Latest releases
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984 releases
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Armstrong welcomes welfare mitigations review but warns no action without Executive
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA welcomes the Department for Communities' published independent review of welfare mitigation schemes, but says none of its recommendations can proceed without an Executive. She urges the DUP to end its blocking of the Executive now.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Independent review of welfare mitigation schemes published by Department for Communities Original release: Armstrong welcomes welfare mitigations review but warns no action without Executive (opens in a new tab)
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Tennyson welcomes protection of Citypark in Craigavon
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson welcomes the Court of Appeal's ruling overturning planning permission for a Southern Regional College campus at Craigavon Lakes. He calls on SRC and the council to accept public opposition and find an alternative site in the area.
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Court of Appeal overturns Southern Regional College Citypark campus planning approval Original release: Tennyson welcomes protection of Citypark in Craigavon (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna expresses concerns around removal of environment and public health protections
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna warns that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, due for its Commons second reading, could strip environmental and nature protections in Northern Ireland. She has tabled an Early Day Motion asking ministers to halt the removal of these laws.
Environment and climate Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill second reading Original release: Hanna expresses concerns around removal of environment and public health protections (opens in a new tab)
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Real People are the Collateral Damage of Westminster & Stormont Fiasco Factories - Tóibín
Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín says the Westminster government collapse and the suspended Stormont Assembly are imposing a human cost on families facing poverty, hunger and cold homes. He calls for urgent reform of political institutions and for the Irish government to press the case with whoever…
Constitutional affairs Health Original release: Real People are the Collateral Damage of Westminster & Stormont Fiasco Factories - Tóibín (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs meet with Housing Executive to examine retrofitting of homes
Alliance MLAs Kellie Armstrong, Nuala McAllister and Danny Donnelly report meeting the Housing Executive at Cliftondene Park in North Belfast to examine retrofitting of homes. They say it aims to meet zero carbon targets and cut heating bills, and have requested energy rating evidence and an…
Housing Environment and climate Original release: Alliance MLAs meet with Housing Executive to examine retrofitting of homes (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna sponsors Bill on Energy Equity
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna says she supported a cross-party bill to create an Energy Equity Commission, proposing a Universal Basic Energy Allowance, graduated tariffs and a retrofitting strategy to ease winter heating costs.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Energy Equity Commission bill supported in Westminster Original release: Hanna sponsors Bill on Energy Equity (opens in a new tab)
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Robinson highlights opportunities to cut broadband costs
DUP MP Gavin Robinson welcomes Vodafone's offer of a year of free broadband for small businesses and urges Universal Credit and Pension Credit recipients to check whether they qualify for social broadband tariffs. He cites 6,500 East Belfast claimants.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Vodafone free broadband offer for small businesses Original release: Robinson highlights opportunities to cut broadband costs (opens in a new tab)
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Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomes the Prime Minister's Commons assurance that the triple lock on pensions will remain, after speculation it could be scrapped. She says the DUP secured the triple lock in its 2017 agreement and opposed any move to drop it.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Government assurance that triple lock on pensions will remain Original release: Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald presses the economy minister to confirm when and how the £400 energy support payments will reach households, accusing the DUP of an information gap and of delaying support through its boycott of the Executive.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy support payment timing in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong
Alliance's Kellie Armstrong MLA calls on the UK Government to confirm that benefits will rise with the 10.1 per cent CPI inflation figure, ahead of the April 2023 uprating. She says ministers have so far given vague answers, and urges an urgent announcement to protect universal credit claimants.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury
Alliance Economy spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA says he is alarmed by the Economy Minister's decision to raise student maintenance loans by 40 per cent and tuition fees by 1.8 per cent. He calls for an urgent financial support package for students, including higher maintenance grants and…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Economy Minister's student finance changes and maintenance loan increase Original release: Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter
SDLP Cost of Living Spokesperson Matthew O'Toole says rising inflation signals a hard winter for households, warning that families may struggle to afford heating and food. He calls for urgent support, including the SDLP's proposed 1,000 litre home heating oil voucher scheme, rather than an…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter (opens in a new tab)
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“Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly
Aontú Spokesperson for Agriculture Cllr. Sarah O'Reilly says the Government demands carbon cuts from farmers but fails to recognise or support emissions-reducing practices such as Anaerobic Digestion, which she says lacks support and incentives in Ireland.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: “Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly (opens in a new tab)
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Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on the DUP to consider the stress its position is placing on carers across Northern Ireland, citing a Carers NI report finding fewer than one in three could afford their bills. She urges a return to the Executive to agree a budget.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Carers NI State of Caring Northern Ireland 2022 report Original release: Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive (opens in a new tab)
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DFC Minister Can Act And Should Act On Punitive Debt Deductions
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin calls on the DfC Minister to suspend punitive debt deductions for Universal Credit and other benefit recipients, citing a Derry and Strabane Council motion and Department correspondence showing no plans to act.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Derry and Strabane Council motion on suspending benefit debt deductions Original release: DFC Minister Can Act And Should Act On Punitive Debt Deductions (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan condemns a reported British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings rather than inflation, calling it a betrayal. He has requested that Minister Deirdre Hargey produce figures on how the change would affect Northern Ireland households, citing Resolution…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings growth Original release: McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin says the Council Hardship Fund is a tiny drop compared with the need, condemns the SDLP, Sinn Féin, and DUP for blocking or diluting it, and pledges to push for extra funding and stronger action on the cost‑of‑living emergency.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Council Hardship Fund Original release: Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites (opens in a new tab)
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Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says the British Government's £100 payment for households relying on home heating oil is totally inadequate and an afterthought, and warns the switch to paying it via electricity providers may push people towards costlier electric heating. She also calls on the DUP…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £100 home heating oil payment announcement by British Government Original release: Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown
Alliance MLA Patrick Brown welcomes the first meeting of a cross-party Assembly working group on universal basic income, which discussed developing a UBI pilot for Northern Ireland. He says the economic pressures of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis make new support measures necessary.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Assembly All-Party Working Group on universal basic income first meeting Original release: Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown (opens in a new tab)
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‘Executive needed now to secure holiday hunger payments’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan urges the formation of an Executive now so families keep receiving holiday hunger payments over the Halloween break, and calls on the DUP to end its boycott. He says the Finance Minister's funding for over 100,000 children over three years cannot be released without one.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Executive formation delay and holiday hunger funding, October 2022 Original release: ‘Executive needed now to secure holiday hunger payments’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)