Latest releases
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1,463 releases
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Affordable childcare can address growing levels of child poverty – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says affordable, quality childcare can help address growing child poverty, reacting to the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on child poverty. She calls for cutting childcare costs and for ministers to implement the new anti-poverty strategy.
Social security and welfare Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on child poverty Original release: Affordable childcare can address growing levels of child poverty – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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‘Time for a new deal for workers and families’ – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney calls on the Executive to work with employers and trade unions, including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, to negotiate a new deal for workers and families. He says young people, women and disabled people face wage inequality and poor conditions, and his Assembly…
Economy and employment Disability and equality Original release: ‘Time for a new deal for workers and families’ – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Work needed to address growing levels of child poverty – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says work is needed to tackle growing child poverty after the Comptroller and Auditor General published a report on the issue. He calls on the Minister for Communities to make it a key priority while the Anti-Poverty Strategy is finalised.
Social security and welfare Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on child poverty Original release: Work needed to address growing levels of child poverty – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointing Communities Minister not prioritising anti-poverty measures, say Armstrong and Mulholland
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong says the Communities Minister is failing to prioritise anti‑poverty measures despite an Audit Office report that one‑in‑five children live in relative poverty, and calls for urgent action. Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland urges the Minister to extend welfare mitigations for
Social security and welfare Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on child poverty Original release: Disappointing Communities Minister not prioritising anti-poverty measures, say Armstrong and Mulholland (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: New approach needed to tackle child poverty
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan says the Executive must devise a fresh child‑poverty strategy with enforceable targets and adequate funding, after the NI Audit Office reported one‑in‑five children in relative poverty and little progress over eight years.
Social security and welfare Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on child poverty Original release: McCrossan: New approach needed to tackle child poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Allister to Host European Victims Day Event
TUV leader Jim Allister announces a European Victims Day event in the Senate Chamber at Parliament Buildings on 11 March, with a minute's silence and five victims of republican, loyalist and European terrorism sharing their stories.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Original release: Allister to Host European Victims Day Event (opens in a new tab)
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Children and young people with special educational needs deserve best start to life – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to overhaul special educational needs provision, saying young people and families are being failed by the current system and urging the minister to act on his commitment following a Education Committee meeting.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Children and young people with special educational needs deserve best start to life – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Irish remains preserve of one community
TUV leader Jim Allister challenges DUP MLA Paul Givan's claim that Irish belongs to everyone, arguing the Irish language is not supported by facts such as its absence from controlled school curricula. He says Irish language legislation aims to promote Gaelicisation as part of a nationalist…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Paul Givan's comments that Irish belongs to all of us Original release: Irish remains preserve of one community (opens in a new tab)
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Veterans ID Card uptake in Northern Ireland welcomed
DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomes the uptake of Veterans ID Cards in Northern Ireland, saying more than 1,600 have been dispatched, and urges veterans who have not yet applied to submit their applications.
Social security and welfare Original release: Veterans ID Card uptake in Northern Ireland welcomed (opens in a new tab)
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Dunne presses for clarity on concessionary fares scheme
DUP MLA Stephen Dunne presses the Infrastructure Minister for clarity on the future of the Concessionary Fares Scheme, noting no decision has followed the consultation that closed in August 2023. He welcomes the Minister's stated intention to keep the scheme in its current form and calls for…
Infrastructure and transport Disability and equality Issue: Concessionary Fares Scheme consultation outcome and future of fare concessions Original release: Dunne presses for clarity on concessionary fares scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister decision more ideological than practical
Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn criticises the Communities Minister's decision to end remote council meetings from 6 March, calling it short-sighted and ideological. He says remote attendance improves accessibility for councillors with caring or health needs and urges the minister to extend…
Local government Disability and equality Issue: Communities Minister ending remote council meetings from 6 March Original release: Communities Minister decision more ideological than practical (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes extension of Nexus contract
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes Department of Health confirmation that Nexus NI's counselling contract for victims of sexual abuse and violence will run for another year. She says she will keep working with the health minister and Nexus on a long-term plan for these services.
Health Justice and policing Issue: Department of Health extension of Nexus NI counselling contract Original release: Dillon welcomes extension of Nexus contract (opens in a new tab)
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Deeply concerning Department of Health has ended Nexus NI contract – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says it is alarming that the Department of Health has ended Nexus NI's specialist counselling contract for victims of sexual abuse and violence. She calls on the Health Minister to review the decision, arguing GP referrals are not an adequate substitute.
Health Justice and policing Issue: Department of Health ends Nexus NI specialist counselling contract Original release: Deeply concerning Department of Health has ended Nexus NI contract – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Transformation of Special Educational Needs essential – Givan
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan reaffirms his commitment to transform the Special Educational Needs system in Northern Ireland, following a visit to Fleming Fulton School. He says children with SEN do not always achieve the same outcomes as peers and will press Executive colleagues for…
Education Disability and equality Original release: Transformation of Special Educational Needs essential – Givan (opens in a new tab)
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More help needed to support carers – Dillon
SF MLA Linda Dillon says more help is needed for carers, especially women forced to cut hours or leave jobs, reacting to a Carers NI and Women's Regional Consortium report. She calls for investment in social care, stronger workers' rights and better childcare, and welcomes the Economy Minister's…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Carers NI and Women's Regional Consortium report on female carers Original release: More help needed to support carers – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Career or Care report lays bare the failure to support our unpaid carers, says Eastwood
Alliance's Sorcha Eastwood MLA says carers need far more support, citing a Carers NI and Women's Regional Consortium report finding nearly 60% of unpaid carers are women. She backs its recommendations, including paid carer's leave, and says she has asked the Economy Minister to include it in a…
Economy and employment Disability and equality Issue: Carers NI and Women's Regional Consortium report on female carers Original release: Career or Care report lays bare the failure to support our unpaid carers, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister needs to prioritise and invest in special educational needs and disabilities, says Mathison, ahead of Assembly debate
Alliance's Nick Mathison MLA, Chair of the Assembly's Education Committee, urges the Education Minister to direct any extra SEND funding to pupils and the workforce ahead of a Monday Assembly debate. He says the current support system has failed pupils, parents and schools and warns against a…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly debate on special educational needs and disabilities provision Original release: Education Minister needs to prioritise and invest in special educational needs and disabilities, says Mathison, ahead of Assembly debate (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance calls for gender pay gap reporting in Belfast City Council
Alliance councillors, through South Belfast Councillor Tara Brooks, call for Belfast City Council to lead by adopting transparent methods for recording and reporting the gender pay gap, noting Northern Ireland has no legal obligation to do so.
Disability and equality Local government Original release: Alliance calls for gender pay gap reporting in Belfast City Council (opens in a new tab)
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Progress on Anti-Poverty Strategy desperately needed, says Alliance representatives, following Trussell Trust report
Alliance spokespeople Kellie Armstrong and Sian Mulholland urge the Communities Minister to prioritise an anti-poverty strategy after a Trussell Trust report found over half of Universal Credit claimants in Northern Ireland ran out of food.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Trussell Trust report on Universal Credit claimants in Northern Ireland Original release: Progress on Anti-Poverty Strategy desperately needed, says Alliance representatives, following Trussell Trust report (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs welcome commitment to sign language legislation
Alliance MLAs Paula Bradshaw and Kellie Armstrong welcome the Communities Minister's pledge to bring forward sign language legislation as a priority, with Bradshaw criticising the 21-year wait for it.
Disability and equality Issue: Communities Minister commitment on sign language legislation at Assembly Question Time Original release: Alliance MLAs welcome commitment to sign language legislation (opens in a new tab)