Latest releases
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2,853 releases
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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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We need to get real about the housing crisis, says Armstrong
Alliance spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA calls for urgent action on the housing crisis after the Department for Communities' Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin, citing 90,477 people waiting for NIHE accommodation and 19,420 children among those classed as homeless. She urges removal of barriers…
Housing Issue: Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin publication August 2025 Original release: We need to get real about the housing crisis, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew welcomes homelessness prevention investment
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes a £2.5 million Communities Ministry funding package for homelessness prevention services. He says he is progressing a bill to extend Housing Executive support for at-risk households from 28 days to at least 60.
Housing Issue: Communities Minister £2.5m homelessness prevention funding announcement Original release: Gildernew welcomes homelessness prevention investment (opens in a new tab)
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TUV challenges continuing use of hotels to house migrants
TUV leader Jim Allister KC MP has written to councils asking whether any hotel-zoned properties in their districts are housing migrants, following a High Court ruling on the Bell Hotel in Epping. He asks whether councils will act to end such uses.
Immigration Local government Issue: High Court ruling on Bell Hotel Epping asylum accommodation planning Original release: TUV challenges continuing use of hotels to house migrants (opens in a new tab)
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Enforcement investigation a symptom of wider immigration problem:…
DUP South Antrim MLA Trevor Clarke welcomes confirmation that a planning enforcement investigation will be opened into the Chimney Corner Hotel, used to house asylum seekers, after a High Court ruling in a case brought by Epping Forest District Council. He says other Northern Ireland hotels used…
Immigration Local government Issue: Chimney Corner Hotel planning enforcement investigation into asylum accommodation Original release: Enforcement investigation a symptom of wider immigration problem:… (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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ONS analysis suggest that rents less affordable since 2020
UUP councillor Kate Evans, of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, says ONS analysis shows rents becoming less affordable in Northern Ireland since 2020. She calls for private rent increases to be capped and for the Department for Communities to create an online rent calculator.
Housing Economy and employment Issue: ONS analysis on rent affordability in Northern Ireland since 2020 Original release: ONS analysis suggest that rents less affordable since 2020 (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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Communities Minister announces £3.3m for Housing Rights
The DUP's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announces a three-year funding package worth £3.3 million for Housing Rights, which he says will support services helping people most in need, following a visit to the charity in East Belfast.
Housing Public finance and taxation Issue: Housing Rights three-year funding package from Communities Department Original release: Communities Minister announces £3.3m for Housing Rights (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)
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Kelly writes to Chief Constable over arrest of woman at Palestinian solidarity vigilv
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly says he has written to the Chief Constable asking for an explanation of why a woman was arrested at a Palestinian solidarity vigil after giving her details in Irish, when others were reportedly just cautioned.
Justice and policing International affairs Issue: Arrest of woman at Palestinian solidarity vigil after giving details in Irish Original release: Kelly writes to Chief Constable over arrest of woman at Palestinian solidarity vigilv (opens in a new tab)