Latest releases
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4,778 releases
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Education Minister announces expansion of Pre-School education…
The DUP says Education Minister Paul Givan has approved 102 more pre-school settings to move to full-time, 22.5-hour sessions from September 2026, the second cohort under the Pre-school Standardisation programme.
Education Issue: Pre-school Standardisation programme second cohort approved for September 2026 Original release: Education Minister announces expansion of Pre-School education… (opens in a new tab)
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New support grant scheme for patients
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces a £500,000 Support While Waiting Grant Scheme, with awards of £5,000 to £30,000 for voluntary groups offering wellbeing and practical help to people on HSC waiting lists. Applications close on 30 January 2026.
Health Issue: Support While Waiting Grant Scheme launch Original release: New support grant scheme for patients (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong Slams Sinn Féin of ‘Fantasy Politics’ Over Tuition Fee Abolition Claims
UUP economy spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA accuses Sinn Féin of fantasy politics over claims to abolish tuition fees, saying the Economy Minister's claim to have alone kept fees low is untrue and calling for an explanation of how Magee expansion would be funded and a debate on lifting the MaSN…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Economy Minister's social media video on abolishing tuition fees Original release: Armstrong Slams Sinn Féin of ‘Fantasy Politics’ Over Tuition Fee Abolition Claims (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Challenges DAERA Minister To Break Planning Deadlock Harming NI’s Agri-Food Sector
UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler MLA calls on the DAERA Minister to break a planning deadlock stalling farm improvements, urging adoption of a mitigation-and-betterment model like Natural England's. He also criticises the Department's reliance on the Office for Environmental Protection and a…
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Butler Challenges DAERA Minister To Break Planning Deadlock Harming NI’s Agri-Food Sector (opens in a new tab)
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Get Protected: get your Influenza vaccine
UUP's Health Minister Mike Nesbitt urges eligible people to get flu, Covid-19 and RSV vaccinations after positive flu cases nearly doubled to 954 in a week and flu admissions rose to 264, speaking during a visit to the Ulster Hospital clinic.
Health Original release: Get Protected: get your Influenza vaccine (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister must listen to the public on need for reform of Religious Education, says Mathison
Alliance education spokesperson and Education Committee chair Nick Mathison MLA welcomes a study showing broad public backing for a more pluralistic Religious Education approach. He urges Education Minister to take that support into account when shaping a more inclusive curriculum.
Education Issue: Religious Education pluralistic approach public support study Original release: Education Minister must listen to the public on need for reform of Religious Education, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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8 o’clock Phone Lottery Must End – TUV Responds to Committee Findings on GP Service
TUV councillor Christopher Jamieson says an Assembly Committee's findings on GP services confirm primary care is in crisis, citing the 8am phone lottery and the Department of Health's lack of an FTE GP count. He calls for workforce planning and an end to contract arrangements he says waste public…
Health Issue: Assembly Committee findings on GP services and primary care Original release: 8 o’clock Phone Lottery Must End – TUV Responds to Committee Findings on GP Service (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the response to her consultation on a Bill that would give legal protection to breastfeeding in public and require businesses and service providers to make premises breastfeeding-friendly. She urges councils, businesses and public facilities to display…
Disability and equality Issue: Linda Dillon breastfeeding in public Bill consultation closure Original release: Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public (opens in a new tab)
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Abortion figures continue to rise – Northern Ireland has now lost over 8,000 citizens
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston says abortion figures have risen every year since decriminalisation, citing 2,792 terminations in 2023/24 and over 8,000 in four years. He criticises the Health Minister and his department for not commenting on the released statistical bulletin.
Health Issue: Northern Ireland abortion statistical bulletin figures for 2023/24 Original release: Abortion figures continue to rise – Northern Ireland has now lost over 8,000 citizens (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan responds to access to GP services report
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, who chairs the Health Committee, says the Public Accounts Committee inquiry report on GP access underlines the need to improve services, citing over 15,000 survey responses. He urges the Health Minister to heed people's firsthand accounts and fully weigh the report's…
Health Issue: Public Accounts Committee inquiry report on GP services access Original release: McGuigan responds to access to GP services report (opens in a new tab)
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GP report shows need for urgent action to improve services, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA welcomes a Public Accounts Committee report on access to GP services and urges the Health Minister to engage with GPs and act on its recommendations. She calls for a dedicated Primary Care Strategy and a review of GP contract hand-backs, and…
Health Issue: Public Accounts Committee inquiry report on GP services access Original release: GP report shows need for urgent action to improve services, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Martin – “finding potholes isn’t the problem”
North Down DUP MLA Peter Martin, who chairs the Infrastructure Committee, says the Department for Infrastructure's new digital approach to mapping potholes misses the point. He argues the real problem is repairing defects, not locating them, and calls for faster delivery on the ground.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure digital pothole mapping approach Original release: Martin – “finding potholes isn’t the problem” (opens in a new tab)
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Progress on Layd Cliff Path improvement – McMullan
Sinn Féin Councillor and Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Council Oliver McMullan says he pressed council officers and the PEACEPLUS Partnership to start Layd Cliff Path improvements soon, with completion targeted for 2026. He welcomes the appointment of a design team in November and says a way…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Layd Cliff Path improvement works PEACEPLUS funding progress Original release: Progress on Layd Cliff Path improvement – McMullan (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister opens new £16.5million Elmgrove Primary School
DUP Education Minister Paul Givan marks the official opening of the £16.5million Elmgrove Primary School, a new build with 21 classrooms, SEN rooms, a Nurture room and a double Nursery unit. He praises the investment and the efforts of those who delivered it.
Education Issue: Elmgrove Primary School official opening Original release: Education Minister opens new £16.5million Elmgrove Primary School (opens in a new tab)
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BROLLY: GIVAN MUST ADDRESS TEACHER WORKLOAD CONCERNS
Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly calls on the Department of Education to shift from confrontation to collaboration and take action on teacher workload, following the Independent Review of Teacher Workload. She criticises the Education Minister's legal action over industrial action as adversarial.
Education Issue: Independent Review of Teacher Workload publication Original release: BROLLY: GIVAN MUST ADDRESS TEACHER WORKLOAD CONCERNS (opens in a new tab)
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Public health and care at heart of new Ireland – Cullen
Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen thanks attendees of a Westville Hotel event on rural health and care, where Mary Lou McDonald calls for a Citizens' Assembly on Ireland's future with health as a key theme and for an all-island public health framework.
Health Constitutional affairs Issue: Delivering Rural Health and Care in a New Ireland event, Westville Hotel Original release: Public health and care at heart of new Ireland – Cullen (opens in a new tab)
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McNulty: Potholes must be fixed, not just mapped
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Justin McNulty MLA says the draft Road Maintenance Strategy's digital road surveys do not go far enough, calling for potholes to be fixed rather than just mapped. He says he will question the Infrastructure Minister on how success will be measured and…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure digital pothole mapping approach Original release: McNulty: Potholes must be fixed, not just mapped (opens in a new tab)
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More than 700 newly-qualified social workers employed directly by Trusts since June 2023
The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes figures showing over 700 newly-qualified social workers have been directly employed by Health and Social Care Trusts since mid-2023, after agency recruitment ended. The release cites a record 344 training places this academic year.
Health Economy and employment Original release: More than 700 newly-qualified social workers employed directly by Trusts since June 2023 (opens in a new tab)
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Baby loss certificate scheme will provide some solace for parents and families – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomes the Assembly's passing of the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill, which introduces a certificate acknowledging baby loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy. She credits ministers Caoimhe Archibald and John O'Dowd and says Sinn Féin is also pursuing paid leave for…
Health Issue: Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill final stage passage Original release: Baby loss certificate scheme will provide some solace for parents and families – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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Dignity at the end of life must be a priority - Dodds
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA responds to the Health Committee's report on palliative and end-of-life care, saying services are fragmented and under-resourced and calling for palliative care to be funded as a core service, with hospices no longer left uncertain each year.
Health Issue: Assembly Health Committee report on palliative and end-of-life care Original release: Dignity at the end of life must be a priority - Dodds (opens in a new tab)