Latest releases
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4,524 releases
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Green Party Cllr Kendall Again Condemns Executive Over Continued Delay of Safe Leave
Green Party Councillor Lauren Kendall accuses the Economy Minister and the Executive of stalling Safe Leave, which would give paid leave to domestic abuse victims, and says the delay is letting victims down. She links the criticism to new Women's Aid figures on refuge use and referrals in 2024/25.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Safe Leave legislation delay and inaction Original release: Green Party Cllr Kendall Again Condemns Executive Over Continued Delay of Safe Leave (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 29 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Fein hypocrisy highlighted following Enniskillen Hotel event
TUV spokesperson Alex Elliott accuses Sinn Fein of hypocrisy over an Enniskillen Hotel event on an all-Ireland health service, linking the party to a republican terror campaign that he says drained health resources. He also rejects a proposed €100 GP charge and calls the event an electioneering…
Health Community relations and legacy Issue: Sinn Fein Enniskillen Hotel all-Ireland health service event Original release: Sinn Fein hypocrisy highlighted following Enniskillen Hotel event (opens in a new tab)
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Citizens’ Assembly on future of Ireland must have healthcare front and centre – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, speaking at a Commission on the Future of Ireland event in Enniskillen on rural health, urges Dublin to hold a citizens' forum on the island's future with health and social care central, and urges deeper cross-border health planning and an all-island public…
Health Constitutional affairs Original release: Citizens’ Assembly on future of Ireland must have healthcare front and centre – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says the British Chancellor's Autumn Budget missed an opportunity to redirect public funding towards those most in need, arguing £18.8 million extra this financial year falls far short of front-line service needs.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Northern Ireland funding and tax threshold freeze Original release: Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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Scrapping of two child limit creates fairness for families – Gildernew
Sinn Féin communities spokesperson Colm Gildernew welcomes the British government's decision, announced in the budget statement, to scrap the two child benefit limit. He says the limit pushed families into poverty and that the change will help hard-pressed families.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: British government scrapping of two child benefit limit in budget Original release: Scrapping of two child limit creates fairness for families – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Wilson – this is a bad budget for those who work
DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson says the Budget is unfair to low-income workers, arguing that freezing income tax thresholds until 2031 will pull more people into paying tax or the higher rate. He also criticises net zero spending, the £17m for the Windsor Framework and inheritance tax changes for…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Wilson – this is a bad budget for those who work (opens in a new tab)
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Mason welcomes support to allow girls the right to wear trousers in school
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes cross-party support on the Education Committee for a proposal giving girls a clear right to wear trousers in school. She says the DUP Education Minister missed a chance to modernise school uniform policy and pledges to work with others to deliver it.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Mason welcomes support to allow girls the right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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TUV responds to Budget
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Budget does little for Northern Ireland, criticising the continued farm death tax, lack of funding for PSNI data breach costs and officer shortages, and a £16m Irish Sea border payment he says amounts to under £5m a year over three years.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: TUV responds to Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin representatives welcome Health Minister to Dungannon respite facility
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew and Councillor Nuala McLernon welcome the Health Minister's visit to Woodlawn House in Dungannon, which provides adult respite for people with learning disabilities, and call for urgent action on repeated last-minute respite cancellations.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Health Minister visit to Woodlawn House Dungannon respite facility Original release: Sinn Féin representatives welcome Health Minister to Dungannon respite facility (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget
SDLP leader Claire Hanna welcomes the scrapping of the two-child welfare limit and a £370m boost for Northern Ireland in the Budget, but calls on Executive Ministers to act on health, housing, justice and childcare rather than blaming Westminster.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Swann Slams Autumn Budget as ‘Failure for Workers and Rural Communities’
UUP MP Robin Swann says the Autumn Budget fails workers, households and farm families, criticising the threshold freeze and the absence of Farm Family Inheritance Tax changes. He also says the £370m Barnet consequential falls short of the Finance Minister's £400m shortfall and that the Internal…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Northern Ireland funding and tax threshold freeze Original release: Swann Slams Autumn Budget as ‘Failure for Workers and Rural Communities’ (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong Welcomes Cut in Electricity Connection Costs as Boost for Rural Growth and Renewable Energy
UUP economy spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA welcomes the Department's move to limit connection charges to the cables and equipment needed to reach the main grid, arguing it will boost rural businesses, developers and renewable energy projects. She says small initial rises in bills should level…
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Department for the Economy electricity connection cost reduction Original release: Armstrong Welcomes Cut in Electricity Connection Costs as Boost for Rural Growth and Renewable Energy (opens in a new tab)
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Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood says the UK Budget fails working families, small businesses and vulnerable people, welcoming the removal of the two child benefit cap but criticising the income tax threshold freeze and the lack of a hospitality VAT cut. She urges the Finance Minister to replicate…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Budget leaves Northern Ireland behind and fails to deliver for working families, says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school
Alliance MLA Michelle Guy welcomes the Education Committee's decision to take forward a single-issue bill allowing girls to choose trousers as part of school uniform. She says the Education Minister could have made the change through his uniform guidance and urges him to update the guidelines…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee proposal on girls' right to wear trousers in school Original release: Alliance backs decision to take forward legislation to give girls right to wear trousers in school (opens in a new tab)
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Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey condemns graffiti on a property near Ravenhill Embankment in south Belfast that she describes as racist. She says the community is diverse and urges anyone with information to contact police.
Disability and equality Issue: Racist graffiti on property near Ravenhill Embankment, south Belfast Original release: Hargey condemns south Belfast racist graffiti (opens in a new tab)
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No case for handing Sinn Fein greater fiscal powers – Forsythe
South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe rejects an SDLP motion in the Assembly seeking additional tax-raising powers for a Sinn Fein Finance Minister, arguing such powers would mean higher taxes and that the Minister has not shown sound financial management.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: SDLP Assembly motion on additional devolved fiscal powers Original release: No case for handing Sinn Fein greater fiscal powers – Forsythe (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin working to properly invest in public services – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan praises Finance Minister John O'Dowd's efforts to secure fairer funding for public services during Assembly debate on the Executive's multi-year budget. She says the Executive remains underfunded and calls on the British government for powers to raise money locally.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Executive multi-year budget debate in the Assembly Original release: Sinn Féin working to properly invest in public services – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Do nothing Executive letting Belfast Lough go same way as Lough Neagh
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says the Executive lacks any plan to tackle sewage pollution in Belfast Lough, after the Office for Environmental Protection reported spills there are damaging the environment. He calls for the Infrastructure Minister and Executive to bring forward…
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Office for Environmental Protection investigation into NI Water sewage discharges into Belfast Lough Original release: O'Toole: Do nothing Executive letting Belfast Lough go same way as Lough Neagh (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin secures review into social services after raising concerns with Minister
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin welcomes Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's confirmation that officials will review how social services operate alongside family courts, after she raised parents' cases with him. She says the review must move quickly and questions why concerns did not reach the…
Health Issue: Health Department review of social services and family courts Original release: McLaughlin secures review into social services after raising concerns with Minister (opens in a new tab)
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O'Toole: Executive can’t blame London for own failures
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA says Executive Ministers cannot keep blaming the UK Government for their own failures, ahead of the UK Budget. He calls on Ministers to use the powers they hold on health, housing and the environment, and urges the Finance Minister to open the books.
Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Budget and Executive Ministers' use of powers at SDLP Opposition Day Original release: O'Toole: Executive can’t blame London for own failures (opens in a new tab)