Latest releases
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11,733 releases
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Campbell calls for small business rates assistance
DUP MP Gregory Campbell calls on the Department of Finance to introduce an early payment discount for non-domestic ratepayers, similar to the 4% household scheme, and to allow small businesses to pay rates by credit card. He raised the issue in a letter and in Commons questions.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: Campbell calls for small business rates assistance (opens in a new tab)
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Smyth welcomes Westminster intervention to block Nicola Sturgeon’s Gender Reform Bill
TUV spokesperson Lorna Smyth welcomes the UK Government's plan to lay a Section 35 order blocking Scotland's Gender Reform Bill, arguing it protects women and girls and accusing Alliance's Stephen Farry and Eóin Tennyson of hypocrisy.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Section 35 order to block Scotland's Gender Reform Bill Original release: Smyth welcomes Westminster intervention to block Nicola Sturgeon’s Gender Reform Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party welcomes Audit Office intervention in fuel poverty hardship fund
Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn welcomes the Audit Office's decision to investigate Belfast City Council's use of community groups to distribute fuel poverty hardship fund vouchers. He says the Greens had warned about capacity risks and called for a review of those groups, and criticises the…
Social security and welfare Local government Issue: Audit Office request for Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund independent review Original release: Green Party welcomes Audit Office intervention in fuel poverty hardship fund (opens in a new tab)
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Retained EU Law Bill threatens gender equality in the workplace, says Nicholl
Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl says the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, due at its remaining Commons stages, threatens workplace protections such as holiday pay, maternity leave and equal pay, and risks women's rights. She says the party will oppose it.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill Commons stages Original release: Retained EU Law Bill threatens gender equality in the workplace, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong convenes cross-party group of Communities spokespeople to hear Budget pressures
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong, Communities spokesperson, says she convened a cross-party meeting of Communities spokespeople with officials from the Department for Communities to hear Budget pressures for 2022/23 and 2023/24. She warns of a devastating Budget and hopes for more such collaborations.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Cross-party Communities spokespeople meeting on Department for Communities Budget pressures Original release: Armstrong convenes cross-party group of Communities spokespeople to hear Budget pressures (opens in a new tab)
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Audit Office requests copy of report on funding awards after Alliance raises concerns about roll-out of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund
Alliance's Belfast City Councillor Sam Nelson welcomes the Audit Office's request for a copy of an independent review into Belfast City Council's use of Local Strategic Partners for the Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund and urges it to be completed quickly.
Local government Public finance and taxation Issue: Audit Office request for Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund independent review Original release: Audit Office requests copy of report on funding awards after Alliance raises concerns about roll-out of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund (opens in a new tab)
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Farry proposes amendment to exempt Northern Ireland from "sinister” Retained EU Law Bill
Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP says he has tabled an amendment exempting Northern Ireland-specific retained EU legislation from the automatic December 31 sunset clause in the Retained EU Law Bill, warning the Bill could undermine devolution.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill sunset clause amendment Original release: Farry proposes amendment to exempt Northern Ireland from "sinister” Retained EU Law Bill (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP challenges NI Secretary over jobs at risk due to loss of ESF funding
SDLP MP Claire Hanna challenges the Secretary of State to set out what is being done to protect over 1,300 voluntary and community sector jobs at risk when European Social Fund money ends in March. SDLP's Daniel McCrossan says the sector faces a cliff edge without confirmation of UKSPF replacement…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Voluntary and community sector jobs at risk from ESF funding end Original release: SDLP challenges NI Secretary over jobs at risk due to loss of ESF funding (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Scrapping EU law could destroy workers’ rights
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna says the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill could remove workers' protections, including paid leave, equal pay and maternity rights, ahead of its Commons stages. She says the SDLP will keep opposing it at Westminster.
Economy and employment International affairs Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill Commons stages Original release: Hanna: Scrapping EU law could destroy workers’ rights (opens in a new tab)
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Sir Jeffrey – “this is not a time for sticking plasters”
DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP says the Joint Statement from the EU and UK Government falls short, insisting the Protocol needs replacing with terms unionists can back that restore Northern Ireland's economic and constitutional standing. He says the DUP's seven tests will judge any outcomes.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK joint statement on Northern Ireland Protocol talks Original release: Sir Jeffrey – “this is not a time for sticking plasters” (opens in a new tab)
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MacManus visits Errigal College
Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands Northwest Chris MacManus says he recently visited Errigal College in Letterkenny to hold a discussion with Transition Year students taking part in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme.
Education International affairs Original release: MacManus visits Errigal College (opens in a new tab)
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EU / U.K. statement ends up signifying nothing
TUV leader Jim Allister says a joint EU-UK statement amounts to nothing, failing to address what he calls the sovereignty grab of the Protocol. He argues talks cannot progress until constitutional issues are dealt with, as they only cover the Protocol's operation rather than its content.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK joint statement on Northern Ireland Protocol talks Original release: EU / U.K. statement ends up signifying nothing (opens in a new tab)
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Delivering the A5 dualling a key priority – O’Neill
Sinn Féin MLA Michelle O'Neill calls for the Irish government and any restored Executive to make delivery of the A5 dualling a shared priority, after raising it with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during his visit to the North.
Infrastructure and transport Original release: Delivering the A5 dualling a key priority – O’Neill (opens in a new tab)
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MacManus Commends Work Of Inishowen Development Partnership
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus commends Inishowen Development Partnership's work with local groups through LEADER and other EU funding, after a visit to its Carndonagh offices. He argues grassroots-led rural development is more effective.
Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: MacManus Commends Work Of Inishowen Development Partnership (opens in a new tab)
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TUV responds to UUP Leader’s denial of Protocol threat to the Union
TUV leader Jim Allister says it is disappointing and alarming that UUP leader Doug Beattie denied on Sunday Politics that the Protocol threatens the Union. He argues the Protocol treats GB as foreign for NI trade and subjects NI to EU law, and accuses Beattie of departing from the September 2021…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: UUP leader denies Protocol threatens the Union on Sunday Politics Original release: TUV responds to UUP Leader’s denial of Protocol threat to the Union (opens in a new tab)
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Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st.
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín, chair of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign, says a National Hospitals Campaign meeting has organised a national day of action on 21 January against A&E overcrowding and capacity cuts. He says the HSE's Navan ambulance bypass is causing chaos, and calls for a review of the HSE…
Health Issue: National Hospitals Campaign day of action on 21 January Original release: Hospital Campaigns Commit to National Day of Action on A&E Overcrowding on January 21st. (opens in a new tab)
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Aontú will name British Soldiers who Murdered on Bloody Sunday if Tory Legacy Bill is Passed
Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín warns his party would name alleged British soldiers involved in the Bloody Sunday killings in the Dáil if the Westminster Troubles legacy Bill becomes law. He says the Bill grants an amnesty to British forces and denies families truth and justice.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Issue: Westminster Troubles legacy Bill passage through the House of Lords Original release: Aontú will name British Soldiers who Murdered on Bloody Sunday if Tory Legacy Bill is Passed (opens in a new tab)
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Nesbitt backs Police concerns on cost of living crisis
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt backs a special edition of the Police Federation's Police Beat magazine on the cost of living crisis's impact on serving officers. He warns of officer attrition and loss of experience, contrasts PSNI pay support with prison recruitment funding, and calls for the Assembly to be…
Justice and policing Economy and employment Issue: Police Beat special edition on cost of living impact on officers Original release: Nesbitt backs Police concerns on cost of living crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Protocol deal must restore Northern Ireland’s place within UK Internal Market – Beattie
UUP Leader Doug Beattie MLA urges the UK Government and EU not to agree a Northern Ireland Protocol deal merely to conclude talks, and calls for long-lasting solutions that restore and protect Northern Ireland's place within the UK Internal Market. He says he will oppose any deal that makes…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK joint statement on Northern Ireland Protocol talks Original release: Protocol deal must restore Northern Ireland’s place within UK Internal Market – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today
Alliance Spokesperson for Migration Kate Nicholl MLA marks Martin Luther King Day, saying his fight against racial inequality remains as relevant today. She cites the 2022 killing of Keenan Anderson by Los Angeles police and says Black communities face violence from both police and white…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Original release: Nicholl marks Martin Luther King Day and says his fight against racial inequality is still just as relevant today (opens in a new tab)