Latest releases
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2,931 releases
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De Faoite calls for response to racist intimidation
SDLP Belfast City Council Group Leader Séamas de Faoite urges a joint response to racist intimidation across East Belfast, citing social media posts, and wants an urgent East Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership meeting. He also presses the PSNI and Justice Minister to act and to…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: East Belfast racist intimidation social media posts Original release: De Faoite calls for response to racist intimidation (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon calls on Health Minister to explore regulation of non-surgical cosmetic treatments
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon calls on the Health Minister to explore regulating non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as botox and dermal fillers in the north, following the British government's crackdown plans. She says she has written to the minister asking whether regulations are planned.
Health Issue: British government plans to crack down on non-surgical cosmetic treatments Original release: Dillon calls on Health Minister to explore regulation of non-surgical cosmetic treatments (opens in a new tab)
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Children shouldn’t face chemotherapy delays due to poor staff…
DUP MLA and Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds questions how the Belfast Trust allowed chemotherapy delays for children with cancer, blaming poor staff management and rostering that left a majority of a specialist group off work at once. She says unplanned absence should be built into rotas and asks…
Health Issue: Belfast Trust paediatric chemotherapy delays due to staff absences Original release: Children shouldn’t face chemotherapy delays due to poor staff… (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon encourages the public to have their say on breastfeeding bill
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon urges the public to respond to a consultation on her Private Member's Bill that would create an offence for discouraging breastfeeding in public, require premises to be breastfeeding-friendly, and penalise discrimination. The consultation closes on 24 October 2025.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Linda Dillon Private Members Bill breastfeeding consultation launch Original release: Dillon encourages the public to have their say on breastfeeding bill (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty: Executive must tackle barriers to youth sport participation
SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to act on inequality in young people's access to sport and physical activity, following a meeting with Ulster University about new research on cost and access barriers. He proposes community sports hub investment, a…
Disability and equality Issue: Ulster University research on youth sport participation barriers Original release: McNulty: Executive must tackle barriers to youth sport participation (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath urges Minister to address nurse staffing issues
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says he has contacted Health Minister Mike Nesbitt seeking answers after children's chemotherapy was delayed at the Belfast Trust because specialist nurses were unavailable. He asks what steps will get treatment to them and what support is in…
Health Issue: Belfast Trust paediatric chemotherapy delays due to staff absences Original release: McGrath urges Minister to address nurse staffing issues (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Slams O’Neill’s ‘Virtue-Signalling’ Over Middle East
TUV chairman and Causeway councillor Allister Kyle accuses First Minister Michelle O'Neill of virtue-signalling over Middle East comments, arguing she neglects NHS waiting lists and corridor care at home. He also cites her past remarks on the Claudy bombing.
Health International affairs Issue: Michelle O'Neill's Middle East comments on Gaza and hostages Original release: TUV Slams O’Neill’s ‘Virtue-Signalling’ Over Middle East (opens in a new tab)
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Panel announced for healthcare in a new Ireland discussion
Health Constitutional affairs Original release: Panel announced for healthcare in a new Ireland discussion (opens in a new tab)
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Nesbitt comments about Gender Identity Service raise more questions than they answer
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston criticises Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's comments defending extra public funding for the Gender Identity Service, arguing questions about its past governance and what ministers knew must be answered first. He calls for a petition to be presented to the Assembly in September.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Health Minister's £800,000 gender identity service allocation Original release: Nesbitt comments about Gender Identity Service raise more questions than they answer (opens in a new tab)
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Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Begins with Consistent Sentencing – Beattie
UUP justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MLA calls for a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland, arguing inconsistent sentencing is undermining confidence in the courts. He cites a recent case where a man received a suspended sentence for striking a teenage girl, and urges the Justice Minister to…
Justice and policing Education Original release: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Begins with Consistent Sentencing – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Donnelly welcomes Neurology Review and urges urgent action from Health Minister
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA welcomes the Regional Review of Neurology Services but warns of slow implementation and a failure to prioritise neurology in funding. He says over 11,000 people wait more than a year for a first appointment and calls on the Health Minister to publish…
Health Issue: Regional Review of Neurology Services publication Original release: Donnelly welcomes Neurology Review and urges urgent action from Health Minister (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston raises concerns with Minister Lyons following “drag queen story time” for children event
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has written to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons over a drag story time event for children at Holywood Arches Library, asking whether Libraries NI approved it, for a review of criteria for child-targeted library events, and for confirmation that safeguarding checks on…
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Holywood Arches Library drag story time event for children Original release: Gaston raises concerns with Minister Lyons following “drag queen story time” for children event (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance representatives pay tribute to former Alliance Councillor David Reid
Alliance figures including leader Naomi Long MLA, MEA Group Leader Councillor Lauren Gray and North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland mourn David Reid, a former Braid councillor in Mid and East Antrim, who has died aged 35 after a cancer battle.
Other Local government Original release: Alliance representatives pay tribute to former Alliance Councillor David Reid (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister is the one with questions to answer - Buckley
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley says the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, must answer questions over the £800,000 allocated to gender identity services and will be challenged when the Assembly returns in September. He claims the Minister is avoiding scrutiny and says the spending is poor prioritisation…
Health Issue: Health Minister's £800,000 gender identity service allocation Original release: Health Minister is the one with questions to answer - Buckley (opens in a new tab)
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Donnelly condemns racially motivated hate crimes in Larne
Alliance Larne Lough Councillor Maeve Donnelly condemns racially motivated criminal damage to two houses in Larne, where police are investigating graffiti and property damage in Hampton Crescent and Doric Way. She urges anyone with information to contact police immediately.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Larne racially motivated criminal damage to two houses investigation Original release: Donnelly condemns racially motivated hate crimes in Larne (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Challenges Irish Medium Sector on Lack of Newcomer Intake
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston calls for urgent scrutiny of the Irish medium sector after Assembly answer figures showed just 20 newcomer pupils in Irish medium primary schools and none in post-primary. He says the sector should take its fair share of newcomer children.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly answer on newcomer pupil enrolment in Irish medium schools Original release: TUV Challenges Irish Medium Sector on Lack of Newcomer Intake (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Launch Public Petition Calling for Funding to Gender Identity Service to be Stopped
Traditional Unionist Voice launches an online petition urging Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to reverse the £800,000 approval for a new “lifespan” gender identity service with no lower age limit, arguing the evidence is insufficient, it endangers children and misuses public money.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Health Minister's £800,000 gender identity service allocation Original release: TUV Launch Public Petition Calling for Funding to Gender Identity Service to be Stopped (opens in a new tab)
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Lockhart Secures High-Level Meeting with Airport Chiefs Over…
DUP MP Carla Lockhart says Belfast International Airport senior executives have agreed to meet her and constituents over reports of humiliating security screening experiences involving stoma bags. She also says she has contacted Belfast City Airport about sharing training, and will work with…
Disability and equality Health Issue: Belfast International Airport meeting over stoma bag security screening complaints Original release: Lockhart Secures High-Level Meeting with Airport Chiefs Over… (opens in a new tab)
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Statement from Mike Nesbitt, Leader Ulster Unionist Party and Health Minister, on nurses pay rise
UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, also Health Minister, says he shares the RCN's frustration that 2025-26 recommended nurse pay rises remain unimplemented, noting his May Ministerial Direction decision is stuck with the wider Executive.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Nurses 2025-26 pay award Ministerial Direction delay Original release: Statement from Mike Nesbitt, Leader Ulster Unionist Party and Health Minister, on nurses pay rise (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Executive disrespect for nurses risks strike action
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA warns the Executive is courting nurses' industrial action by not paying the agreed 3.6% pay rise, after the RCN declared a trade dispute. He says the RCN's June letter to the First and deputy First Ministers went unanswered and calls for urgent…
Health Economy and employment Issue: Nurses 2025-26 pay award Ministerial Direction delay Original release: McGrath: Executive disrespect for nurses risks strike action (opens in a new tab)