Latest releases
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3,979 releases
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Flying Palestinian Flag Over City Hall Deepens Division Without Practical Benefit
UUP MLA Andy Allen says the decision to fly the Palestinian flag over Belfast City Hall has deepened division and provides no practical benefit, calling for careful flag policies and urging the Prime Minister to take diplomatic steps on the Gaza crisis.
Community relations and legacy International affairs Issue: Belfast City Council vote to raise Palestinian flag at City Hall Original release: Flying Palestinian Flag Over City Hall Deepens Division Without Practical Benefit (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Challenges DAERA Minister To Break Planning Deadlock Harming NI’s Agri-Food Sector
UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler MLA calls on the DAERA Minister to break a planning deadlock stalling farm improvements, urging adoption of a mitigation-and-betterment model like Natural England's. He also criticises the Department's reliance on the Office for Environmental Protection and a…
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Butler Challenges DAERA Minister To Break Planning Deadlock Harming NI’s Agri-Food Sector (opens in a new tab)
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Peace Plus funding must be protected in EU Budget negotiations – Kathleen Funchion MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion urges that Peace Plus funding be safeguarded beyond 2028 and given a central EU allocation, after a Derry visit to community groups, warning of underfunding during the next EU budget talks.
Community relations and legacy International affairs Original release: Peace Plus funding must be protected in EU Budget negotiations – Kathleen Funchion MEP (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the response to her consultation on a Bill that would give legal protection to breastfeeding in public and require businesses and service providers to make premises breastfeeding-friendly. She urges councils, businesses and public facilities to display…
Disability and equality Issue: Linda Dillon breastfeeding in public Bill consultation closure Original release: Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public (opens in a new tab)
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Martin – “finding potholes isn’t the problem”
North Down DUP MLA Peter Martin, who chairs the Infrastructure Committee, says the Department for Infrastructure's new digital approach to mapping potholes misses the point. He argues the real problem is repairing defects, not locating them, and calls for faster delivery on the ground.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure digital pothole mapping approach Original release: Martin – “finding potholes isn’t the problem” (opens in a new tab)
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Progress on Layd Cliff Path improvement – McMullan
Sinn Féin Councillor and Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Council Oliver McMullan says he pressed council officers and the PEACEPLUS Partnership to start Layd Cliff Path improvements soon, with completion targeted for 2026. He welcomes the appointment of a design team in November and says a way…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Layd Cliff Path improvement works PEACEPLUS funding progress Original release: Progress on Layd Cliff Path improvement – McMullan (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty: Potholes must be fixed, not just mapped
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Justin McNulty MLA says the draft Road Maintenance Strategy's digital road surveys do not go far enough, calling for potholes to be fixed rather than just mapped. He says he will question the Infrastructure Minister on how success will be measured and…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure digital pothole mapping approach Original release: McNulty: Potholes must be fixed, not just mapped (opens in a new tab)
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Flag decision deeply divisive
DUP Belfast City Council Group Leader Cllr Sarah Bunting condemns Belfast City Council's decision to raise the Palestinian flag from midnight, calling it an abuse of process that bypasses protections for minorities. She says it will intimidate the city's Jewish community and accuses Sinn Féin of…
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Council vote to raise Palestinian flag at City Hall Original release: Flag decision deeply divisive (opens in a new tab)
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Brett – the people of Belfast deserve better
DUP North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett condemns Belfast City Council's Monday night vote to fly a Palestinian flag on City Hall, calling it an abuse of process that bypassed court scrutiny. He says the council's priorities were misplaced and that councillors laughed when a letter from the Jewish…
Local government Community relations and legacy Issue: Belfast City Council vote to raise Palestinian flag at City Hall Original release: Brett – the people of Belfast deserve better (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities, calling for better public services, expanded supports, a narrower employment gap and accessible transport and public spaces.
Disability and equality Original release: McGuigan marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities (opens in a new tab)
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Forsythe – sinister threat is copycat tactics of IRA
DUP South Down MLA Diane Forsythe condemns a video by the "New Republican Movement" showing masked, armed men threatening elected representatives in Newry, Mourne and Down. She calls for every resource to trace those responsible, including the online sources used.
Justice and policing Community relations and legacy Issue: Threats against Newry, Mourne and Down elected representatives video Original release: Forsythe – sinister threat is copycat tactics of IRA (opens in a new tab)
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de Faoite: Councils can’t be held to ransom
SDLP Belfast City Council Group Leader Séamas de Faoite says councils cannot be held to ransom after unionist and other parties blocked a council-backed flag-raising for Gaza solidarity at City Hall, calling it a culture war tactic and urging councillors to refocus on local issues.
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Hall Palestinian flag motion called in Original release: de Faoite: Councils can’t be held to ransom (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast City Council should focus on core responsibilities and service delivery, not divisive symbolism
UUP MLA Andy Allen criticises Belfast City Council's vote to raise the Palestinian flag over City Hall, arguing councillors should prioritise council services and that the move is political theatre that deepens local division.
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Council vote to raise Palestinian flag at City Hall Original release: Belfast City Council should focus on core responsibilities and service delivery, not divisive symbolism (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance proposal to explore nature-friendly burials passes in Belfast City Council
Alliance says a motion it brought forward, proposing that Belfast City Council explore nature-friendly burials, has passed the People and Communities committee. Cllr Hedley Abernethy says the motion would consider the feasibility of natural burials as an alternative to traditional burial and…
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Belfast City Council People and Communities committee passes nature-friendly burials motion Original release: Alliance proposal to explore nature-friendly burials passes in Belfast City Council (opens in a new tab)
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Unionists to take Belfast City Council to High Court over Palestinian flag
TUV Councillor Ron McDowell says Belfast City Council has disregarded due process by voting to raise a Palestinian flag over City Hall from midnight, and that emergency High Court proceedings will be lodged to halt it. He also argues the council blocked lighting City Hall in Israeli colours after…
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Council vote to raise Palestinian flag at City Hall Original release: Unionists to take Belfast City Council to High Court over Palestinian flag (opens in a new tab)
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We must do all we can to protect and grow our ‘world-class’ agri-food industry – McAleer
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer urges continued support for Northern Ireland's agri-food sector, opposing cattle culls and warning that cutting local production could raise emissions through imports, ahead of an Assembly food security debate.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: Assembly motion on food security Original release: We must do all we can to protect and grow our ‘world-class’ agri-food industry – McAleer (opens in a new tab)
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Herzog Park controversy an insight into the Irish Republic
TUV leader Jim Allister welcomes Dublin City Council's reversal of its plan to rename Herzog Park, but says the proposal's existence reveals growing anti-Israel attitudes in the Irish Republic. He cites a Holocaust memorial walkout, a Dublin statue to a Nazi collaborator, and a statue to IRA…
Community relations and legacy International affairs Issue: Dublin City Council reverses plan to rename Herzog Park Original release: Herzog Park controversy an insight into the Irish Republic (opens in a new tab)
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Dolan expresses shock and sadness at Fermanagh road traffic deaths
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says she is shocked and saddened by reports that two men died in a road collision in Fermanagh, offering condolences to the families and urging anyone with information to contact police.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Fermanagh fatal two-vehicle collision deaths of two men Original release: Dolan expresses shock and sadness at Fermanagh road traffic deaths (opens in a new tab)
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Kearney appeals for extra care in the run up to Christmas
Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney, South Antrim MLA, welcomes the PSNI's 'Operation Season's Greetings' festive safety campaign and its Project Vigilant nightlife operation, and appeals for extra caution on roads, citing 47 road deaths in the north this year.
Justice and policing Infrastructure and transport Issue: PSNI Operation Season's Greetings Christmas safety campaign launch Original release: Kearney appeals for extra care in the run up to Christmas (opens in a new tab)
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There should only be one flag over City Hall – and it’s not the Palestinian flag
TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell welcomes the decision not to fly the Palestinian flag over Belfast City Hall, crediting the call-in mechanism with averting community tension. He accuses the motion's Nationalist and Alliance backers of attacking Israel rather than showing sympathy, and insists only…
Community relations and legacy Local government Issue: Belfast City Hall Palestinian flag motion called in Original release: There should only be one flag over City Hall – and it’s not the Palestinian flag (opens in a new tab)