Latest releases
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4,076 releases
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Boylan highlights urgent need to address men’s health across our island
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan calls for more attention to men's and boys' health across the island, following an event at Stormont, and stresses better mental health access in rural areas and tackling stigma. He also urges cross-departmental working, policy reform and improved healthcare access.
Health Issue: The Invisible Man event at Stormont on men's health Original release: Boylan highlights urgent need to address men’s health across our island (opens in a new tab)
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Minister remains committed to funding Real Living Wage for independent sector homecare workers
UUP's Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirms he remains committed to funding the Real Living Wage for independent sector homecare workers, saying it will be a priority in 2026/27 planning despite a recent £209million pay direction not covering it.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Real Living Wage funding for independent sector homecare workers Original release: Minister remains committed to funding Real Living Wage for independent sector homecare workers (opens in a new tab)
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Health Committee urges Minister to establish full public inquiry into cervical screening scandal, following Alliance proposal
Alliance Health Spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says the Assembly Health Committee has unanimously backed a call for the Health Minister to set up a full statutory public inquiry into the Southern Trust cervical screening scandal, following an Alliance proposal from Nuala McAllister MLA.
Health Issue: Southern Trust cervical screening scandal public inquiry call Original release: Health Committee urges Minister to establish full public inquiry into cervical screening scandal, following Alliance proposal (opens in a new tab)
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Training nurses to spot signs of violence and abuse will help save lives – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes Queen's University Belfast's initiative training nursing students to identify warning signs of abuse affecting women and girls, arguing frontline staff help protect at-risk people. She says Sinn Féin will keep backing measures that strengthen protections.
Justice and policing Health Issue: Queen's University Belfast nursing students abuse-recognition training initiative Original release: Training nurses to spot signs of violence and abuse will help save lives – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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£48.8m NICS sick leave bill demands action from DoF - Forysthe
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe says rising NICS sick leave costs, up to £48.8m in 2024/25 from £44m, show a failure of leadership at the Department of Finance. She calls on it to set a plan, investigate root causes and introduce absence reduction targets.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: NISRA figures showing NICS sick leave cost £48.8m in 2024/25 Original release: £48.8m NICS sick leave bill demands action from DoF - Forysthe (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan urges progress ahead of Troubles payment scheme deadline
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan urges the Executive Office to speed up applications to the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme before its August 2026 closure to new applications. Citing figures he obtained, he says 2,476 applications have succeeded and 1,758 awards total nearly…
Community relations and legacy Disability and equality Issue: Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme application figures Original release: McCrossan urges progress ahead of Troubles payment scheme deadline (opens in a new tab)
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Donnelly calls for stronger action on flu as hospital admissions double and winter pressures mount
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA warns of mounting winter strain on health services after new figures show emergency hospital admissions from flu in the community have doubled. He urges the Department of Health to boost vaccine take-up, publish a winter preparedness plan and say…
Health Issue: New figures showing doubling of flu-related emergency hospital admissions Original release: Donnelly calls for stronger action on flu as hospital admissions double and winter pressures mount (opens in a new tab)
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Child Benefit u-turn welcome, but more needed – Dáire Hughes MP
Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh Dáire Hughes welcomes HMRC's U-turn on letters suspending Child Benefit payments, but calls for all payments to be reinstated immediately, back payments guaranteed and the errors never repeated.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: HMRC Child Benefit suspension letters U-turn Original release: Child Benefit u-turn welcome, but more needed – Dáire Hughes MP (opens in a new tab)
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Pat Cullen confirms panel for ‘Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland’ event in Enniskillen
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen announces the speakers for a November 26 Enniskillen event on rural healthcare across the island, with Mary Lou McDonald as guest speaker and Cullen chairing a panel including Paula Leonard, Fr Brian D'Arcy and Denzil McDaniel.
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McGrath: NHS still sleepwalking into a winter crisis despite pay deal
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says the health service is still heading for a winter crisis despite the staff pay award, blaming Executive dysfunction and a Winter Preparedness Plan published amid delay and criticism. He calls for year-round resilience building and long-term…
Health Issue: Health and social care staff pay award and Winter Preparedness Plan Original release: McGrath: NHS still sleepwalking into a winter crisis despite pay deal (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: McCartney case stark reminder of need for proper PSNI resourcing
SDLP Policing Board member Colin McGrath MLA says a Police Ombudsman finding on the Alexander McCartney case shows the consequences of under-resourcing the PSNI. He calls on the Executive and Justice Minister to fund the PSNI's recovery plan and increase officer numbers, including for online crime.
Justice and policing Public finance and taxation Issue: Police Ombudsman report on delayed McCartney online abuse investigation Original release: McGrath: McCartney case stark reminder of need for proper PSNI resourcing (opens in a new tab)
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Lack of Resources Left PSNI Powerless Against Online Child Predator
UUP Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA says the PSNI's failure to act decisively on Alexander McCartney stemmed from lack of resources, not will, and calls on the Department of Justice to urgently prioritise frontline policing and forensic funding.
Justice and policing Public finance and taxation Issue: Police Ombudsman report on delayed McCartney online abuse investigation Original release: Lack of Resources Left PSNI Powerless Against Online Child Predator (opens in a new tab)
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Baker slams decision to cut education support for vulnerable children
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker criticises the Education Authority's cuts to Education Otherwise Than at School support for vulnerable children, and says he will raise it in the Assembly next week. He blames DUP Education Ministers for financial mismanagement, and says the Lagan Valley Education Project…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority cuts to Education Otherwise Than at School support Original release: Baker slams decision to cut education support for vulnerable children (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty calls for action after critical warning on roads maintenance
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Justin McNulty MLA calls for the Infrastructure Minister to appear before the Infrastructure Committee after the Mineral Products Association warned of worsening road repair and maintenance. He points to scaled back repair programmes, staff shortages and…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Mineral Products Association warning on road repair and maintenance Original release: McNulty calls for action after critical warning on roads maintenance (opens in a new tab)
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Doug Beattie MC MLA Raises Concerns On Behalf Of The Cawdery Family Regarding Accuracy Of The Justice Minister’s Responses
UUP Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA raises concerns, on behalf of the Cawdery family, over the Justice Minister's Assembly answers on Thomas McEntee's day release from prison. He says the answers were inaccurate and misleading, and will write to the Minister seeking clarification.
Justice and policing Health Issue: Thomas McEntee day release and Justice Minister's Assembly answers Original release: Doug Beattie MC MLA Raises Concerns On Behalf Of The Cawdery Family Regarding Accuracy Of The Justice Minister’s Responses (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister must deliver pay deal quickly – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon urges the Health Minister to move swiftly to finalise a pay agreement for health workers, welcoming the Executive's framework that would bring northern staff pay in line with counterparts in Britain.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Executive approval of health service pay parity Original release: Health Minister must deliver pay deal quickly – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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We need a rules-based International Protection system where applications are processed in a timely manner – Matt Carthy TD
Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy TD calls for a rules-based International Protection system with timely processing of applications, condemning racist attacks while criticising government handling of asylum decisions, appeals, deportations and IPAS accommodation during Dáil statements. He also opposes the…
Immigration Housing Issue: Dáil statements on International Protection processing and enforcement Original release: We need a rules-based International Protection system where applications are processed in a timely manner – Matt Carthy TD (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds welcomes pay parity approval for health staff
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes the Executive's approval of pay parity across the health service as overdue recognition of healthcare workers. She says the Health Minister should have prioritised departmental budget resources for staff pay and calls for a long-term workforce plan.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Executive approval of health service pay parity Original release: Dodds welcomes pay parity approval for health staff (opens in a new tab)
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Timothy Gaston granted leave to intervene in legal challenge against DFI minister’s imposition of Irish signage at Grand Central Station
TUV welcomes a court decision granting MLA Timothy Gaston leave to intervene in the legal challenge to the infrastructure minister's imposition of Irish-language signage at Grand Central Station. The party says it looks forward to joining the case through his counsel, Emma McIlveen BL.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Grand Central Station Irish signage legal challenge leave to intervene Original release: Timothy Gaston granted leave to intervene in legal challenge against DFI minister’s imposition of Irish signage at Grand Central Station (opens in a new tab)
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Gaston calls for the blight of Maze prison buildings to be removed
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston calls for the former Maze prison buildings to be delisted and demolished, arguing public money spent maintaining them should instead fund development of the site. He compares the case to Spandau Prison and says the buildings would otherwise become a shrine to terrorists.
Community relations and legacy Economy and employment Original release: Gaston calls for the blight of Maze prison buildings to be removed (opens in a new tab)