Latest releases
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1,575 releases
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Chambers welcomes Health Ministers’ commitment to additional support for children with Disabilities
UUP Health Spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA welcomes the Health Minister's identification of up to £2m for this year, within up to £13m multi-year funding, to improve services for children with disabilities. He links it to the Spotlight documentary 'I am not okay' and praises the Minister's…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Additional investment in services for children with disabilities Original release: Chambers welcomes Health Ministers’ commitment to additional support for children with Disabilities (opens in a new tab)
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Neglect and underfunding of water infrastructure is impacting economic growth, house building and our environment, says McMurray
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew McMurray MLA says chronic underfunding of NI's water and wastewater infrastructure is harming health, growth, housing and the environment, and launches the In Deep Water policy paper with proposed alternative funding and governance for NI Water.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Alliance 'In Deep Water' water infrastructure policy paper launch Original release: Neglect and underfunding of water infrastructure is impacting economic growth, house building and our environment, says McMurray (opens in a new tab)
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McAllister welcomes announcement from Health Minister outlining plans to improve services for children with disabilities, stating it shouldn’t have taken this long.
Alliance Health spokesperson and North Belfast MLA Nuala McAllister welcomes the Health Minister's plan to invest in children's disability services, including more short breaks and community family and behavioural supports. She says the funding is long overdue and asks for clarity on multi-use…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Additional investment in services for children with disabilities Original release: McAllister welcomes announcement from Health Minister outlining plans to improve services for children with disabilities, stating it shouldn’t have taken this long. (opens in a new tab)
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Guy pays tribute to those campaigning for Harry’s Law.
Alliance Education spokesperson Michelle Guy MLA pays tribute to Deirdre Shakespeare and campaigners after a Public Services Ombudsman report on restraint of her autistic, non-verbal son. She calls for statutory restraint guidance timelines, repeal of Article 4(1)(c) of the Education (NI) Order…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Public Services Ombudsman report on restraint of Harry Shakespeare Original release: Guy pays tribute to those campaigning for Harry’s Law. (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath welcomes funding to support respite for children with disabilities
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath welcomes £13m multi-year funding from Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to increase short break respite for children with disabilities. He says he will seek urgent clarity on the impact on other health services.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Additional investment in services for children with disabilities Original release: McGrath welcomes funding to support respite for children with disabilities (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna raises violence against women and girls in Commons
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP highlighted the surge in violence against women and girls during a Commons debate, citing a femicide rate twice that of Britain and urging immediate, cross‑government action, clear funding for the Executive strategy and societal behavioural change.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Violence against women and girls debate in Commons Original release: Hanna raises violence against women and girls in Commons (opens in a new tab)
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Vital that work starts now towards meaningful action, says Alliance Education representatives, following IRE report.
Alliance MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy welcome the Education Minister’s response to the Independent Review of Education but say essential recommendations lack ambition, urging immediate action on raising participation age, SEN, academic selection, integrated schooling and an Early Childhood
Education Disability and equality Issue: Independent Review of Education recommendations response Original release: Vital that work starts now towards meaningful action, says Alliance Education representatives, following IRE report. (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath welcomes recognition of need for increased respite provision
SDLP Health Spokesperson and South Down MLA Colin McGrath welcomes the Assembly's backing for more respite care for children and adults with complex needs and severe behavioural challenges. He says the SDLP amended a motion on adult provision to cover children, and he calls on the Health Minister…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on respite services for learning disability carers Original release: McGrath welcomes recognition of need for increased respite provision (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: Minister of Health must rethink refusal of Women's Health Strategy
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin urges the Health Minister to rethink his decision not to develop a dedicated Women's Health Strategy, after he cited budget constraints in an Assembly answer. She calls the refusal a backwards step for women's health.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Health Minister decision not to develop Women's Health Strategy Original release: McLaughlin: Minister of Health must rethink refusal of Women's Health Strategy (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin motion supporting improved respite services passes in Assembly – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the Assembly's passage of a party motion urging the health minister to swiftly produce a plan to expand respite care for adults and children with learning disabilities and their carers.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on respite services for learning disability carers Original release: Sinn Féin motion supporting improved respite services passes in Assembly – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister welcomes Language Launchpad
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan announces the launch of Language Launchpad, a project funded under the £25m Early Learning and Childcare package to support speech, language and communication development in early years, running until March 2025.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Language Launchpad early years speech and language project launch Original release: Education Minister welcomes Language Launchpad (opens in a new tab)
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Ógra Aontú condemns recent Taliban human rights violation
Ógra Aontú condemns new Taliban "vice and virtue" laws requiring women to veil fully in public and banning women's voices outside the home. President John Bryan calls on the UN and EU to stop normalising relations with the Taliban and to hold it accountable.
Disability and equality International affairs Issue: Taliban vice and virtue laws restricting women's public voices and faces Original release: Ógra Aontú condemns recent Taliban human rights violation (opens in a new tab)
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OEP report "another damning indictment of the Stormont Executive" - Cllr Smyth
Green Party Councillor for Lisnasharragh Brian Smyth says the new Office for Environmental Protection biodiversity report condemns the Stormont Executive, warning that current agri‑industry practices are unsustainable, polluting land, rivers and air, and urging urgent nutrient cuts, habitat recovery
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Office for Environmental Protection biodiversity report Original release: OEP report "another damning indictment of the Stormont Executive" - Cllr Smyth (opens in a new tab)
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Mulholland commends strength and resilience of rural women on International Day of Rural Women.
Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland urges wider recognition of the difficulties rural women encounter, pointing to job insecurity, limited childcare, and poor access to healthcare and transport in North Antrim, on International Day of Rural Women.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Original release: Mulholland commends strength and resilience of rural women on International Day of Rural Women. (opens in a new tab)
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Public health proposals not fit for purpose – Kimmins
Sinn Féin spokesperson for health Liz Kimmins says the Department of Health's public health consultation is not fit for purpose, citing the lack of Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments. She says Sinn Féin does not back the Health Minister's approach to a new Public Health Bill.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health consultation on new Public Health Bill powers Original release: Public health proposals not fit for purpose – Kimmins (opens in a new tab)
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Joanne Bunting leads call for urgent practical action on violence…
East Belfast MLA Joanne Bunting calls for the Justice Minister to swiftly outline and implement practical measures to help people escape abusive relationships, after four women were murdered in six weeks and a further death in Donaghadee.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Recent murders of four women in Northern Ireland Original release: Joanne Bunting leads call for urgent practical action on violence… (opens in a new tab)
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“Systematic Problem in PSNI Approach to Domestic Violence” – Peter Irvine, Aontú Belfast
Aontú's Peter Irvine, described in the release as its Belfast representative for Collin, calls for accountability from the PSNI over its handling of violence against women after the deaths of four women in six weeks, including Mary Ward. He says reports were dismissed or mishandled and points to a…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Mary Ward death and Police Ombudsman investigation into PSNI handling Original release: “Systematic Problem in PSNI Approach to Domestic Violence” – Peter Irvine, Aontú Belfast (opens in a new tab)
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Minister launches Pre-school Toolkit for Diversity
Education Minister Paul Givan has launched an online resource for pre-school providers to support newcomer children and families in Northern Ireland, built by the Education Authority's intercultural service with pre-school settings.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Pre-school Toolkit for Diversity launch for newcomer children Original release: Minister launches Pre-school Toolkit for Diversity (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey ‘appalled and disgusted’ at racist arson attack
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns an arson attack on a south Belfast home, which police are treating as racist, saying the family were unhurt and calling for racism to be rejected and stopped.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: South Belfast home arson attack treated as racist by police Original release: Hargey ‘appalled and disgusted’ at racist arson attack (opens in a new tab)
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Nicholl condemns racist attack in South Belfast.
Alliance South Belfast MLA Kate Nicholl calls the racist attack on a young family on Thalia Street abhorrent, saying the door was set on fire and the perpetrators must be robustly condemned. She thanks NIFRS and urges anyone with information to contact police.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: South Belfast home arson attack treated as racist by police Original release: Nicholl condemns racist attack in South Belfast. (opens in a new tab)