Latest releases
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4,792 releases
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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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Education Minister launches new digital course to help pupils stay…
Education Minister Paul Givan launches a free online Digital Proficiency Course on the Safer Schools NI platform to help pupils, parents and schools keep children safe online, with the course going live on Safer Internet Day, 10 February 2026.
Education Issue: Safer Schools NI Digital Proficiency Course launch Original release: Education Minister launches new digital course to help pupils stay… (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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Dedicated Controlled Schools’ Unit launched
DUP Education Minister Paul Givan welcomes the Education Authority’s new Controlled Schools’ Unit, the first phase of a task‑force‑recommended two‑stage plan to give dedicated support and management to Northern Ireland’s controlled school sector.
Education Issue: Launch of Education Authority Controlled Schools’ Unit Original release: Dedicated Controlled Schools’ Unit launched (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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Hunter: Reforms must have buy-in from education sector
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says planned education reforms need the confidence of schools and buy-in from the sector, and that the Education Minister must show how changes to SEN provision will improve outcomes. She warns against using reforms as leverage in a dispute…
Education Issue: Education Minister's consultation on five-year budget strategy Original release: Hunter: Reforms must have buy-in from education sector (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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Hunter: End to academic selection decades overdue
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter says ending academic selection is decades overdue and calls on the Executive and Education Minister to act, not just debate. She says today's non-binding Assembly motion, brought by Sinn Féin, will not deliver change and points to progress in the South.
Education Issue: Assembly motion on academic selection, February 2026 Original release: Hunter: End to academic selection decades overdue (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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McDaid: Executive must prioritise free school meals
SDLP Councillor Catherine McDaid says the Executive must prioritise universal free school meals across the North, after a Derry City and Strabane council motion she brought forward will see the council write to the Education Minister seeking a funded plan by 2030.
Education Local government Issue: Derry City and Strabane council motion on universal free school meals Original release: McDaid: Executive must prioritise free school meals (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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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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Infrastructure Minister meets Riverside residents following latest flooding incident – Kearney
Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney, South Antrim MLA, says he joined Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins in visiting Riverside in Antrim after Storm Chandra flooding, and seeks assurances on urgent action and a systematic review of the agencies' response.
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Riverside Antrim flooding following Storm Chandra Original release: Infrastructure Minister meets Riverside residents following latest flooding incident – Kearney (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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Families continue to be failed by lack of respite provision, says McAllister
Alliance health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says families are being failed by a lack of respite care after the Department of Health confirmed Lindsay House in the South Eastern Trust cannot reopen with no timeframe. She has tabled an urgent oral question for the Health Minister.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Lindsay House respite facility reopening delay confirmed Original release: Families continue to be failed by lack of respite provision, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)