Latest releases
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2,516 releases
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Butler Welcomes NAP Extension But Real Change Demands Co-Design
UUP MLA Robbie Butler, agriculture, environment and rural affairs spokesperson, welcomes the Minister's extension of the Nitrates Action Programme consultation to 24 July 2025 but says it must include co-design with farmers, representative bodies and rural communities.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: Nitrates Action Programme consultation extension to 24 July 2025 Original release: Butler Welcomes NAP Extension But Real Change Demands Co-Design (opens in a new tab)
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Bradshaw hits out at those behind hoax device which has closed school
Alliance South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw condemns those behind a hoax suspicious package found near Finaghy Primary School, which forced the school to close for the day. She thanks police and agencies for their response and appeals for anyone with information to contact the PSNI.
Justice and policing Education Issue: Finaghy Primary School hoax device closure Original release: Bradshaw hits out at those behind hoax device which has closed school (opens in a new tab)
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Mason welcomes £55 million investment into childcare and early years
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes a £55 million investment in childcare and early years, citing additional support for school-aged children from September and 22.5 free hours extended to 2,000 more children. She calls on the Education Minister to progress a long-term Childcare and Early Learning…
Education Issue: Executive approval of £55m early learning and childcare package Original release: Mason welcomes £55 million investment into childcare and early years (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister announces extension of the Northern Ireland…
DUP Education Minister Paul Givan announces a £55 million package for early learning and childcare, extending the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme to school-age children from 1 September 2025. He says eligible children could rise from 15,000 to about 24,000.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive approval of £55m early learning and childcare package Original release: Education Minister announces extension of the Northern Ireland… (opens in a new tab)
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Guy welcomes further action on early learning and childcare ahead of long-delayed strategy
Alliance Education spokesperson Michelle Guy welcomes the Education Minister's plan for a further £55 million for childcare, including school-aged children in the Childcare Subsidy Scheme. She calls for the long-delayed Early Learning and Childcare Strategy, urges faster fixes to pre-school place…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive approval of £55m early learning and childcare package Original release: Guy welcomes further action on early learning and childcare ahead of long-delayed strategy (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin welcomes progress on childcare support
SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes the Education Minister's decision to open the Childcare Subsidy scheme to school-age children, but says it is only a start. She calls for a fully funded childcare strategy, a Department for the Economy support scheme for providers, and UK action…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Executive approval of £55m early learning and childcare package Original release: McLaughlin welcomes progress on childcare support (opens in a new tab)
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Irish medium early years education must be supported – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says the Department of Education must do more to enhance Irish medium early years education, calling for investment in facilities, training and retention of early years educators. Her remarks follow an Education Committee meeting.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Irish medium early years education must be supported – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Smartphones have no place in our schools
SDLP Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA calls for a ban on smartphones in schools, citing mounting evidence of harm to pupils and staff ahead of an Opposition motion in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Education Issue: SDLP Assembly motion on banning smartphones in schools Original release: Hunter: Smartphones have no place in our schools (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: Mineral licences decision a slap in the face for local communities
SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA criticises the award of seven new mineral prospecting licences to four companies, saying it contradicts the Economy Minister's earlier support for a moratorium. She calls for the licences to be suspended until a departmental review of mineral…
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Seven new mineral licences granted in the West Original release: McLaughlin: Mineral licences decision a slap in the face for local communities (opens in a new tab)
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Minister challenged on Nutrients Action Programme
DUP representatives, including Westminster spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP and Stormont agriculture spokesperson Michelle McIlveen, reject DAERA's draft Nutrients Action Programme and call for publication of a full economic impact assessment and the data behind its modelling.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: DAERA consultation on Nutrients Action Programme review and 2026-2029 programme Original release: Minister challenged on Nutrients Action Programme (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister welcomes publication of Northern Ireland Childcare…
Education Minister Paul Givan welcomes the first Official Statistics from the 2024 Northern Ireland Childcare Survey, saying the data improves the evidence base for childcare policy and will shape the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy to be presented to the Executive.
Education Issue: Publication of Northern Ireland Childcare Survey 2024 Official Statistics Original release: Education Minister welcomes publication of Northern Ireland Childcare… (opens in a new tab)
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Parties who let Lough Neagh die are now selling off our land for dirty profit
Green Party leader Mal O'Hara accuses the parties behind Lough Neagh's decline of selling off public land for profit, citing seven new mineral licences granted in the West under a 1969 law despite over 2,000 objections. He also criticises Alliance and Environment Minister Andrew Muir for failing…
Environment and climate Issue: Seven new mineral licences granted in the West Original release: Parties who let Lough Neagh die are now selling off our land for dirty profit (opens in a new tab)
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Rejection of balanced amendment undermines opportunity to protect rights – Beattie MC MLA
UUP MLA Doug Beattie criticises Alliance, Sinn Féin and the SDLP for voting down his party's amendment to an Assembly motion on discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community, which also sought to protect women's rights. He calls the rejection disappointing and says the amendment struck a fair…
Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion amendment on LGBTQI+ discrimination and women's rights rejected Original release: Rejection of balanced amendment undermines opportunity to protect rights – Beattie MC MLA (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Warns of Strain on Farmers Amid NAP Consultation
UUP agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA warns that proposed 2026–2029 Nutrients Action Programme changes must not strain farmers' livelihoods, calls for scrutiny of the consultation, and urges stakeholders to respond before the deadline.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: DAERA consultation on Nutrients Action Programme review and 2026-2029 programme Original release: Butler Warns of Strain on Farmers Amid NAP Consultation (opens in a new tab)
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Every young person deserves same opportunity to thrive, says Donnelly, welcoming passing of Caleb's Causing motion
Alliance Larne Lough Councillor Maeve Donnelly welcomes the council's passing of her motion backing Caleb's Cause and Alma White, which calls for better post-19 SEN provision. It urges the Economy, Health and Education Ministers to consider legislation for post-19 Education Health and Care plans.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Larne Borough Council motion on post-19 SEN provision and Caleb's Cause Original release: Every young person deserves same opportunity to thrive, says Donnelly, welcoming passing of Caleb's Causing motion (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: Childcare survey underlines need to support parents
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin says a new NI Childcare Survey, showing 48% of households find childcare unaffordable and 69% have reduced working hours, underlines the strain on families. She urges the Education Minister to engage with the SDLP's Childcare Guarantee proposals.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Publication of Northern Ireland Childcare Survey 2024 Official Statistics Original release: McLaughlin: Childcare survey underlines need to support parents (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin challenges Sinn Féin refusal to rule out increasing university tuition fees
SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA challenges Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald to rule out raising university tuition fees, saying Sinn Féin has repeatedly committed not to increase them. She says the Minister refused to do so in the Assembly after universities called for higher fees.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Northern Ireland universities joint call for tuition fee increase Original release: McLaughlin challenges Sinn Féin refusal to rule out increasing university tuition fees (opens in a new tab)
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McGlone welcomes Education Minister meeting with Gael Linn
SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone welcomes a meeting between Education Minister Paul Givan and Gael Linn on funding for the Scoil Spreagtha Irish-language scheme, which is set to end in June 2025. He says no firm commitments were given, but the Minister will look again at funding options.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Scoil Spreagtha funding meeting between Education Minister and Gael Linn Original release: McGlone welcomes Education Minister meeting with Gael Linn (opens in a new tab)
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We must redouble our efforts to stamp out homophobia, biphobia and transphobia – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, urging political representatives to redouble efforts against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and warning against toxic discourse becoming mainstream.
Disability and equality Original release: We must redouble our efforts to stamp out homophobia, biphobia and transphobia – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
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Drop the Puberty Blocker Ban
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll criticises the Alliance Party's tabled Assembly motion for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, and calls on the Executive to reverse its indefinite ban on puberty blockers for under-18s and publish the clinical evidence behind it.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Assembly motion on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia Original release: Drop the Puberty Blocker Ban (opens in a new tab)