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3,278 releases
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McGlone welcomes appointment of language commissioners
SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone welcomes the confirmation that Irish Language and Ulster Scots Commissioners will soon take up their posts, ending long uncertainty. He criticises the Executive for delays and asks the Executive Office to set out the experience of newly named appointees to the cultural body.
Disability and equality Issue: Pól Deeds appointed Irish Language Commissioner Original release: McGlone welcomes appointment of language commissioners (opens in a new tab)
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Language Commissioners must build trust not division - Butler
UUP Deputy Leader Robbie Butler MLA says the newly appointed Language Commissioners and the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression director must prove they serve the public and build trust. He criticises the Sinn Féin and DUP talks process as sidelining others, and urges value for money and…
Disability and equality Issue: Office of Identity and Cultural Expression appointments announced Original release: Language Commissioners must build trust not division - Butler (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes appointment of Language Commissioners
Alliance Executive Office Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw welcomes the First and deputy First Minister's sending of letters of offer to Pól Deeds and Lee Reynolds, appointees as Irish Language and Ulster-Scots Commissioners. She says the process took too long and looks forward to them presenting their…
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language Act Commissioner appointments delay Original release: Bradshaw welcomes appointment of Language Commissioners (opens in a new tab)
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PSNI must explain reason not to implement Ombudsman’s recommendations in full – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the PSNI to explain why it did not fully implement the Police Ombudsman's recommendations on four officers' conduct during a December 2022 arrest. She says the findings of misogynistic remarks toward a woman reporting domestic abuse are concerning.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Police Ombudsman report on officers' conduct during December 2022 arrest Original release: PSNI must explain reason not to implement Ombudsman’s recommendations in full – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew comments on changes to how social homes are funded
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says changes to social housing funding must be consulted on and delivered with housing providers, after the Communities Minister announced a major overhaul of housing association grant rates. He says the changes appear to have been made without consulting housing…
Housing Public finance and taxation Issue: Communities Minister's housing association grant rate overhaul Original release: Gildernew comments on changes to how social homes are funded (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Cut to Housing Association funding will deliver fewer homes
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says a cut to Housing Association grant, from 54% to 46% of build cost, will lead to fewer homes. He criticises Communities Minister Gordon Lyons for failing to consult the sector.
Housing Public finance and taxation Issue: Communities Minister's housing association grant rate overhaul Original release: Durkan: Cut to Housing Association funding will deliver fewer homes (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone welcomes £100k funding to save Scoil Spreagtha scheme
SDLP Irish Language Spokesperson Patsy McGlone MLA welcomes £100,000 in funding to keep the Scoil Spreagtha Irish language lessons scheme running for another year, followed by an evaluation, and says he will keep pressing for future funding.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Scoil Spreagtha scheme £100,000 funding confirmation Original release: McGlone welcomes £100k funding to save Scoil Spreagtha scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Breaking Barriers in Agriculture and Championing Women Farmers
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong urges DAERA to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Breaking the Grass Ceiling report, saying women farmers are vital to NI’s agri‑food economy and the party will lobby for equality.
Agriculture and rural affairs Disability and equality Issue: Breaking the Grass Ceiling report recommendations Original release: Breaking Barriers in Agriculture and Championing Women Farmers (opens in a new tab)
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Confidence in the Belfast Trust must be restored urgently, says McAllister
Alliance health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says the Belfast Trust must urgently rebuild staff confidence after a Health Committee session on a report into culture and oversight in its Cardiac Unit. She calls for whistleblowing reform and a statutory candour duty, and welcomes the new Trust…
Health Issue: Belfast Trust performance accountability report publication Original release: Confidence in the Belfast Trust must be restored urgently, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan comments on Belfast Trust report
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan welcomes publication of a report on the Belfast Trust, commissioned after the trust's performance accountability process was raised to Level 5. He says serious issues remain unresolved in the cardiac surgery unit and will scrutinise the recommendations in full.
Health Issue: Belfast Trust performance accountability report publication Original release: McGuigan comments on Belfast Trust report (opens in a new tab)
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Immense potential for development of All Island Healthcare discussed at Good Friday Agreement Committee – Pat Cullen MP
Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen says an all-island, centrally funded healthcare model is a party priority, after a Good Friday Agreement Committee session on all-island healthcare with academic witnesses. She backs a call for data-led research to integrate services across both jurisdictions.
Health Issue: Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement Committee session on all-island healthcare Original release: Immense potential for development of All Island Healthcare discussed at Good Friday Agreement Committee – Pat Cullen MP (opens in a new tab)
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Oireachtas na Samhna opportunity to showcase Irish as vibrant and flourishing language – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney says Belfast's hosting of Oireachtas na Samhna, running 29 October to 2 November, shows Irish is vibrant and flourishing, citing the city's new Irish language policy and upcoming Gaeltacht and Fleadh hosting.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Oireachtas na Samhna festival hosted in Belfast 2025 Original release: Oireachtas na Samhna opportunity to showcase Irish as vibrant and flourishing language – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Cameron – HMOs are reshaping communities
South Antrim DUP MLA Pam Cameron welcomes the Communities Minister's statement on tightening HMO oversight, urging councils to use their 2016 Act powers consistently. She also flags around 250 HMOs used by MEARS for asylum seekers and refugees, and backs the minister's push to extend Right to Rent…
Housing Local government Issue: Communities Minister's statement on HMO enforcement and licensing Original release: Cameron – HMOs are reshaping communities (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Minister can’t pass the buck on HMOs
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA calls on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to legislate on houses in multiple occupation, including licensing, enforcement and limiting over-concentration, rather than writing to councils reminding them of their obligations.
Housing Local government Issue: Communities Minister's statement on HMO enforcement and licensing Original release: Durkan: Minister can’t pass the buck on HMOs (opens in a new tab)
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Winter Pressure Plan too little, too late, and lacking real solutions…
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Department's winter pressure plan, raised in an urgent Assembly question to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, is too late and underfunded. She calls for a fully resourced plan tackling domiciliary care shortages that delay hospital discharges.
Health Issue: Department of Health winter pressure plan for health service Original release: Winter Pressure Plan too little, too late, and lacking real solutions… (opens in a new tab)
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Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland – Pat Cullen MP
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen announces a public conference on rural health in a united Ireland, to be chaired by Cullen at the Westville Hotel on 26 November. He argues that island-wide health planning and a single national health service would better serve citizens than two separate…
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Sinn Féin Commission on the Future of Ireland health conference November 2025 Original release: Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland – Pat Cullen MP (opens in a new tab)
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Winter Preparedness Plan meets targets on paper but won’t tackle real pressures, says Donnelly
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says the delayed Winter Preparedness Plan offers no new action to ease mounting health pressures, repeats past measures and fails to deliver real change, and he has raised an Urgent Oral Question urging fresh ideas for winter.
Health Issue: Winter Preparedness Plan publication delay Original release: Winter Preparedness Plan meets targets on paper but won’t tackle real pressures, says Donnelly (opens in a new tab)
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If Government Don’t Achieve Families’ Scoliosis Demands Aontú will Table a Motion of no Confidence Within Next 6 months – Tóibín
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín says the party will not table a no-confidence motion next week, but will do so within six months unless the government meets scoliosis demands on an inquiry and CHI reform. He also says Aontú will table a motion on presidential voting rights for northern Irish citizens and…
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Aontú scoliosis no-confidence motion decision Original release: If Government Don’t Achieve Families’ Scoliosis Demands Aontú will Table a Motion of no Confidence Within Next 6 months – Tóibín (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister should set a date for the delivery of the Irish Language Strategy – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the Communities Minister to set a delivery date for the Irish Language Strategy, or failing that a clear publication timeframe, after a Communities Committee session heard from Irish language community members.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Committee session on Irish Language Strategy delay Original release: Communities Minister should set a date for the delivery of the Irish Language Strategy – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: Executive must stop chaotic contradictions and pay healthcare workers
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA calls on the Executive to find funding for healthcare workers' overdue pay rise, after the First Minister said the money was available and the Health Minister said he still lacked £100m. He describes the situation as dysfunctional and warns of…
Health Economy and employment Issue: Executive funding of £100 million for nurses' pay uplift Original release: O’Toole: Executive must stop chaotic contradictions and pay healthcare workers (opens in a new tab)