Latest releases
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2,505 releases
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Dillon raises serious concerns over infant mortality with Health Minister
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says she has raised with the Health Minister new figures showing Northern Ireland has the highest infant mortality rate, asking what action is being taken and how inequalities between deprived and affluent areas will be tackled.
Health Disability and equality Issue: New infant mortality figures showing Northern Ireland highest rate Original release: Dillon raises serious concerns over infant mortality with Health Minister (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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)
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Yet another Creswell victim let down by incompetence in investigation, says McAllister
Alliance North Belfast MLA Nuala McAllister welcomes a Police Ombudsman report finding the PSNI failed a 2016 complainant over an indecent exposure allegation against Jonathan Creswell. She calls for full transparency, an explanation of why misconduct recommendations are not being followed, and a…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Police Ombudsman findings on PSNI handling of 2016 Creswell complaint Original release: Yet another Creswell victim let down by incompetence in investigation, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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GAA lack of commitment to equality to blame for McAleese departure – Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson Joanna Byrne TD blames the GAA for Dr Mary McAleese's resignation as chair of the Integration Committee, claiming the association has backed away from a workable deadline and from equality. She calls for the GAA to appear before the committee and urges it to restore the…
Disability and equality Issue: Mary McAleese resignation as Integration Committee chair Original release: GAA lack of commitment to equality to blame for McAleese departure – Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA responds to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir's Croke Park climate speech, calling for Northern Ireland's climate targets to be reviewed and revised, citing Climate Change Committee advice on an 82% reduction and Scotland's move to…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA Minister Andrew Muir Environment Ireland Conference climate action speech Original release: Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets (opens in a new tab)
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Geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight by RTÉ unacceptable – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says it is unacceptable that RTÉ is geo-blocking Katie Taylor's fight, locking out viewers in the North. She calls on RTÉ to immediately reverse the decision.
Disability and equality Issue: RTÉ geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight in Northern Ireland Original release: Geo-blocking of Katie Taylor fight by RTÉ unacceptable – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Education Minister must engage with teachers over workload – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan urges the Education Minister to meet teachers and school leaders over workload and avert industrial action, saying a review's recommendations were diluted in the previous plan and teachers are exhausted.
Education Issue: Teacher workload review and industrial action threat Original release: Education Minister must engage with teachers over workload – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)