Latest releases
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2,925 releases
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British government should scrap ‘shameful’ welfare cuts – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the British government to scrap its proposed welfare reforms, which he says would remove support disabled people need to enter or stay in work and could affect carers allowance. He made the call after the party submitted its consultation response.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: British government welfare reform consultation Sinn Féin response Original release: British government should scrap ‘shameful’ welfare cuts – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Supreme Court ruling must be implemented - Lockhart
DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart says she is deeply disappointed by the Equality Commission's response to the Supreme Court judgment on what counts as a woman, arguing it casts doubt on implementing the ruling. She calls on the Government to make clear that EU law does not bind the decision.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Equality Commission response to Supreme Court sex-based protections judgment Original release: Supreme Court ruling must be implemented - Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Windsor Framework Used to Force Radical Gender Policies on Northern Ireland
TUV leader Jim Allister MP says the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has abandoned its impartial role by publishing guidance on sex and gender reassignment under Article 2 of the Windsor Framework. He calls for the UK government to challenge Article 2 and says the Protocol must go.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Equality Commission guidance on sex and gender reassignment under Windsor Framework Article 2 Original release: Windsor Framework Used to Force Radical Gender Policies on Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party Leader cautiously welcomes Equality Commission way forward following Supreme Court judgment
Green Party Leader Mal O'Hara welcomes the Equality Commission's announcement on its proposed pathway after the Supreme Court judgment, calling it a constructive step giving legal clarity. He says the Supreme Court failed to resolve Northern Ireland's distinct legal position and that the Green…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Equality Commission response to Supreme Court sex-based protections judgment Original release: Green Party Leader cautiously welcomes Equality Commission way forward following Supreme Court judgment (opens in a new tab)
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Lack of synchronisation threatens the future of people with disabilities, says Armstrong
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls for a joint meeting of the Departments for Communities and the Economy to improve disability employment rates, citing a 38.7% disability employment rate against 54.4% in the UK. She highlights Supported Employment from the Mind the Gap report and warns that…
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: Mind the Gap Summit disability employment and Supported Employment report Original release: Lack of synchronisation threatens the future of people with disabilities, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Crisis at EA cannot continue
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says the Education Authority's crisis cannot continue after it revealed around 164 pupils with special educational needs lack a school place for next year. She opposes instructing mainstream schools to take them, arguing some need dedicated…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority reports 160+ SEN children awaiting school places Original release: Hunter: Crisis at EA cannot continue (opens in a new tab)
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Joanna Byrne TD raises Casement Park with Minister for Sport
Sinn Féin's sport spokesperson Joanna Byrne says she raised Casement Park with the junior sport minister, welcoming the £43 million from the Irish government and urging all parties to work together so construction starts soon.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Casement Park stadium funding and construction progress Original release: Joanna Byrne TD raises Casement Park with Minister for Sport (opens in a new tab)
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Lyons announces new fund for investment in sustainability of…
The DUP's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announces a pilot Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund of around £4million to refurbish halls and community buildings, launching in autumn 2025, subject to approvals.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund pilot announcement Original release: Lyons announces new fund for investment in sustainability of… (opens in a new tab)
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Clarity needed for A5 landowners - McIlveen
DUP Agriculture Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Michelle McIlveen MLA calls on the Infrastructure Minister to urgently engage with landowners and farmers over the A5 route after the judicial review ruling, and to say whether vesting orders will be rescinded and compensation paid.
Infrastructure and transport Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: A5 road scheme judicial review ruling Original release: Clarity needed for A5 landowners - McIlveen (opens in a new tab)
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‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker seeks an Urgent Oral Question so the Education Minister must answer in the Assembly on the handling of school placements for children with special educational needs. He says up to 160 such children still lack a confirmed place for the 2025/26 year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special educational needs school placement shortfall for 2025/26 academic year Original release: ‘Education Minister must appear before Assembly to explain handling of SEN placements’ – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew urges the UK government to halt its planned welfare cuts, following a joint letter from the Communities Committees in the North, Wales and Scotland raising concerns about the measures. He argues money for military spending should instead fund employment support and…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Proposed UK welfare cuts for sick and disabled people Original release: British government must reverse proposed welfare cuts – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie
UUP justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA says the failure to collect data on biological sex undermines efforts to end violence against women and girls. He says the PSNI and other departments are not recording victims' or perpetrators' sex for sexual offences, and calls for correct collection…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Independent Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Original release: Women are being failed - data on sex is not being collected making ending violence against women and girls nothing more than a slogan – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to ensure all schools, including grammar schools, provide special educational needs placements. He says non-selective schools have carried most of the load and calls for a new approach, and has called for a committee inquiry into the issue.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Education Minister should ensure all schools play their part in providing SEN placements – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Brolly: Less time on social media videos and more on legislation could have saved A5
Aontú Deputy Leader Mrs Brolly says a court ruling halting the A5 on Climate Change Act grounds is a devastating result for families bereaved on the road. She blames SDLP, Sinn Féin, PBP and Alliance for backing the Act, claims they were warned of its impact, and calls for the Executive to get…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: A5 road scheme judicial review ruling Original release: Brolly: Less time on social media videos and more on legislation could have saved A5 (opens in a new tab)
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Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison
Alliance MLAs Michelle Guy and Nick Mathison say the Education Minister must explore all options to resolve the special educational needs placement crisis, after the Education Authority reported over 160 children still lack confirmed school places for next year.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority reports 160+ SEN children awaiting school places Original release: Crisis response from the Education Minister needed on SEN school placements, say Guy and Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes
Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes welcomes a new Sinn Féin bill, introduced by TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne, to end RTÉ geo-blocking and the exclusion of northern audiences from its competitions. He says the bill would require broadcasters to make reasonable efforts and would ask Coimisiún na…
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin introduce bill to end RTÉ’s second-class treatment of audiences in north – Hughes (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD
Sinn Féin TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne say they have been given leave to introduce a first-stage Dáil bill requiring RTÉ to end the exclusion of Six County audiences from its services, including geo-blocking and audience competitions.
Disability and equality Issue: Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) Bill first-stage Dáil introduction Original release: Sinn Féin to introduce bill to end second-class treatment of audiences in North by RTÉ – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD & Joanna Byrne TD (opens in a new tab)
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Minister needs to get to grips with NI Water challenges – Erskine
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, Chair of the NI Assembly Infrastructure Committee, says the investigation into unauthorised NI Water overspend amounts to a whitewash of core issues. She calls on the Infrastructure Minister to return to the Assembly and set out how financial targets will be met and…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: NI Water unauthorised overspend investigation report Original release: Minister needs to get to grips with NI Water challenges – Erskine (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party leader warns against SDLP populism to unpick the Climate Act
Green Party leader Mal O'Hara accuses the SDLP of populism over its call to unpick the Climate Act 2022 to fund a road project. He says the SDLP voted to split climate targets and backed Going for Growth, and calls for the money to fund A5 road safety and a Portadown to Derry rail line instead.
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: SDLP call to unpick the Climate Act for A5 road Original release: Green Party leader warns against SDLP populism to unpick the Climate Act (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Minister ignoring consequences of NI Water underfunding
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says the Infrastructure Minister is ignoring the scale of the crisis at NI Water, claiming current funding cannot fix ageing wastewater infrastructure and calling for the Minister to deliver the required money.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: NI Water unauthorised overspend investigation report Original release: Durkan: Minister ignoring consequences of NI Water underfunding (opens in a new tab)