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4,532 releases
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Sinn Fein holding back investment in the west of Northern Ireland:…
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine says the Department for Infrastructure handing back £6.6million for the Enniskillen Southern Bypass reflects unrealistic climate targets backed by some Assembly parties. She claims the project now has no timetable and that delay will raise costs, and asks how this fits…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Enniskillen Southern Bypass £6.6million funding handback Original release: Sinn Fein holding back investment in the west of Northern Ireland:… (opens in a new tab)
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Allen welcomes additional disability adaptation funding
UUP MLA Andy Allen welcomes the £6.5 million allocated to the Department for Communities for disability home adaptations. He calls for better support and oversight so adaptations meet specification, and urges the Minister to create a dedicated fund for accessibility in public and community…
Disability and equality Housing Issue: £6.5 million Department for Communities disability adaptations funding Original release: Allen welcomes additional disability adaptation funding (opens in a new tab)
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Sentencing Review means stronger protections for animals and natural environment, says Blair
Alliance MLA John Blair welcomes the launch of a Sentencing Review by Justice Minister Naomi Long, which will examine animal welfare offences and environmental crime. He says stronger penalties are needed for those who harm animals or damage the environment, and cites pollution incidents in South…
Justice and policing Environment and climate Issue: Justice Minister's Sentencing Review on animal welfare and environmental crime Original release: Sentencing Review means stronger protections for animals and natural environment, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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Campbell to challenge “inevitability myth” at Dublin debate
DUP MP Gregory Campbell says a border poll is neither inevitable nor desirable and urges nationalist politicians to temper expectations, ahead of his UCD Literary and Historical Society debate in Dublin, citing static nationalist support and UK fiscal benefits.
Constitutional affairs Public finance and taxation Original release: Campbell to challenge “inevitability myth” at Dublin debate (opens in a new tab)
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Delays show health system still under severe strain - Dodds
DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds says recent figures on ambulance handover delays and emergency department waits show Northern Ireland's health system is under intense pressure, citing handovers over 16 hours and median admitted-patient waits of 13 hours 36 minutes. She has requested further…
Health Issue: Latest Department of Health emergency care waiting time statistics Original release: Delays show health system still under severe strain - Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter questions failure to record attendance information about children with SEN
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA questions the Department of Education's failure to record data on children with special educational needs placed on reduced school timetables. She says she will raise it with the Education Minister and press for clear data collection processes.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Department of Education no data on SEN reduced timetables Original release: Hunter questions failure to record attendance information about children with SEN (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Slow progress cannot hide a broken system
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath says marginal gains in the latest emergency care waiting figures do not reflect conditions at the Ulster Hospital, where he claims patients face delays of up to 15 hours. He calls on the Health Minister to stop managing the message and take urgent…
Health Issue: Latest Department of Health emergency care waiting time statistics Original release: McGrath: Slow progress cannot hide a broken system (opens in a new tab)
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Swann & Stewart Lead Westminster Delegation to Protect Community Sector Funding
UUP MPs Robin Swann and MLA John Stewart say their Westminster delegation pressed ministers and MPs over the move from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to the Local Growth Fund, warning community and voluntary groups face funding gaps and urging joint action across government.
Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Shared Prosperity Fund transition to Local Growth Fund affecting NI community sector Original release: Swann & Stewart Lead Westminster Delegation to Protect Community Sector Funding (opens in a new tab)
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Lockhart: Stark Cancer Statistics Expose Unacceptable Delays
DUP MP Carla Lockhart warns that new Radiotherapy UK figures showing only 30.1% of Northern Ireland cancer patients treated on time expose chronic delays. She calls for free travel support for patients, ring-fenced Barnett consequentials for cancer care, and a response from the Health Minister.
Health Issue: Radiotherapy UK cancer treatment timeliness figures for Northern Ireland Original release: Lockhart: Stark Cancer Statistics Expose Unacceptable Delays (opens in a new tab)
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Buckley slams Minister over “Pothole Pandemic”
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley says Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins gave no clear answers when summoned to the Assembly over poor road conditions, and calls for £85 million set aside for cycle paths to be redirected to road maintenance.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Assembly questions to Infrastructure Minister on road condition and potholes Original release: Buckley slams Minister over “Pothole Pandemic” (opens in a new tab)
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Allen urges sustained investment in NISEP to help tackle fuel poverty
UUP Communities Spokesperson and East Belfast MLA Andy Allen MBE welcomes recent additional investment in NISEP and calls on the Economy Minister to sustain it and align it with the wider fuel poverty strategy, including renewable biofuel options for rural areas.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Additional investment in Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) Original release: Allen urges sustained investment in NISEP to help tackle fuel poverty (opens in a new tab)
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More coordinated storm preparedness response on Portaferry Road crucial, says Armstrong, ahead of Assembly debate
Alliance Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong calls for a more coordinated storm response on the Portaferry Road and A20 ahead of her Stormont adjournment debate. She asks the Department for Infrastructure to set out closure procedures, inter-agency communication and signposting of an alternative…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Storm Bram impact on A20 Portaferry Road and Ards Peninsula Original release: More coordinated storm preparedness response on Portaferry Road crucial, says Armstrong, ahead of Assembly debate (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive Working Group on Suicide Prevention met only once in two years
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says the Executive is failing on suicide prevention after confirmation that its mental wellbeing working group has met just once in two years. He points to funding cuts to mental health and suicide prevention strategies, a 31% rise in…
Health Issue: Executive suicide prevention working group meeting frequency confirmed Original release: Durkan: Executive Working Group on Suicide Prevention met only once in two years (opens in a new tab)
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Minimum unit alcohol pricing would help to save lives and reduce harm – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, chair of the Health Committee, welcomes the committee's decision to write to the Executive backing the Health Minister's minimum unit pricing legislation for alcohol. He argues it would reduce harm and urges all parties to progress the law this mandate.
Health Issue: Health Committee briefing on minimum unit pricing for alcohol Original release: Minimum unit alcohol pricing would help to save lives and reduce harm – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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Hazzard welcomes progress on low-carbon heating support as ‘a vital step for affordability and climate action’
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald's decision to proceed with designing a new low-carbon home heating support scheme. He says it offers clarity for families reliant on oil heating and calls for affordability, rural needs and fuel-poor households to stay central…
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Department for the Economy low-carbon heating support scheme design next steps Original release: Hazzard welcomes progress on low-carbon heating support as ‘a vital step for affordability and climate action’ (opens in a new tab)
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Gynaecological and menopause waiting times ‘completely unacceptable’ – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for action on gynaecology and menopause waiting times, citing a BBC report that almost 60,000 women are on gynaecology waiting lists in the north. She urges the Health Minister to work with his southern counterpart and says the forthcoming women's health action…
Health Disability and equality Issue: BBC report on almost 60,000 women on gynaecology waiting lists Original release: Gynaecological and menopause waiting times ‘completely unacceptable’ – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Allister welcomes Sinn Fein u-turn on rates
TUV leader Jim Allister welcomes the Finance Minister's decision to halt the proposed revaluation of business rates, but says the climbdown shows Stormont is detached from the real economy. He says the proposal should never have progressed and that it took a public backlash to force a change.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Northern Ireland domestic rates revaluation Original release: Allister welcomes Sinn Fein u-turn on rates (opens in a new tab)
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Maskey expresses support for WASPI campaign
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey expresses support for the WASPI campaign after the British government rejected compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age. He says the decision denies women born in the 1950s what they are owed.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: British government rejects WASPI state pension compensation Original release: Maskey expresses support for WASPI campaign (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston challenges deputy First Minister on Irish Language Commissioner
TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston says the commencement order bringing the Irish Language Commissioner's powers into force is the DUP's surrender on Irish language demands, and calls on the deputy First Minister to ensure Pol Deeds stays within his legal powers, including over the Grand Central…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Commencement order bringing Irish Language Commissioner powers into force Original release: Gaston challenges deputy First Minister on Irish Language Commissioner (opens in a new tab)
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Stormont failing hospitality sector
TUV leader Jim Allister says Stormont is failing the hospitality sector by not easing business rates rises, contrasting it with Westminster's measures for England and Wales. He calls for urgent action and asks whether the Executive will spend the expected Barnett Consequential on the sector.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: Stormont failing hospitality sector (opens in a new tab)