Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
1,372 releases
-
‘Time to end digital partition of Ireland’
Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis and Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile call for an end to the blocking of northern viewers from watching sporting events on television, and for RTÉ to lift its ban on northern entrants to its competitions. They cite Ireland's Nations League matches as an example and say they…
Disability and equality Original release: ‘Time to end digital partition of Ireland’ (opens in a new tab)
-
Government’s economic gamble “reckless” - Aiken
UUP Finance spokesperson Steve Aiken OBE MLA calls the Chancellor's mini-budget a reckless gamble, warning of mortgage rises and urging the Prime Minister and Chancellor to act now to fix the economic problem.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Chancellor's September 2022 fiscal statement on tax and energy support Original release: Government’s economic gamble “reckless” - Aiken (opens in a new tab)
-
Hunter: Student experiences show need for proper RSE
SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter says a survey of over 1,000 students, which found nearly two-thirds had faced unwanted sexual experiences, shows the need for compulsory relationship and sex education in schools. She calls on Education Minister Michelle McIlveen to act on Gillen Review…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Ulster and Queen's University student sexual experiences survey Original release: Hunter: Student experiences show need for proper RSE (opens in a new tab)
-
Dillon welcomes police action plan to tackle violence against women and girls
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the PSNI’s new action plan aimed at reducing violence against women and girls and urges that an Executive be established immediately to advance a government strategy for their protection.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI violence against women and girls strategy launch Original release: Dillon welcomes police action plan to tackle violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
-
Blair welcomes PSNI violence against women and girls strategy
Alliance MLA John Blair welcomes the PSNI's launch of a strategy to reduce violence against women and girls, citing 34 women and girls killed by men between 2017 and 2021. He calls for a renewed Executive strategy to follow.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI violence against women and girls strategy launch Original release: Blair welcomes PSNI violence against women and girls strategy (opens in a new tab)
-
Time is running out for employment support services, says Armstrong
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong warns that disability employment support services funded by the ESF face closure when funding ends on 31 March, with no Executive to agree a Budget. She calls for urgent funding to keep these services running after a Stormont event held for NIUSE.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Original release: Time is running out for employment support services, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
-
McLaughlin: PSNI action plan to tackle violence against women and girls “long-overdue”
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin describes the PSNI's new action plan on violence against women and girls as overdue and calls for wider action from a reformed Executive, including publication of its delayed strategy on the issue.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI violence against women and girls strategy launch Original release: McLaughlin: PSNI action plan to tackle violence against women and girls “long-overdue” (opens in a new tab)
-
Health Minister must tackle Gender Identity Clinic Staff Shortages – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin urges the Health Minister to tackle staffing gaps at the Brackenburn gender identity clinic, where over 500 people were reportedly waiting as of April. She links the problem to a need for an Executive to fund extra health recruitment.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Brackenburn gender identity clinic waiting list and staffing shortages Original release: Health Minister must tackle Gender Identity Clinic Staff Shortages – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
-
McCrossan supports striking Housing Executive staff
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan backs around 300 Housing Executive staff striking from Monday over pay, and urges the Housing Executive to engage with staff and unions on a pay agreement.
Economy and employment Housing Issue: Housing Executive staff strike over pay offer Original release: McCrossan supports striking Housing Executive staff (opens in a new tab)
-
Brogan welcomes plan for two new special schools
Sinn Féin MLA Nicola Brogan welcomes Education Authority plans to build two new special schools, citing a rise of about 500 pupils in special schools in a year to around 7,150 in September 2022.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority plan to build two new special schools Original release: Brogan welcomes plan for two new special schools (opens in a new tab)
-
Sheehan welcomes plan to increase Irish medium schools
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes Education Authority plans to expand Irish-medium post-primary provision across the north, citing rising enrolments. He calls on the EA to deliver the plan and secure new first-class facilities for Irish-language pupils.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority Irish-medium post-primary expansion plan Original release: Sheehan welcomes plan to increase Irish medium schools (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan: NIHE property maintenance in disarray as contractors walk away
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan raises serious concerns after 11 of 13 contractors left NIHE maintenance contracts worth £455m, warning of impact on 85,000 properties. He says Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey was lackadaisical and calls on her and NIHE to act urgently.
Housing Economy and employment Issue: NIHE maintenance contractors terminate £455m contracts Original release: Durkan: NIHE property maintenance in disarray as contractors walk away (opens in a new tab)
-
Tennyson launches new All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson says he is launching an All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality to make LGBTQIA+ rights a priority this Assembly term. It will examine healthcare inequalities, school bullying, hate crime, the long-delayed LGBTQI+ strategy and banning conversion therapy.
Disability and equality Issue: Launch of All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality Original release: Tennyson launches new All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality (opens in a new tab)
-
Acute Transport Crisis Affecting Children with Special Needs - Brolly
Aontú's education spokesperson Gemma Brolly has asked the Infrastructure Minister to urgently review school transport arrangements, especially for children with special educational needs, citing a shortage of licensed taxi drivers and operators. She urges reinstating earlier support measures that…
Education Infrastructure and transport Original release: Acute Transport Crisis Affecting Children with Special Needs - Brolly (opens in a new tab)
-
Communities and Infrastructure Ministers should convene summit to address housing crisis - Allen
UUP MLA Andy Allen calls on the Communities and Infrastructure Ministers to hold a summit on Northern Ireland's housing crisis, citing just 835 new social homes completed in the last year against a 100,000-home target.
-
O’Lynn writes to Minister as house prices continue to soar
Alliance MLA Patricia O'Lynn says she has written to the Communities Minister about rising house prices in Northern Ireland, citing Causeway Coast and Glens, where average prices rose 12.5 per cent in early 2022, and urges more affordable housing and action on holiday lets.
Housing Issue: Ulster University Quarterly House Price Index Q1 2022 rise Original release: O’Lynn writes to Minister as house prices continue to soar (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong calls for clarification around the end of free lateral flow tests
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls for health Trusts to clarify how ending free lateral flow COVID tests from Monday will affect respite and day‑care provision, urging assurances that these services are restored to pre‑pandemic levels.
Health Disability and equality Issue: End of free lateral flow COVID tests Original release: Armstrong calls for clarification around the end of free lateral flow tests (opens in a new tab)
-
Lack of an Executive exacerbating homelessness issue, says Armstrong
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong says the lack of an Executive is worsening homelessness, citing a Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey response on a 45 per cent rise, linked to private landlords leaving the rental sector. She calls for the Executive and Assembly to be restored before winter.
Housing Issue: Communities Minister response on 45 per cent rise in homelessness Original release: Lack of an Executive exacerbating homelessness issue, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan calls for a review of how Maternity Allowance is treated under Universal Credit, where it is deducted from awards unlike Statutory Maternity Pay, and urges the Communities Minister to press Westminster on the policy.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Original release: Durkan seeks fairer policy on Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit claimants (opens in a new tab)
-
Urgent intervention needed for adult ADHD provision – Kearney
Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney, South Antrim MLA, calls on Health Minister Robin Swann to intervene urgently for adult ADHD services after a constituent was refused NHS medication following a private diagnosis and the Northern Trust reportedly refuses adult referrals.
Health Disability and equality Original release: Urgent intervention needed for adult ADHD provision – Kearney (opens in a new tab)