Latest releases
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4,068 releases
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Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget
SDLP leader Claire Hanna welcomes the scrapping of the two-child welfare limit and a £370m boost for Northern Ireland in the Budget, but calls on Executive Ministers to act on health, housing, justice and childcare rather than blaming Westminster.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Swann Slams Autumn Budget as ‘Failure for Workers and Rural Communities’
UUP MP Robin Swann says the Autumn Budget fails workers, households and farm families, criticising the threshold freeze and the absence of Farm Family Inheritance Tax changes. He also says the £370m Barnet consequential falls short of the Finance Minister's £400m shortfall and that the Internal…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Northern Ireland funding and tax threshold freeze Original release: Swann Slams Autumn Budget as ‘Failure for Workers and Rural Communities’ (opens in a new tab)
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Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood says the UK Budget fails working families, small businesses and vulnerable people, welcoming the removal of the two child benefit cap but criticising the income tax threshold freeze and the lack of a hospitality VAT cut. She urges the Finance Minister to replicate…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school
Alliance MLA Michelle Guy welcomes the Education Committee's decision to take forward a single-issue bill allowing girls to choose trousers as part of school uniform. She says the Education Minister could have made the change through his uniform guidance and urges him to update the guidelines…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns graffiti on a property near Ravenhill Embankment in south Belfast that she describes as racist. She says the community is diverse and urges anyone with information to contact police.
Disability and equality Issue: Racist graffiti on property near Ravenhill Embankment, south Belfast Original release: Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti (opens in a new tab)
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No case for handing Sinn Fein greater fiscal powers – Forsythe
South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe rejects an SDLP motion in the Assembly seeking additional tax-raising powers for a Sinn Fein Finance Minister, arguing such powers would mean higher taxes and that the Minister has not shown sound financial management.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: SDLP Assembly motion on additional devolved fiscal powers Original release: No case for handing Sinn Fein greater fiscal powers – Forsythe (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin working to properly invest in public services – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan praises Finance Minister John O'Dowd's efforts to secure fairer funding for public services during Assembly debate on the Executive's multi-year budget. She says the Executive remains underfunded and calls on the British government for powers to raise money locally.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Executive multi-year budget debate in the Assembly Original release: Sinn Féin working to properly invest in public services – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin secures review into social services after raising concerns with Minister
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's confirmation that officials will review how social services operate alongside family courts, after she raised parents' cases with him. She says the review must move quickly and questions why concerns did not reach the…
Health Issue: Health Department review of social services and family courts Original release: McLaughlin secures review into social services after raising concerns with Minister (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Executive can’t blame London for own failures
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says Executive Ministers cannot keep blaming the UK Government for their own failures, ahead of the UK Budget. He calls on Ministers to use the powers they hold on health, housing and the environment, and urges the Finance Minister to open the books.
Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Budget and Executive Ministers' use of powers at SDLP Opposition Day Original release: O'Toole: Executive can’t blame London for own failures (opens in a new tab)
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MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP, with cross-party MPs, urges the Chancellor to raise the Tax-Free Childcare cap in line with inflation, saying the £2,000 annual limit has been frozen since 2017 while childcare prices rose about 34%. The call comes ahead of the Autumn Budget.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Cross-party MPs letter on Tax-Free Childcare cap ahead of Autumn Budget Original release: MPs join forces to end eight-year freeze on Tax-Free Childcare cap (opens in a new tab)
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16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan
Alliance North Down MLA Connie Egan says gender-based violence has no place in society and highlights this year's 16 Days of Activism theme, 'No Excuse for Online Abuse', amid a rise in deepfake videos of women.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence brings renewed focus to ending violence against women and girls, says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Do not make life harder for the people who work
The DUP calls on Labour and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ease the tax burden in Wednesday's Budget, urging income tax threshold changes now rather than in 2028, expanded Tax-Free Childcare, reversal of Agricultural Property Relief removal and employer National Insurance rises, and a cut to…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Government Budget announcement on taxation and public spending Original release: Do not make life harder for the people who work (opens in a new tab)
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High number of social work vacancies ‘alarming’ – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín says more than 80 social work posts are vacant in the Belfast Trust, calling the figure alarming and urging the Department of Health to fill the posts urgently so staff are not overstretched and vulnerable people receive care.
Health Issue: Belfast Trust social work vacancies Original release: High number of social work vacancies ‘alarming’ – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath expresses concern about health service funding
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says he is concerned about future health service funding, pressing Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in the Assembly over a projected £200m overspend this year and its effect on next year's budget.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Health department projected £200m overspend and future funding concerns Original release: McGrath expresses concern about health service funding (opens in a new tab)
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Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses
UUP MP Robin Swann urges the Chancellor to scrap the proposed Family Farm Tax ahead of the Autumn Budget, arguing it endangers family farms in Northern Ireland. He also calls for scrapping the two-child Universal Credit limit, a Corporation Tax cut, duty-free parity for UK airports, and a…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Family Farm Tax proposal Original release: Budget Must Deliver Fairness for Families, Farmers and our Small Businesses (opens in a new tab)
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Significant Reduction in Endoscopy Waiting Lists
UUP Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomes a 62% fall in endoscopy waiting lists to their lowest level since before COVID-19, citing regional endoscopy centres at Lagan Valley and Omagh hospitals and independent-sector insourcing. The release says recurrent funding is being sought to bring this…
Health Issue: Endoscopy waiting list reduction figures October 2025 Original release: Significant Reduction in Endoscopy Waiting Lists (opens in a new tab)
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Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget
Alliance Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood calls on the Chancellor to prioritise easing pressure on working families ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November. She urges scrapping the two-child limit, cutting VAT for pubs, cafés and restaurants, and reforming inheritance tax to protect family farms.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Government Budget announcement on taxation and public spending Original release: Chancellor must prioritise lessening strain on working families, says Eastwood, ahead of Autumn Budget (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP challenges both London and Stormont ahead of Budget
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP calls on the UK government to reform the tax system – taxing unearned wealth, raising the tax‑free childcare allowance and scrapping the two‑child limit – and urges the Northern Ireland Executive to secure greater fiscal powers and a multi‑year budget ahead of the UK 2025
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Government Budget announcement on taxation and public spending Original release: SDLP challenges both London and Stormont ahead of Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Minister must expedite approval of funding for the Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health – Kearney
Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney, South Antrim MLA, calls on the Health Minister to expedite approval of funding for the Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health and confirm a clear timeframe, citing unsustainable conditions at Holywell Hospital in Antrim.
Health Issue: Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health funding approval Original release: Minister must expedite approval of funding for the Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion says she will host a conference in Limerick tomorrow on gender-based violence, bringing together frontline practitioners, policymakers and survivors to share best practice and strengthen cross-sector cooperation on ending violence against women and girls.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Kathleen Funchion MEP to host major conference on gender-based violence (opens in a new tab)