Latest releases
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11,733 releases
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Muir welcomes park home energy support
Alliance North Down MLA Andrew Muir welcomes the extension of the £600 energy support payment to over 28,000 households not initially eligible, including Seahaven park home residents in Groomsport. He says they were left waiting too long and urges them to apply via the online form or helpline.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: Extension of £600 energy support payment to park home residents Original release: Muir welcomes park home energy support (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood: We must realise potential of dual market access
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP says Northern Ireland must capitalise on dual market access after questioning PM Rishi Sunak on the Protocol deal in the Commons. He calls for British government investment in infrastructure and higher education, and urges Stormont parties to restore functioning…
Economy and employment International affairs Issue: Sunak Protocol deal questioned in House of Commons Original release: Eastwood: We must realise potential of dual market access (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone highlights issue for farmers receiving £600 energy support payment
SDLP Rural Communities Spokesperson Patsy McGlone says farmers who only have business bank accounts are unable to claim the £600 energy support payment, and has called on the British government's BEIS to urgently change the scheme so they can receive it.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: Farmers unable to claim £600 energy support payment without personal bank account Original release: McGlone highlights issue for farmers receiving £600 energy support payment (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Fein will strengthen workers’ right in a restored Executive – Kearney
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney says the party will prioritise legislation in a restored Executive to strengthen workers' rights, including making it easier to join trade unions, improving job security and ending fire and rehire practices. He also calls for wage-setting powers to be…
Economy and employment Original release: Sinn Fein will strengthen workers’ right in a restored Executive – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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“The last hundred years were dominated by partition and conservatism. Let us strive to make the next hundred years about unity and progress.” – Chris MacManus MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus calls on the Irish government and EU institutions to formally engage in discussions on Irish unity, proposing an all-Ireland Citizens Assembly on the subject. Speaking at an Arigna commemoration honouring two men who died there, he says a future unity referendum must…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Original release: “The last hundred years were dominated by partition and conservatism. Let us strive to make the next hundred years about unity and progress.” – Chris MacManus MEP (opens in a new tab)
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“Rigorous implementers” wanted a bad deal made worse
DUP MP Gregory Campbell urges parties that backed the Northern Ireland Protocol as "rigorous implementers" to admit they were wrong to dismiss unionist concerns about its flaws. He says progress on trade under the Windsor Framework would not have happened without the change unionists pushed for.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and Stormont Brake Original release: “Rigorous implementers” wanted a bad deal made worse (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin President calls for restoration of Executive without delay
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald calls for the northern Executive to be restored without delay, welcoming the EU-UK agreement on the Protocol and urging the DUP to end its boycott of the Executive and Assembly.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol announced Original release: Sinn Féin President calls for restoration of Executive without delay (opens in a new tab)
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O’Neill tells Sunak to keep positive momentum going to restore Executive
Sinn Féin First Minister Designate Michelle O'Neill says she spoke by phone with Rishi Sunak, urging him to keep momentum going to restore the Executive without delay after the Windsor Framework deal. She also calls on the DUP to end its blockade.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and Stormont Brake Original release: O’Neill tells Sunak to keep positive momentum going to restore Executive (opens in a new tab)
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Sunak’s deal – the triumph of spin over substance
TUV leader Jim Allister KC MLA says the Sunak deal on Northern Ireland's Protocol falls far short of the spin, arguing NI stays under EU single market goods rules and ECJ oversight, and that the 'Stormont Brake' offers no veto to MLAs.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK Windsor Framework deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: Sunak’s deal – the triumph of spin over substance (opens in a new tab)
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“DUP No Deal Prediction Despite Concessions Underpins Need for Stormont Reform” – Cllr Mullen
Aontú's Cllr Denise Mullen raises concerns over DUP MP Sammy Wilson's comments and says Stormont needs urgent reform. She calls for MLAs to lose salaries if they fail to work and for an end to any single party's ability to block the Assembly.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: DUP MP Sammy Wilson's comments on a Brexit deal and no-deal prediction Original release: “DUP No Deal Prediction Despite Concessions Underpins Need for Stormont Reform” – Cllr Mullen (opens in a new tab)
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Covid App Costing Public £440k a Month - Doyle
Aontú Cllr Emmet Doyle says the Department of Health is still spending around £440k a month on the Covid Certification Scheme, which cost £20.5m up to December 2022, though it has not been required for over a year. He calls for serious questions to be asked about the spending.
Public finance and taxation Health Original release: Covid App Costing Public £440k a Month - Doyle (opens in a new tab)
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Protocol: No Concessions To Sectarianism
People Before Profit says the new EU‑UK deal must not deepen communal divisions at Stormont and rejects any further Protocol compromises that empower the DUP’s sectarian veto, urging workers to keep striking for fair pay and services.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: EU-UK Windsor Framework deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: Protocol: No Concessions To Sectarianism (opens in a new tab)
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Carers to face further stress with end of Learning Disability Support says Armstrong
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA warns exhausted carers will face more pressure when Mencap's Employment Support Service for people with learning disabilities closes on 31 March 2023. She blames a lack of budget following the end of European Social Fund money and calls for…
Disability and equality Public finance and taxation Issue: Mencap NI employment services redundancy notices over funding uncertainty Original release: Carers to face further stress with end of Learning Disability Support says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Parties need to explain rejection of enhanced, modernised Urgent Care Centre for local residents – Alliance
Alliance representatives in Strangford and North Down call on parties opposing an Urgent Care Centre at the Ulster Hospital to explain their stance, accusing them of retreating from Bengoa health transformation principles they previously endorsed.
Health Local government Issue: Council debate on proposed Urgent Care Centre at Ulster Hospital Original release: Parties need to explain rejection of enhanced, modernised Urgent Care Centre for local residents – Alliance (opens in a new tab)
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Windsor Framework provides basis for economic growth in NI, says Long
Alliance leader Naomi Long MLA says the Windsor Framework could offer a foundation for economic growth in Northern Ireland after a meeting with the Prime Minister, but calls for more detail on the Stormont Brake mechanism and reform of Stormont's institutions.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and Stormont Brake Original release: Windsor Framework provides basis for economic growth in NI, says Long (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP responds to EU/UK deal
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP urges political leaders to approach the European Commission and British Government deal in good faith and restore the Assembly and Executive. He says the SDLP will study the legal text in detail, and warns against attempts to wreck the deal.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK Windsor Framework deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol Original release: SDLP responds to EU/UK deal (opens in a new tab)
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TUV’s initial response to EU-UK deal
TUV leader Jim Allister says it is unclear whether the Northern Ireland Protocol has been superseded by the new UK-EU framework, citing Article 13(8) and calling for the legal text to identify any superseded parts. He argues the deal leaves the Protocol in place and calls the Stormont Brake…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and Stormont Brake Original release: TUV’s initial response to EU-UK deal (opens in a new tab)
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Time now to make politics work and restore Executive without delay – O’Neill
Sinn Féin Vice-President Michelle O'Neill welcomes the London-Brussels agreement concluding Windsor Framework negotiations and says she will assess its detail. She calls for the Executive and other Good Friday Agreement institutions to be restored without delay and tells the DUP to end its blockade.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Conclusion of London-Brussels negotiations on the Protocol Original release: Time now to make politics work and restore Executive without delay – O’Neill (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin President welcomes conclusion of Protocol negotiations
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD welcomes the conclusion of London-Brussels talks on the Protocol and says her party will meet that evening to examine the detail. She urges the DUP to return to the Executive and end its boycott of Stormont.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Conclusion of London-Brussels negotiations on the Protocol Original release: Sinn Féin President welcomes conclusion of Protocol negotiations (opens in a new tab)
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Statement on the Publication of an Agreement between the United…
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP says the party will study the detail of the published UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and its legal texts, and will assess it against the DUP's seven tests, stating EU law still applies in some Northern Ireland economic sectors.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UK-EU Windsor Framework agreement and Stormont Brake Original release: Statement on the Publication of an Agreement between the United… (opens in a new tab)