Alliance motion (opens in a new tab)