Latest releases
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1,457 releases
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Women must be kept updated during smear testing review – Dillon
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says women must receive full information throughout the cervical smear testing review, which will start on 30 October and cover 17,500 tests. She urges timely, accurate handling, urgent rollout of HPV testing across the north, welcomes the Department of Health’s December‑t
Health Disability and equality Issue: Southern Trust cervical cancer screening review smear test re-checks Original release: Women must be kept updated during smear testing review – Dillon (opens in a new tab)
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Anniversary of ending of Ministers' terms should make us all reflect and increases need for reform, says Muir
Alliance's Andrew Muir MLA says the first anniversary of the Executive's collapse should prompt reflection on the hardship caused by no Ministers, and calls for reform of the Executive, including weighted majority voting, to stop parties blocking government.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: One year anniversary of Northern Ireland Executive collapse Original release: Anniversary of ending of Ministers' terms should make us all reflect and increases need for reform, says Muir (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance calls for review of carers allowance
Alliance MLAs Patrick Brown, spokesperson on Poverty, and Kellie Armstrong call for a review of Carers Allowance, backing Carers NI recommendations including a higher earnings threshold, a taper and a working carer's element. They also urge Westminster to uplift the benefit.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Original release: Alliance calls for review of carers allowance (opens in a new tab)
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DUP should take action against Councillor over comments linking LGBTQ+ people to terrorism
An Alliance spokesperson calls on DUP leadership to take immediate action against Councillor Colin Kennedy over homophobic comments linking LGBTQ+ people with Hamas at an Ards and North Down Borough Council meeting. The spokesperson says the DUP must say whether it will suspend him.
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Councillor Colin Kennedy comments linking LGBTQ+ people to Hamas Original release: DUP should take action against Councillor over comments linking LGBTQ+ people to terrorism (opens in a new tab)
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Barr welcomes Anti-Domestic Violence Action within Mid and East Antrim
UUP Councillor Alan Barr welcomes a recent council motion in Mid and East Antrim committing the council to work with other agencies on tackling domestic violence, and says his amendment on violence against men and boys was accepted. He urges men affected to report it to police or contact the Men's…
Justice and policing Local government Issue: Mid and East Antrim council domestic violence notice of motion Original release: Barr welcomes Anti-Domestic Violence Action within Mid and East Antrim (opens in a new tab)
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Benefits should be brought in line with the rate of inflation, says Armstrong
Alliance Communities spokesperson and Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on the UK Government to uprate benefits in line with the 6.7 per cent September CPI inflation figure, warning that a freeze would push more children into poverty and blaming the Stormont impasse for worsening the situation.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: September 2023 CPI inflation figure of 6.7 per cent Original release: Benefits should be brought in line with the rate of inflation, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly should be restored to support women going through menopause – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for the Assembly to be restored immediately to support women experiencing menopause, citing stigma, a lack of awareness and the absence of a women's health strategy in the north. She urges the DUP to end its boycott and return to work.
Health Disability and equality Original release: Assembly should be restored to support women going through menopause – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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British government should provide proper funding to support children with special educational needs – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes Education Department approval for a new special school in Belfast and an expansion of Harberton school, adding 450 places, and calls for the Assembly to be restored so funding can start construction.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Belfast special school and Harberton expansion approval by Education Department Original release: British government should provide proper funding to support children with special educational needs – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Mathison welcomes announcement of new Belfast special school
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA welcomes the Department of Education's approval of a new Belfast special school and expansion of Harberton School, but says interim places must be in suitable accommodation. He says the projects depend on capital funding of over £80 million and…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Belfast special school and Harberton expansion approval by Education Department Original release: Mathison welcomes announcement of new Belfast special school (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds welcomes additional funding for Special Schools
DUP MLA Diane Dodds welcomes £5 million in reprofiled Department of Education funding for maintenance in Special Schools but says it is only a small step. She calls for new Special School builds and a fix to placement problems for children with Statements of Educational Need.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Special Schools £5 million maintenance funding reprofiling Original release: Dodds welcomes additional funding for Special Schools (opens in a new tab)
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‘Tackling Violence against Women and Girls strategy must be a priority’ – Michelle O’Neill
Sinn Féin First Minister Designate Michelle O’Neill says the plan to end violence against women and girls should be advanced urgently, welcomes the first‑year action plan, and urges full funding and swift implementation.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Year 1 Action plan for Ending Violence against Women and Girls Original release: ‘Tackling Violence against Women and Girls strategy must be a priority’ – Michelle O’Neill (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong congratulates Community Transport on 25 years of service across NI
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA congratulates Community Transport on 25 years of providing affordable, accessible transport across Northern Ireland, recalling her earlier work with local community transport groups and the role minibuses play for people with limited mobility.
Infrastructure and transport Disability and equality Original release: Armstrong congratulates Community Transport on 25 years of service across NI (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast becomes Right To Food city
SDLP councillor Paul Doherty welcomes Belfast City Council's vote to recognise the city as a Right To Food city, a motion he brought forward to highlight food poverty and urge Stormont and Westminster to act. He calls for legally enshrined access to food, including community kitchens, free school…
Social security and welfare Local government Issue: Belfast City Council Right To Food city motion vote Original release: Belfast becomes Right To Food city (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Free period products must be delivered
SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter says free period products should reach people across the North after a Menstruation Matters event at Stormont. She calls for the period products legislation to be kept intact and implemented in schools, colleges and public buildings.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Stormont Menstruation Matters event on period products legislation Original release: Hunter: Free period products must be delivered (opens in a new tab)
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Doug Beattie meets with Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland as local government funding is due to stop
UUP Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA says he met Women's Aid Federation NI over its loss of core Department of Health funding from 30 September, and calls for a return to government to secure funding for domestic abuse support organisations.
Justice and policing Local government Issue: Department of Health Women's Aid Federation funding ending Original release: Doug Beattie meets with Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland as local government funding is due to stop (opens in a new tab)
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There can be no tolerance for hate crime – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey says hate crime is unacceptable after a Detail report showed race hate crimes rising across the north and more than doubling in South Belfast. She urges victims to report incidents to the PSNI and pledges continued engagement with minority ethnic groups.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Detail report on rising race hate crime in Northern Ireland Original release: There can be no tolerance for hate crime – Hargey (opens in a new tab)
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Archibald calls on Department of Health to continue Women’s Aid funding
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says Department of Health funding for the Women's Aid Federation is set to end within days and urges the Permanent Secretary to commit to continuing the £147,000 annual grant.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health Women's Aid Federation funding ending Original release: Archibald calls on Department of Health to continue Women’s Aid funding (opens in a new tab)
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Belfast Trust lack of transparency extremely unhelpful on ending of meals on wheels service, says McAllister
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister says Belfast Trust's lack of transparency over ending its meals on wheels service has been unhelpful, and calls on the Trust to guarantee no one goes without meals and to set up a sustainable solution for users.
Health Social security and welfare Issue: Belfast Trust meals on wheels service ending without replacement Original release: Belfast Trust lack of transparency extremely unhelpful on ending of meals on wheels service, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Egan criticises decision to axe Women's Aid funding
Alliance MLA Connie Egan criticises the removal of central government funding for Women's Aid, saying Northern Ireland is now the only UK region where the group receives none. She warns the decision could harm people needing urgent help and blames the DUP's Stormont boycott.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health Women's Aid Federation funding ending Original release: Egan criticises decision to axe Women's Aid funding (opens in a new tab)
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Pupils can hide their “gender” from parents in NI schools
TUV leader Jim Allister calls on the Education Authority to withdraw and revise its "Supporting Transgender Young People" guidance, claiming it lets schools withhold pupils' gender transitioning from parents. He also says pronoun options in the SIMS school records system should be removed.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority "Supporting Transgender Young People" guidance and SIMS pronoun option Original release: Pupils can hide their “gender” from parents in NI schools (opens in a new tab)