Latest releases
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2,488 releases
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Armstrong welcomes increased health support for people in receipt of Universal Credit.
Alliance Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong welcomes plans to extend free sight tests, dental treatment and hospital travel help to Universal Credit claimants in Northern Ireland, saying realignment with the UK should happen within six months, followed by a six-week consultation.
Health Social security and welfare Issue: Universal Credit eyecare and health cost entitlement realignment with UK Original release: Armstrong welcomes increased health support for people in receipt of Universal Credit. (opens in a new tab)
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Other parties' decision to protect polluters shameful, says Blair, following AERA Committee vote.
Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair calls the AERA Committee's rejection of tougher penalties for repeat waterway polluters "shameful", blaming Sinn Féin, DUP, UUP and SDLP for blocking the restrictions and demanding they account for their reversal on environmental protection.
Environment and climate Issue: AERA Committee vote on tougher waterway pollution penalties Original release: Other parties' decision to protect polluters shameful, says Blair, following AERA Committee vote. (opens in a new tab)
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North Antrim MP joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses
TUV MP Jim Allister says he has joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses to help shape government policy supporting the bus-building sector, which he says matters to North Antrim's economy. He calls for government investment in hydrogen infrastructure and says Wrightbus should…
Economy and employment Infrastructure and transport Issue: Jim Allister joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses Original release: North Antrim MP joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses (opens in a new tab)
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Relevant decision makers must be held accountable for hospital fiasco…
Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds, the DUP's health spokesperson, welcomes the Belfast Trust and Department of Health being called to brief the Health Committee on the new Royal Victoria maternity hospital. She calls for accountability over delays, rising costs and bacteria in water pipework.
Health Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast Trust and Department of Health appearance before Health Committee on maternity hospital Original release: Relevant decision makers must be held accountable for hospital fiasco… (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin urges Executive to do more to support women and girls
SDLP Opposition MLA Sinéad McLaughlin says the Executive must do more to support frontline services, after Women's Aid's annual report showed almost 11,000 referrals in 2023/24, up 600 on the previous year. She calls for greater investment across all departments.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Women's Aid annual report 2023/24 referrals increase Original release: McLaughlin urges Executive to do more to support women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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Eirgrid Project yet Another Example of Government Waste and a Litany of Broken Promises
Aontú Cllr Emer Tóibín, a Meath East candidate, says EirGrid's refusal to meet residents over its 17-year North-South project is wasteful and calls for government accountability for over €30 million in taxpayer spending. She also criticises government TDs for not co-signing Peadar Tóibín's…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: EirGrid refusal to meet communities over North-South Interconnector pylons Original release: Eirgrid Project yet Another Example of Government Waste and a Litany of Broken Promises (opens in a new tab)
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‘No Dignity in Lying’: Carla Lockhart
DUP MLA Carla Lockhart argues that the 'dignity' language used by assisted suicide campaigners, such as Dignity in Dying, is a misleading framing. She says legalising assisted suicide would lower the perceived worth of disabled, poor and homeless people, citing a Canadian poll on MAID eligibility.
Disability and equality Health Original release: ‘No Dignity in Lying’: Carla Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointment at lack of details on SEN End to End Review, says Alliance representatives
Education Disability and equality Original release: Disappointment at lack of details on SEN End to End Review, says Alliance representatives (opens in a new tab)
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‘Anyone contaminating waterways must face full extent of the law’ – Kearney
SDLP... no. Sinn Féin South Antrim MLA Declan Kearney says he is deeply concerned that no one will be prosecuted over the 2023 Crumlin River pollution that killed fish, and calls for anyone polluting waterways to face the law fully, plus legislative change and stronger enforcement, urging DAERA to…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Crumlin River pollution incident 2023 no prosecutions Original release: ‘Anyone contaminating waterways must face full extent of the law’ – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Infrastructure Minister burying his head in the sand over NI Water funding, says McMurray.
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andy McMurray says the Infrastructure Minister is ignoring the crisis in NI Water’s funding, dismisses the minister’s claim the model works and urges adoption of Alliance’s mutualised funding blueprint to sustain water and wastewater investment.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: John O'Dowd comments on NI Water funding model Original release: Infrastructure Minister burying his head in the sand over NI Water funding, says McMurray. (opens in a new tab)
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Our parks must be accessible and inclusive for all, says Ashe, welcoming agreement on communication board motion.
Alliance Comber Councillor Rachel Ashe welcomes Ards and North Down Borough Council's agreement to install communication boards in Tier 1 play parks, after the feasibility report on her motion was approved. Ashe says the boards will help children with speech, language or autism-related…
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Ards and North Down communication boards in Tier 1 play parks Original release: Our parks must be accessible and inclusive for all, says Ashe, welcoming agreement on communication board motion. (opens in a new tab)
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Environmental governance review is encouraging news for Lough Neagh, says Blair
Alliance environment spokesperson John Blair MLA welcomes the DAERA Minister's launch of an independent panel to review environmental governance, praising its Lough Neagh focus and backing a possible Independent Environmental Protection Agency. He expects the panel's report next summer.
Environment and climate Issue: Minister Andrew Muir review of environmental governance announcement Original release: Environmental governance review is encouraging news for Lough Neagh, says Blair (opens in a new tab)
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McReynolds calls for improved road safety to boost active travel, following publication of inquiry
Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds, Chair of the Assembly All-Party Group for Active Travel, calls for road safety improvements to encourage more cycling and ease congestion, following publication of a cycling inquiry with Cycling UK Northern Ireland. He says the inquiry has been shared with the…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Assembly All-Party Group for Active Travel cycling inquiry publication Original release: McReynolds calls for improved road safety to boost active travel, following publication of inquiry (opens in a new tab)
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Children and young people with special educational needs in Irish medium schools must be supported – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason urges the Department of Education to improve special educational needs support in Irish medium schools, saying they need access to educational psychologists who work in Irish and other health professionals. She welcomes the department's acknowledgement of the issues.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Children and young people with special educational needs in Irish medium schools must be supported – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Special educational needs action plan must be published urgently – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker urges the Department of Education to publish its transformation plan for special educational needs services, noting over 200 recommendations from reports so far without a delivery plan. He calls on the Education Minister to release the SEN Reform Agenda and its delivery…
Education Disability and equality Original release: Special educational needs action plan must be published urgently – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Brett commends progress on £1 Billion Belfast Region City Deal
DUP MLA Phillip Brett, Chair of the Economy Committee, marks almost three years of the £1 Billion Belfast Region City Deal, highlighting the AMIC facility at Global Point, Newtownabbey, the Belfast Rapid Transit Scheme 2, and the Belfast Stories Project at North Foreshore.
Economy and employment Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast Region City Deal three-year progress event at Stormont Original release: Brett commends progress on £1 Billion Belfast Region City Deal (opens in a new tab)
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‘Time for British government to fulfil Casement Park pledge’ – Maskey
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey calls on the British government to honour its pledge to fund Casement Park in Belfast and clarify how much it will allocate to the stadium's construction. He says the Executive, GAA and Irish government have already set out their contributions and welcomes Secretary of…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Casement Park stadium funding from British government Original release: ‘Time for British government to fulfil Casement Park pledge’ – Maskey (opens in a new tab)
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Antisemitic graffiti remains on hospital wall for 6 months
DUP leader Gavin Robinson says antisemitic graffiti has remained on a Royal Victoria Hospital wall in west Belfast for months after a complaint to the Belfast Trust, and calls on the Trust to explain why it has not been removed.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Antisemitic graffiti at Royal Victoria Hospital wall remains unremoved Original release: Antisemitic graffiti remains on hospital wall for 6 months (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan welcomes additional funding for roads
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes an additional £19 million for roads and street lights announced by Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd, and notes full funding of the winter gritting service. He says the party will keep pressing the British government for fairer funding.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Additional £19 million funding for roads and street lights Original release: Boylan welcomes additional funding for roads (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance representatives visit tidal research programme in Strangford
Alliance MLAs Kellie Armstrong, Nick Mathison and Danny Donnelly visited a Queen's University tidal test site in Strangford, where CASE-funded research into blade fatigue life of crossflow turbines is under way. Armstrong says the data supports tidal energy and Mathison calls for renewables across…
Environment and climate Economy and employment Original release: Alliance representatives visit tidal research programme in Strangford (opens in a new tab)