Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Environment and climate: remove filter
- Social security and welfare: remove filter
- Health: remove filter
2,611 releases
-
Chambers welcomes departmental investment plan to tackle hospital waiting lists
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers welcomes Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's Assembly statement on a funding plan to reduce hospital waiting times, and backs a £10m reimbursement scheme for treatment abroad starting in June.
Health Issue: Health Minister's investment plan to cut waiting lists Original release: Chambers welcomes departmental investment plan to tackle hospital waiting lists (opens in a new tab)
-
Lack of reference to mental health waiting lists greatly concerning, says Donnelly, following Health Minister statement
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA welcomes the Health Minister's announcement on how funds will be used to tackle waiting lists, but says the lack of reference to people on mental health waiting lists is a great concern.
Health Issue: Health Minister's investment plan to cut waiting lists Original release: Lack of reference to mental health waiting lists greatly concerning, says Donnelly, following Health Minister statement (opens in a new tab)
-
Expansion of official bathing waters welcome news, says Alliance representatives
Alliance MLAs Connie Egan and Andrew McMurray welcome the designation of seven new bathing waters in Northern Ireland, including Brompton Bay, Donaghadee and Warrenpoint. Egan urges NI Water to progress wastewater treatment upgrades and calls on the Infrastructure Minister to act.
Environment and climate Issue: Seven new bathing waters designated in Northern Ireland Original release: Expansion of official bathing waters welcome news, says Alliance representatives (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Waiting lists plan must show results
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA welcomes the Health Minister's commitment to publish monthly reports on his £50m plan to tackle waiting lists, but says results must be shown. He raises concerns about reliance on outside providers, repurposing staff, upfront payment for…
Health Issue: Health Minister's investment plan to cut waiting lists Original release: McGrath: Waiting lists plan must show results (opens in a new tab)
-
Gannon challenges Executive parties over SWAH
SDLP Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Group Leader Adam Gannon challenges Executive parties to press for restoring emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital, saying none has yet acted on it. He says the SDLP will keep raising the unfairness of long emergency journeys for rural…
Health Issue: Removal of emergency general surgery from South West Acute Hospital Original release: Gannon challenges Executive parties over SWAH (opens in a new tab)
-
Troubles pension scheme must reach further afield - Beattie
UUP Justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MLA says the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme has been poorly publicised in Great Britain, citing 178 applications from England, Scotland and Wales against 3,934 from Northern Ireland. He calls on the Executive Office to step up outreach before…
Community relations and legacy Social security and welfare Issue: Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme applications low in Great Britain Original release: Troubles pension scheme must reach further afield - Beattie (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance representatives welcome reconsideration of Gondola project
Alliance South Down MLA Andrew McMurray and Mournes Councillor Jill Truesdale welcome the National Trust's decision not to consider a bid for land at Thomas's Quarry for the Mournes Gondola project, citing environmental damage from recent fires and economic viability concerns.
Environment and climate Local government Issue: National Trust halts Newry, Mourne and Down Council Gondola talks over Thomas's Quarry Original release: Alliance representatives welcome reconsideration of Gondola project (opens in a new tab)
-
Removal of nursing provision in special schools simply unacceptable, says Mathison
Alliance education spokesperson and Education Committee chair Nick Mathison MLA says the absence of nurses in some special schools is unacceptable, and calls for nursing to be reinstated in every special school that needs it, as soon as possible.
Education Health Issue: Nursing provision removal from special schools review Original release: Removal of nursing provision in special schools simply unacceptable, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
-
Nutrients Action Programme an essential opportunity to address crisis in waterways, says Blair
Alliance's agriculture and environment spokesperson John Blair MLA welcomes DAERA's launch of a consultation on reviewing the 2019 Nutrients Action Programme and the proposed programme covering 2026 to 2029.
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA consultation on Nutrients Action Programme review and 2026-2029 programme Original release: Nutrients Action Programme an essential opportunity to address crisis in waterways, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
-
Departments must work together to support children with SEN – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan urges the Education and Health departments to coordinate more closely on support for children with special educational needs, citing rising identification and a shortage of allied health professionals. He says neither the Education Department nor the Education Authority…
Education Disability and equality Original release: Departments must work together to support children with SEN – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
-
EU Law Blocks UK Tobacco Ban
DUP Peer Lord Dodds warns that the proposed generational smoking ban cannot apply in Northern Ireland because the EU Tobacco Products Directive still governs it under the Windsor Framework. He calls on the Government to clarify whether it will override the Directive.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Generational smoking ban and EU Tobacco Products Directive in Northern Ireland Original release: EU Law Blocks UK Tobacco Ban (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance representatives welcome National Trust report on Donard recovery
Alliance MLA Andrew McMurray and Councillor Jill Truesdale welcome a National Trust report on the condition and recovery of upland habitats around Slieve Donard, citing pressures from recreation, overgrazing and wildfires. McMurray commends the Trust's post-2021 fire recovery work.
Environment and climate Issue: National Trust report on Slieve Donard habitat recovery Original release: Alliance representatives welcome National Trust report on Donard recovery (opens in a new tab)
-
Young condemns racist attack in Newry
Alliance Councillor Helena Young condemns a racist attack in Newry on international doctors and their families at a park on 12 April, saying those responsible should be ashamed and the abuse must stop immediately.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Racist attack on international doctors in Newry park Original release: Young condemns racist attack in Newry (opens in a new tab)
-
Cut the Gorse, Not the Grazing – Butler Calls for Cooperative Fire Prevention Plan
UUP MLA Robbie Butler calls for a co-designed approach to wildfire risk on upland and designated land, arguing that unmanaged gorse rather than sheep grazing is the main danger to the environment and rural safety. He cites talks with the National Sheep Association and repeated fires, and urges…
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Cut the Gorse, Not the Grazing – Butler Calls for Cooperative Fire Prevention Plan (opens in a new tab)
-
McGlone calls for urgency in addressing crisis at Lough Neagh
SDLP AERA Spokesperson Patsy McGlone says the AERA Minister is delaying key water quality plans, including the River Basin Management Plan and Nutrient Action Plan, as blue-green algae appears in Lough Neagh for 2025. He calls for urgent action rather than what he describes as PR-driven responses.
Environment and climate Issue: Blue-green algae confirmed in Lough Neagh for 2025 Original release: McGlone calls for urgency in addressing crisis at Lough Neagh (opens in a new tab)
-
ESRI research highlights importance of all-island public health system – Rose Conway-Walsh TD
Sinn Féin's Rose Conway-Walsh TD welcomes an ESRI economic overview of Ireland and Northern Ireland, saying it shows an all-island approach to public health would improve care, and calls on the Irish government to resource Irish unity planning and establish a citizens' assembly.
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: ESRI 'Economic Overview of Ireland and Northern Ireland' report launch Original release: ESRI research highlights importance of all-island public health system – Rose Conway-Walsh TD (opens in a new tab)
-
More support needed for jurors after trials – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey calls for more support for jurors after trials, following a BBC interview in which a former juror described developing PTSD after a traumatic case. She urges the Justice and Health Ministers to work together on continuous support and asks the Justice Minister to review…
Justice and policing Health Issue: Juror PTSD claims after traumatic court case BBC interview Original release: More support needed for jurors after trials – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
-
Platform: We don’t need another quango - Emma Little-Pengelly MLA
DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly calls on the Assembly to remove the legal requirement for a climate change commissioner, arguing the £1million-a-year post duplicates the UK-wide Climate Change Committee and that the money should fund public services instead.
Environment and climate Public finance and taxation Issue: Assembly vote to create a Climate Commissioner role Original release: Platform: We don’t need another quango - Emma Little-Pengelly MLA (opens in a new tab)
-
Council far behind goal of planting one million trees by 2035, says Maghie
Alliance Ormiston Councillor Jenna Maghie says Belfast City Council is around 220,000 trees behind schedule on its One Million Trees initiative, which aims to plant one million native trees by 2035. She calls for the project to be reinvigorated and back on track, pointing to the Belfast Tree…
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Belfast City Council One Million Trees initiative progress concerns Original release: Council far behind goal of planting one million trees by 2035, says Maghie (opens in a new tab)
-
Delargy welcomes update on Mobuoy waste site
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy welcomes Environment Minister Andrew Muir's written answer on the Mobuoy Road waste site, including monitoring, a criminal case against former operators and remediation planning, and urges public participation in the spring consultation on next steps.
Environment and climate Issue: Mobuoy Road illegal waste site remediation update Original release: Delargy welcomes update on Mobuoy waste site (opens in a new tab)