Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
2,984 releases
-
McGuigan welcomes passing of motion calling for gambling addiction services
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan welcomes a cross-party Assembly motion on a health-led approach to gambling harm and urges the health department to draw up a plan for gambling support services, integrated into mental health and suicide prevention strategies.
Health Issue: Assembly motion calling for health-led approach to gambling harm Original release: McGuigan welcomes passing of motion calling for gambling addiction services (opens in a new tab)
-
Rose Conway-Walsh appointed Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh, newly appointed spokesperson on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, says she will hold the Government to account and calls for immediate examination of business losses from Storm Éowyn and supports for affected firms.
Economy and employment Infrastructure and transport Issue: Rose Conway-Walsh appointed Sinn Féin enterprise spokesperson Original release: Rose Conway-Walsh appointed Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (opens in a new tab)
-
Communities Minister levels the playing field in housing allocation
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee welcomes the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons' decision to scrap intimidation points in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Housing Selection Scheme, arguing victims of domestic abuse have been unfairly scored lower.
Housing Disability and equality Issue: Removal of Housing Executive intimidation points Original release: Communities Minister levels the playing field in housing allocation (opens in a new tab)
-
Removal of Housing Executive Intimidation Points will put lives at risk
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says the Communities Minister's decision to remove Housing Executive intimidation points will put lives at risk, arguing it leaves victims of threats and sectarian, racist or homophobic attacks without priority for permanent homes. He instead calls for…
Housing Disability and equality Issue: Removal of Housing Executive intimidation points Original release: Removal of Housing Executive Intimidation Points will put lives at risk (opens in a new tab)
-
Kimmins welcomes pay deal for resident doctors
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins welcomes the pay deal reached between the health department and the British Medical Association for resident doctors, calling it recognition of their work and urging joint effort on wider health service pressures.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Resident doctors pay deal with BMA welcomed by Sinn Féin Original release: Kimmins welcomes pay deal for resident doctors (opens in a new tab)
-
Dodds calls for further details on tens of millions for professional…
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA calls for further details after revealing over £29 million has been paid in professional fees for the Children's Hospital before construction has begun, noting this is over three times the fees for the completed Maternity Hospital.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Children's Hospital professional fees spending figures Original release: Dodds calls for further details on tens of millions for professional… (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong welcomes removal of intimidation points and planned review of Primary Social Needs.
Alliance's Kellie Armstrong MLA welcomes the Communities Minister's plan to scrap intimidation points in social housing applications and review the Primary Social Needs section. She says moving away Troubles-era measures aids peacebuilding and urges action against perpetrators of violence.
Housing Community relations and legacy Issue: Removal of Housing Executive intimidation points Original release: Armstrong welcomes removal of intimidation points and planned review of Primary Social Needs. (opens in a new tab)
-
People's Housing Bill Consultation
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll introduces the People's Housing Bill, aiming to ease the North’s housing crisis affecting nearly 48,000 households. The plan would cap rents, convert vacant homes into dwellings, set up a Rental Board, tighten landlord duties and enforce basic housing standards
Housing Issue: People's Housing Bill proposal Original release: People's Housing Bill Consultation (opens in a new tab)
-
Kimmins calls for transparency and accountability on cervical screening failures
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins calls for greater transparency and accountability over past cervical screening failures in the Southern Trust, saying many questions remain unanswered after a committee briefing on the review of 17,500 women's tests. She urges women to keep attending smear tests.
Health Issue: Southern Trust cervical screening failures review briefing Original release: Kimmins calls for transparency and accountability on cervical screening failures (opens in a new tab)
-
Alliance representatives emphasise importance of regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week.
Alliance MLAs Nuala McAllister and Michelle Guy urge women to attend regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week. They call for a Department of Health response to Southern Trust misread screening results and back a statutory public inquiry.
Health Issue: Cervical Screening Awareness Week Original release: Alliance representatives emphasise importance of regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week. (opens in a new tab)
-
Boylan encourages public to have its say on MOT consultation
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan encourages the public to respond to a Department for Infrastructure consultation on moving some vehicles from annual to two-yearly MOT testing, open until 16 April 2025. He says Minister John O'Dowd is working to cut MOT wait times through recruitment and Sunday and…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure consultation on biennial MOT testing Original release: Boylan encourages public to have its say on MOT consultation (opens in a new tab)
-
Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls on the Department of Health to explore expanding robotic-assisted surgery to other specialties, after Health Minister figures showed 513 of 599 such surgeries since 2019 were on males. She says the split reflects unequal access to…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Minister's figures on gender split in robotic surgery Original release: Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
-
DUP will oppose unlimited public funds to assisted suicide legislation
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP says the party will vote against a money resolution in the House of Commons giving uncapped public spending for developing the assisted suicide legislation. He argues it risks diverting scarce resources from palliative care and mental health support, and calls for…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Commons money resolution on assisted suicide bill uncapped spending Original release: DUP will oppose unlimited public funds to assisted suicide legislation (opens in a new tab)
-
Flynn welcomes support for reducing stigma surrounding mental ill-health
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes backing from across parties for a motion aimed at reducing stigma around mental ill-health. She credits the Health Minister's work so far, while urging further practical steps and more accessible mental health services under the Mental Health Strategy.
Health Issue: Cross-party motion on reducing stigma around mental ill-health Original release: Flynn welcomes support for reducing stigma surrounding mental ill-health (opens in a new tab)
-
Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins welcomes cross‑party support for a motion urging the health minister to devise specialist autism mental health services, saying many with ASD lack needed care and the minister must work with families to deliver fully accessible support.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion calling for specialist autism mental health services Original release: Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support (opens in a new tab)
-
Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is using unreliable data on vacant properties to excuse inaction on housing, and calls on the Finance and Communities Ministers to ensure empty homes records are accurate and up to date.
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action (opens in a new tab)
-
McAleer welcomes new veterinary nursing degrees at Ulster University
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer welcomes Ulster University's announcement that its Coleraine campus will offer veterinary nursing degrees, and a part-time animal healthcare and practice degree for registered veterinary nurses. He hopes the courses will keep veterinary careers in Northern Ireland…
Agriculture and rural affairs Education Issue: Ulster University Coleraine veterinary nursing degree announcement Original release: McAleer welcomes new veterinary nursing degrees at Ulster University (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan says Executive inaction on empty homes is a missed opportunity after Department of Finance figures showed 21,081 vacant properties across the North. He calls for immediate action, including a review of the Empty Homes Strategy and a scheme similar to Scotland's Empty Home…
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hanna welcomes Irish Government commitment to Northern Ireland
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP welcomes the draft Irish Government Programme for Government, citing its reflection of SDLP proposals on a skills task force, cross-border environment and waterways, and Erasmus access, plus a €1bn-plus Shared Island Unit commitment and a John Hume Fund.
Constitutional affairs Infrastructure and transport Issue: Draft Programme for Government omits presidential voting rights for citizens abroad Original release: Hanna welcomes Irish Government commitment to Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
-
McGrath: Corridor care can’t become the norm
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says corridor care cannot become the norm in hospitals, after an RCN report found some patients dying in corridors. He calls for proper workforce planning and health service transformation, and warns the situation in the North may be worse than…
Health Issue: Royal College of Nursing report on corridor care across Britain and Northern Ireland Original release: McGrath: Corridor care can’t become the norm (opens in a new tab)