Latest releases
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4,385 releases
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McNulty: Graduated Driver Licensing an important step forward
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Justin McNulty MLA welcomes the introduction of Graduated Driver Licensing as an important road safety step, saying it was long overdue and noting Mark H Durkan's 2016 legislation. He calls for effective enforcement, awareness campaigns and continued…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Graduated Driver Licensing reforms for new drivers announced by Infrastructure Minister Original release: McNulty: Graduated Driver Licensing an important step forward (opens in a new tab)
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Elective Care Framework Delivering Improvement and Exceeding Targets
UUP Health Minister Mike Nesbitt says the Elective Care Framework is delivering improvement, with waiting lists falling, capacity and productivity rising, and 70,000 additional elective activities target nearly tripled. He credits Trusts, clinicians and data use at a Stormont Clinical Leaders…
Health Issue: Health Minister update on elective care waiting lists and capacity Original release: Elective Care Framework Delivering Improvement and Exceeding Targets (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin says all tools must be used against non-consensual sexual deepfakes ahead of an Assembly debate urging the Justice Minister to criminalise them. She criticises X's paywalling of Grok image features, urges British government and Ofcom action, and asks the education…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on criminalising sexually explicit deepfakes Original release: Sinn Féin committed to working with other parties to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin to host major Irish unity health event in Belfast – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey says former Health and Social Care Board chief John Compton CBE will join a panel at a Belfast conference on creating a world‑class health system for a united Ireland. She will chair, with a keynote from health spokesperson David Cullinane TD, and urges the public to be‑
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Irish unity health system conference Belfast Original release: Sinn Féin to host major Irish unity health event in Belfast – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Reilly: New emergency department key to relieving pressure on health service
SDLP Waterside councillor Martin Reilly says a new emergency department at Altnagelvin Hospital is needed because the current unit, over 40 years old, cannot cope with demand. He is bringing a motion to full council asking councillors to back writing to the Health Minister on the project's status…
Health Local government Original release: Reilly: New emergency department key to relieving pressure on health service (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team
Ulster Unionist Party Leader-Elect Jon Burrows MLA announces his senior leadership team ahead of his ratification, confirming Mike Nesbitt MLA continues as Health Minister and Diana Armstrong MLA becomes Chief Whip alongside her role as Deputy Leader, and reaffirms staying in the Executive.
Health Issue: Ulster Unionist Party senior leadership team announcement by Jon Burrows Original release: Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women
SDLP MLA Hunter says she will bring forward an Assembly motion on online harm against women. The release gives no further detail on the motion's wording or timing.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women (opens in a new tab)
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Whyte welcomes expanded EV charging plans for North & West Belfast
SDLP councillor Carl Whyte welcomes Belfast City Council's revised plans to expand EV charging in North and West Belfast, after earlier proposals put most new sites in East Belfast. He says the new process identifies 29 potential sites in North Belfast and 28 in West Belfast, and calls for equal…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Expanded EV charging plans for North and West Belfast Original release: Whyte welcomes expanded EV charging plans for North & West Belfast (opens in a new tab)
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Public Health policy shouldn’t be another casualty of the Windsor…
DUP health spokesperson and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds has written to Secretary of State Hilary Benn asking the Government to confirm whether the Tobacco and Vapes Bill applies fully in Northern Ireland, after EU Member States objected that it cannot. She warns that public health policy should not…
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: EU Member States objections to Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Northern Ireland Original release: Public Health policy shouldn’t be another casualty of the Windsor… (opens in a new tab)
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‘Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland’ report published
Health Constitutional affairs Original release: ‘Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland’ report published (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan urges the Health Minister to assess introducing newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, citing early diagnosis benefits and a pilot in Scotland, and says the North should not fall behind.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Spinal Muscular Atrophy screening review in Northern Ireland Original release: McCrossan calls on Health Minister to examine screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive failing people on suicide prevention
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says the Executive is failing on suicide prevention after 290 registered suicides in 2024, a 31% rise, and calls for cross-departmental funding and fuller backing for the Mental Health Strategy and Protect Life 2. He welcomes a newly opened inquiry into how such…
Health Issue: Cross-party inquiry into suicide prevention funding launched by All-Party Group Original release: Durkan: Executive failing people on suicide prevention (opens in a new tab)
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Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw
Alliance TEO spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA says Northern Ireland wellbeing figures are encouraging overall but show persistent gaps for disabled people and those in deprived circumstances. She calls for early investment in healthcare, housing, education and mental health, and for the Executive…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland 2024 to 2025 report publication Original release: Tackling poverty central to any effort to raise wellbeing standards, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly backs call for removal of illegal Sinn Fein billboard
The DUP says the Assembly backed its motion condemning an unauthorised Sinn Fein billboard at Newry’s Egyptian arch and urges the Infrastructure Minister to allocate resources and authority to have it removed.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Sinn Fein billboard at Newry Egyptian arch Original release: Assembly backs call for removal of illegal Sinn Fein billboard (opens in a new tab)
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Casement Park development must match funding available
The DUP's sport spokesman, Stephen Dunne MLA, says the UK Government has clarified its contribution to Casement Park but a large funding gap remains. He says it is now for the GAA to either add funding or scale back its project to fit the money available.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Casement Park funding gap after UK Government contribution clarification Original release: Casement Park development must match funding available (opens in a new tab)
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New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes a new cross-party inquiry into funding for suicide prevention in the north, set up by the All-Party Group she chairs. She says the inquiry will look at services beyond a purely health-focused approach, involving schools, prisons and youth clubs, and will hear…
Health Issue: Cross-party inquiry into suicide prevention funding launched by All-Party Group Original release: New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty: Casement progress welcome but project must be delivered
SDLP Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Paul Doherty welcomes the confirmed restart of work at Casement Park, urging that it not become another false dawn and calling for political agreement, secured funding and a clear timeline to deliver the stadium.
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Casement Park preparatory works announcement and public funding Original release: Doherty: Casement progress welcome but project must be delivered (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Health Minister’s winter preparedness plan has clearly failed
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the Health Minister's winter plan has failed in delivery, pointing to patients on trolleys and long ambulance waits. He calls for urgent action on staff retention, social care pay and safe staffing legislation, and for proper planning for…
Health Issue: Health Minister's winter preparedness plan Original release: McGrath: Health Minister’s winter preparedness plan has clearly failed (opens in a new tab)
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Beattie Slams AI Deepfake Menace in Schools
UUP Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA warns of AI misuse in schools after police opened a criminal investigation into boys at The Armagh Royal Academy over fake sexualised AI images of female pupils. He urges pupils who received such images to inform police or school authorities and not…
Justice and policing Education Issue: Armagh Royal Academy police investigation into AI-generated sexualised images of pupils Original release: Beattie Slams AI Deepfake Menace in Schools (opens in a new tab)
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Patients and health staff deserve better than winter preparedness delay and disorganisation, says McAllister, ahead of Assembly motion
Alliance health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says patients and staff deserve better after the Winter Preparedness Plan was published in mid-October, months after it was due in August. She calls for the Health Minister to set a timeline so 2026-27 winter planning starts earlier, with detailed…
Health Issue: Winter Preparedness Plan publication delay Original release: Patients and health staff deserve better than winter preparedness delay and disorganisation, says McAllister, ahead of Assembly motion (opens in a new tab)