Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
2,141 releases
-
Late Night transport a huge success for Belfast – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Cáral Ní Chuilín praises the Late Night transport pilot in Belfast, citing over 43,000 journeys and more than 100 major events supported. She credits Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and calls for the scheme to become permanent with Executive colleagues and the…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast Late Night transport pilot project results Original release: Late Night transport a huge success for Belfast – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
O'Neill: Girls Themselves Won U-Turn on Right to Wear Trousers Through Relentless Efforts
People Before Profit's Maeve O'Neill welcomes the decision to let girls wear trousers in school, crediting girls who campaigned for years and criticising Education Minister Paul Givan's U-turn as embarrassing. She calls for the uniform legislation to be challenged and for RSE and menstrual health…
Disability and equality Education Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: O'Neill: Girls Themselves Won U-Turn on Right to Wear Trousers Through Relentless Efforts (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Education Minister’s u-turn an important win for girls – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes DUP Education Minister Paul Givan's decision to make schools give girls the option of trousers, calling it an embarrassing U-turn that followed party and campaigner pressure. She says he should have guaranteed this in his school uniforms legislation.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: Education Minister’s u-turn an important win for girls – Mason (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hunter: Givan’s school trousers U-turn should have come months ago
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA welcomes the Education Minister’s move to permit girls to wear trousers in school uniform, calling the U‑turn overdue, demanding an explanation for the delay and urging consistent rollout across all schools.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: Hunter: Givan’s school trousers U-turn should have come months ago (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Ulster Unionist Party selects Cllr Pete Wray as North Down candidate
Ulster Unionist Party selects Councillor Pete Wray as its North Down candidate for the May 2026 Assembly election; leader Jon Burrows lauds his council record and Wray says he will push for better road funding, NI Water fixes, Bangor regeneration, education and community safety.
Other Infrastructure and transport Issue: UUP selects North Down Assembly candidate Original release: Ulster Unionist Party selects Cllr Pete Wray as North Down candidate (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Minister's change of heart delivers common sense choice for girls, says Burrows
UUP leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA welcomes new guidance giving girls the option to wear trousers as part of school uniform, calling it a common-sense outcome. He says the Education Minister should have acted earlier through uniform guidance rather than forcing the Education…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: Minister's change of heart delivers common sense choice for girls, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Mathison welcomes Education Minister's U-Turn on girls wearing trousers to school
Alliance Education spokesperson and Education Committee Chair Nick Mathison MLA welcomes the Education Minister's updated legal guidelines on girls' right to wear trousers as school uniform, describing it as a U-turn on an earlier decision.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: Mathison welcomes Education Minister's U-Turn on girls wearing trousers to school (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 12 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Better planning and flexibility needed in pre-school admission – Mason
Sinn Féin spokesperson for Childcare Cathy Mason criticises Education Minister Paul Givan's decision to remove priority nursery admission for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. She calls instead for greater planning, funding and places in areas with shortages.
Education Issue: Education Minister immediate changes to pre-school Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances criterion Original release: Better planning and flexibility needed in pre-school admission – Mason (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Falling reading standards demand more books and fewer screens says Burrows
UUP Leader Jon Burrows MLA says reversing falling reading standards, after PISA results showed Northern Ireland's average reading score dropping over the past decade, needs more reading, less screen time, early-years support and less bureaucracy for teachers.
Education Issue: PISA results showing decline in Northern Ireland reading scores Original release: Falling reading standards demand more books and fewer screens says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 20 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong: Rural isolation must never mean suffering in silence
UUP Agriculture and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA, during Rural Crime Week, highlights barriers facing rural domestic abuse victims, including distance from refuges and farm ownership issues, and asks the Justice Minister to check whether rural victims get equal refuge and…
Justice and policing Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Armstrong: Rural isolation must never mean suffering in silence (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Middleton welcomes fairer pre-school admissions for working families
DUP MLA Julie Middleton welcomes Education Minister Paul Givan's immediate changes to the Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances admissions criterion for pre-school places, ahead of its proposed legislative removal, and urges parents and providers to respond to the consultation.
Education Issue: Education Minister immediate changes to pre-school Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances criterion Original release: Middleton welcomes fairer pre-school admissions for working families (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Givan levels playing field in pre-school admissions for hard working…
The DUP says Education Minister Paul Givan has confirmed that only benefits named in the outgoing regulations will count for priority in next year's pre-school admissions, ending the reading-in of replacement benefits. He announced this alongside a public consultation on the Socially Disadvantaged…
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Education Minister immediate changes to pre-school Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances criterion Original release: Givan levels playing field in pre-school admissions for hard working… (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 1 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Eastwood welcomes trust purchase of St Columb’s Hall
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood welcomes National Lottery funding that will bring St Columb's Hall in Derry into the ownership of the St Columb's Hall Trust, allowing a substantial redevelopment to begin. He says the restored venue will return the whole building to public use.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: National Lottery funding for St Columb's Hall trust ownership Original release: Eastwood welcomes trust purchase of St Columb’s Hall (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Stewart: It's not the flag on the lamppost, it's whether the lamppost works
UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA says the party will vote against the Display of Flags and Emblems Bill at Second Stage, arguing it forces the Department for Infrastructure to judge cultural symbols instead of fixing roads, street lighting and drainage.
Community relations and legacy Infrastructure and transport Issue: Display of Flags and Emblems Bill Second Stage Original release: Stewart: It's not the flag on the lamppost, it's whether the lamppost works (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 20 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Harkin: Strike Action Can Put it Up to Stormont Political Establishment
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin backs trade union strike action as a way to press the Stormont establishment for higher pay, public service funding and cost of living support. He accuses MLAs of backing a 27% pay rise for themselves and calls for all-out action demanding a change of…
Economy and employment Education Original release: Harkin: Strike Action Can Put it Up to Stormont Political Establishment (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
McGlone: Long-overdue NI Water audit must deliver answers and accountability
SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone welcomes the long-overdue audit of NI Water governance but says its terms of reference must establish accountability over public money and the handling of whistleblower concerns. He warns against a toothless investigation and says the Executive cannot shift blame…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins forensic governance audit of NI Water Original release: McGlone: Long-overdue NI Water audit must deliver answers and accountability (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back
UUP infrastructure spokesperson John Stewart MLA says NI Water's real crisis is wastewater capacity, not governance, blocking housing developments. He urges DfI to bring forward a funding plan now, alongside Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's forensic governance audit rather than after it.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins forensic governance audit of NI Water Original release: NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Givan launches enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers
Education Minister Paul Givan launches an online induction platform and expanded programme offering learning modules, webinars and face-to-face courses for newly qualified teachers in Northern Ireland's schools, covering literacy, numeracy, SEN, behaviour and classroom practice.
Education Issue: Northern Ireland Teacher Induction Online Platform launch Original release: Givan launches enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 28 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Sheehan criticises Education Minister’s decision to deny four schools integrated status
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan criticises Education Minister Paul Givan's decision to deny integrated status to four schools, saying the DUP is preventing children from being educated together and that families will be dismayed.
Education Issue: Education Minister denies integrated status to four schools Original release: Sheehan criticises Education Minister’s decision to deny four schools integrated status (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Burrows: Education Minister’s New teacher support programme must not add to workload
UUP leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA welcomes the Education Minister's expanded induction support for newly qualified teachers, but says it must come with protected time, fully funded substitute cover and no added workload. He also calls for relief from bureaucracy and better…
Education Issue: Education Minister's enhanced support programme for newly qualified teachers Original release: Burrows: Education Minister’s New teacher support programme must not add to workload (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 19 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)