Latest releases
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2,853 releases
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Hunter: Crisis at EA cannot continue
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says the Education Authority's crisis cannot continue after it revealed around 164 pupils with special educational needs lack a school place for next year. She opposes instructing mainstream schools to take them, arguing some need dedicated…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority reports 160+ SEN children awaiting school places Original release: Hunter: Crisis at EA cannot continue (opens in a new tab)
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David Cullinane TD appointed Rapporteur on Adult Safeguarding
Sinn Féin spokesperson David Cullinane TD says he has been appointed rapporteur for the Oireachtas Health Committee on adult safeguarding, and will report back with recommendations for a legislative framework. He urges the government to bring forward an Adult Safeguarding Act, citing the RTÉ…
Health Issue: Oireachtas Health Committee adult safeguarding rapporteur appointment Original release: David Cullinane TD appointed Rapporteur on Adult Safeguarding (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin all-island health proposals – David Cullinane TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD says the newly published discussion paper makes a case for an all‑island health and care service, urging the Irish Government to cooperate, consult stakeholders and convene a Citizens’ Assembly to plan constitutional change and improve services.
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Sinn Féin discussion document on an Irish National Health and Care Service Original release: Sinn Féin all-island health proposals – David Cullinane TD (opens in a new tab)
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A World-class Health and Care Service for a New Ireland – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD launches a discussion document calling for an all-island Irish National Health and Care Service, proposing a single hospital waiting list, joint digital health records, all-island workforce planning and a rural health commission.
Health Issue: Sinn Féin discussion document on an Irish National Health and Care Service Original release: A World-class Health and Care Service for a New Ireland – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker seeks an Urgent Oral Question so the Education Minister must answer in the Assembly on the handling of school placements for children with special educational needs. He says up to 160 such children still lack a confirmed place for the 2025/26 year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special educational needs school placement shortfall for 2025/26 academic year Original release: ‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the UK government to halt its planned welfare cuts, following a joint letter from the Communities Committees in the North, Wales and Scotland raising concerns about the measures. He argues money for military spending should instead fund employment support and…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Proposed UK welfare cuts for sick and disabled people Original release: British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin health proposals are positive contribution – McGuigan
Philip McGuigan MLA welcomes Sinn Féin’s new health discussion paper, urging an all‑island Irish National Health and Care Service and proposing a Shared Island Unit, integrated waiting list, unified emergency services and a Rural Health Commission.
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Sinn Féin discussion document on an Irish National Health and Care Service Original release: Sinn Féin health proposals are positive contribution – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie
UUP justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA says the failure to collect data on biological sex undermines efforts to end violence against women and girls. He says the PSNI and other departments are not recording victims' or perpetrators' sex for sexual offences, and calls for correct collection…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Independent Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Original release: Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to ensure all schools, including grammar schools, provide special educational needs placements. He says non-selective schools have carried most of the load and calls for a new approach, and has called for a committee inquiry into the issue.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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More regulation of AirBnBs and second homes essential, says McCully, after passing of Alliance motion
Alliance Causeway Councillor Peter McCully welcomes Causeway Coast and Glens Council's unanimous passing of Alliance's motion calling on the NI Executive to tackle housing shortages linked to AirBnBs and second homes. He says the balance is off and urges urgent action.
Housing Local government Issue: Causeway Coast and Glens Council motion on AirBnBs and second homes Original release: More regulation of AirBnBs and second homes essential, says McCully, after passing of Alliance motion (opens in a new tab)
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Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison
Alliance MLAs Michelle Guy and Nick Mathison say the Education Minister must explore all options to resolve the special educational needs placement crisis, after the Education Authority reported over 160 children still lack confirmed school places for next year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority reports 160+ SEN children awaiting school places Original release: Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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‘Urgent, universal collective action’ needed to end Israeli impunity in Gaza – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney calls for "urgent, universal collective action" to end Israeli impunity in Gaza after the Assembly backed a motion condemning it, citing deaths, child malnutrition and destroyed health and water systems.
International affairs Health Issue: Assembly motion condemning Israeli impunity in Gaza Original release: ‘Urgent, universal collective action’ needed to end Israeli impunity in Gaza – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes
Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes welcomes a new Sinn Féin bill, introduced by TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne, to end RTÉ geo-blocking and the exclusion of northern audiences from its competitions. He says the bill would require broadcasters to make reasonable efforts and would ask Coimisiún na…
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne say they have been given leave to introduce a first-stage Dáil bill requiring RTÉ to end the exclusion of Six County audiences from its services, including geo-blocking and audience competitions.
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP stands against Welfare Bill
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP backs two reasoned amendments, signed with Colum Eastwood, to block the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its Commons Second Reading. She warns the welfare reforms will push hundreds of thousands into poverty, hitting Northern Ireland hardest…
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Commons Second Reading Original release: SDLP stands against Welfare Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Education system continues to fail vulnerable young SEN people and their families, say Mathison and Guy
Alliance MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy say the education system is failing vulnerable SEN children, pointing to poor communication, delayed statements and over 150 pupils still without school places, and call for a radical overhaul and cross‑departmental legislation to secure post‑19 pathways.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Equity in Education event reveals SEN support failures Original release: Education system continues to fail vulnerable young SEN people and their families, say Mathison and Guy (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP condemns ‘appalling and disturbing’ attack on Belfast Islamic Centre
SDLP MPs and MLAs Claire Hanna and Matthew O'Toole condemn an attack on the Belfast Islamic Centre, where a device was thrown through a window during prayers. They call for consistent political leadership against hate and for the Executive to deliver its anti-racism and integration strategies.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Attack on Belfast Islamic Centre while people inside Original release: SDLP condemns ‘appalling and disturbing’ attack on Belfast Islamic Centre (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP Opposition announces plan to mark Executive card on delivery
SDLP Opposition announces amendments to the Fiscal Council Bill giving the independent Fiscal Council a legal duty to assess annually the Executive's delivery against specific Programme for Government targets. Leader Matthew O'Toole says the social housing target looks all but certain to be missed.
Public finance and taxation Housing Issue: Fiscal Council Bill amendments on Programme for Government delivery assessment Original release: SDLP Opposition announces plan to mark Executive card on delivery (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin welcomes new legislation on spiking but urges further action to protect women
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes the Justice Minister's move to bring forward a Legislative Consent Motion making drink spiking an offence in its own right, and calls for licensed venues to be required to supply testing kits.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Assembly approval of anti-spiking legislative consent motion Original release: McLaughlin welcomes new legislation on spiking but urges further action to protect women (opens in a new tab)
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A Dark Week for Our Nation: Parliament Embraces Death at the Beginning and End of Life
TUV leader Jim Allister, MP for North Antrim, laments a "sad" week in which Westminster voted to decriminalise abortion at all stages and passed the Assisted Suicide Bill. He calls these decisions alarming and says he opposed both.
Health Issue: Westminster votes on abortion decriminalisation and Assisted Suicide Bill passage Original release: A Dark Week for Our Nation: Parliament Embraces Death at the Beginning and End of Life (opens in a new tab)