Latest releases
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2,932 releases
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Cross-Party Support needed for Hospital - Campbell
DUP MP Gregory Campbell urges all elected representatives to back Causeway Hospital across party lines, after an FOI response showed only three public representatives, including DUP colleagues, responded to the consultation on surgery service changes.
Health Issue: Causeway Hospital surgery services consultation responses FOI Original release: Cross-Party Support needed for Hospital - Campbell (opens in a new tab)
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Patients waiting more than a decade for initial outpatient…
DUP Health Spokesperson and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds says Health Minister's Assembly answers show children waiting over ten years for a first paediatric surgery outpatient appointment in Belfast, and calls for full referral-to-treatment waiting time publication without further delay. She also…
Health Issue: Paediatric waiting times revealed in Health Minister's Assembly written answers Original release: Patients waiting more than a decade for initial outpatient… (opens in a new tab)
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Stormont Report Reveals What We Already Knew: the Executive isn’t Delivering
TUV South Antrim representative Mel Lucas says a Pivotal Tracker report shows the Executive is not delivering, citing failing essential services, health waiting lists, GP access, housing costs and unresolved wastewater and productivity plans.
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: Pivotal Tracker report on Northern Ireland Executive performance Original release: Stormont Report Reveals What We Already Knew: the Executive isn’t Delivering (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan slams those responsible for racists attacks in Ballymena
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan condemns racist attacks in Ballymena after six vehicles were burned outside a property on Lisnevenagh Road. He calls for unity and strong leadership and urges anyone with information to contact the police.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Ballymena Lisnevenagh Road racist attack vehicles burned Original release: McGuigan slams those responsible for racists attacks in Ballymena (opens in a new tab)
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Questions around DUP opposition to Civil Service participation in Belfast Pride raised by Freedom of Information disclosures
TUV Equality Spokeswoman Ann McClure says FOI responses show a contradictory picture on DUP opposition to Civil Service participation in Belfast Pride, noting the Executive Office holds a record of a deputy First Minister comment that the Department of Finance does not. She questions whether the…
Disability and equality Issue: FOI disclosures on DUP opposition to Civil Service Belfast Pride participation Original release: Questions around DUP opposition to Civil Service participation in Belfast Pride raised by Freedom of Information disclosures (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns racist attack as ‘disgraceful and disgusting’
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns an attack on a home in Donegall Avenue, south Belfast, in which residents were injured, calling it unacceptable and urging anyone with information to contact the PSNI.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Donegall Avenue home attack in south Belfast Original release: Hargey condemns racist attack as ‘disgraceful and disgusting’ (opens in a new tab)
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Translink Free Ride for Pride, High Price for the Twelfth
TUV Equality Spokeswoman Ann McClure accuses Translink of overcharging bands and Loyal Orders for Twelfth buses while providing a dedicated Pride bus for Belfast Pride, and says its £20,000 Pride-linked spending should go to services instead.
Community relations and legacy Infrastructure and transport Original release: Translink Free Ride for Pride, High Price for the Twelfth (opens in a new tab)
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"Drug testing at festivals and large scale events is a no brainer" - Cllr Smyth
Green Party Councillor Brian Smyth criticises the Public Health Agency for poor communication after a Republic of Ireland health warning about high-dose MDMA ahead of the Electric Picnic festival. He calls for drug testing facilities at large events, an overdose prevention centre in Belfast and…
Health Issue: Republic of Ireland high-dose MDMA warning ahead of Electric Picnic Original release: "Drug testing at festivals and large scale events is a no brainer" - Cllr Smyth (opens in a new tab)
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SEN children unable to start full-time education in September unacceptable, says Guy
Alliance Education spokesperson Michelle Guy MLA says many SEN children with school placements cannot start full-time education in September, citing an FOI response showing 48 children across 14 schools unable to start and around 100 more across 23 schools possibly not attending full-time.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority FOI response on SEN places crisis for September 2025 Original release: SEN children unable to start full-time education in September unacceptable, says Guy (opens in a new tab)
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Executive Office must take urgent action to address rising hate crimes in NI, says Dickson
Alliance Executive Office spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA calls on the First and deputy First Ministers to take urgent action on race hate crime after PSNI figures showed 1,329 race-motivated crimes in the year to June, the highest since 2004. He also calls for an update to the Race Relations…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: PSNI race hate crime figures for year to June 2025 Original release: Executive Office must take urgent action to address rising hate crimes in NI, says Dickson (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister asleep at the wheel during latest SEN placement crisis, says Mathison
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA says the Education Minister is asleep at the wheel after an FOI response from the Education Authority showed the Minister was told in March about the emerging crisis in special educational needs (SEN) places for September 2025.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority FOI response on SEN places crisis for September 2025 Original release: Education Minister asleep at the wheel during latest SEN placement crisis, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Police must robustly investigate criminal damage to dual language signs – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls on police to robustly investigate recent damage to bilingual road signs in Dungannon and Cookstown, which officers are treating as sectarian hate crimes.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Dungannon and Cookstown bilingual sign damage investigation Original release: Police must robustly investigate criminal damage to dual language signs – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Why are NIHE staff being paid to attend Londonderry Pride?
TUV leader Jim Allister MP writes to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive questioning why staff can claim flexi credit or TOIL for attending the Londonderry Pride parade. He calls it a misuse of public money and asks at what level the policy was approved.
Public finance and taxation Disability and equality Issue: NIHE staff flexi credit for Londonderry Pride attendance Original release: Why are NIHE staff being paid to attend Londonderry Pride? (opens in a new tab)
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Beidh ceapachán Choimisinéara Teanga ina chloch mhíle stairiúil eile – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín welcomes reports that Northern Ireland's first Irish Language Commissioner is about to be appointed, saying the post will be another historic step in building a rights-based society.
Disability and equality Issue: Appointment of Northern Ireland's first Irish Language Commissioner Original release: Beidh ceapachán Choimisinéara Teanga ina chloch mhíle stairiúil eile – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)
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TUV warns again of the powers of Irish Language Commissioner
TUV leader Jim Allister warns that the Irish Language Commissioner, reportedly due to be confirmed within weeks, will have statutory powers to set standards for every public authority and that DUP ministers cannot block them. He contrasts these with the weaker Ulster Scots and Ulster British…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Appointment of Northern Ireland's first Irish Language Commissioner Original release: TUV warns again of the powers of Irish Language Commissioner (opens in a new tab)
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Northern Executive must play its part in assisting sick and injured children from Gaza – Kearney
Sinn Féin chairperson and South Antrim MLA Declan Kearney calls on the Northern Executive to help evacuate sick and injured children from Gaza who need urgent medical treatment. He also calls for the blockade to end and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Strip.
International affairs Health Issue: Executive assistance for sick and injured children from Gaza Original release: Northern Executive must play its part in assisting sick and injured children from Gaza – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw welcomes movement on allowing Palestinian children medical treatment in NI
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw welcomes progress on plans to permit injured Palestinian children to travel to Northern Ireland for urgent medical treatment.
Health International affairs Issue: Allowing injured Palestinian children medical treatment in Northern Ireland Original release: Bradshaw welcomes movement on allowing Palestinian children medical treatment in NI (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister failing people on Universal Credit, says Armstrong
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA says the Health Minister has not yet amended the 'Help with Health and Travel Costs' legislation so Universal Credit claimants receive automatic entitlement, as already applies elsewhere in the UK. She urges the Minister to make the change.
Health Social security and welfare Issue: Help with Health and Travel Costs Universal Credit automatic entitlement legislation Original release: Health Minister failing people on Universal Credit, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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TUV welcome legal challenge to stop Civil Service Pride activism
TUV Equality Spokeswoman Ann McClure welcomes a legal challenge by a Christian campaign group against Civil Service involvement in Pride events in Great Britain. She says civil servants should serve the public rather than political causes and hopes the case sets a precedent for Northern Ireland.
Disability and equality Issue: Legal challenge to Civil Service participation in Great Britain Pride events Original release: TUV welcome legal challenge to stop Civil Service Pride activism (opens in a new tab)
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No place for racism or hate in society – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deidre Hargey condemns racism, racist violence and intimidation as unacceptable and calls for it to stop immediately, after police probed an alleged attack on a migrant tied to vigilante groups. She says she has written to the Justice Minister offering joint work with her and police…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI probe into alleged attack on migrant linked to vigilante groups Original release: No place for racism or hate in society – Hargey (opens in a new tab)