Latest releases
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3,734 releases
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Education Minister must bring forward a plan to reduce teacher workload – Sheehan
Sinn Féin education spokesperson Pat Sheehan calls on Education Minister Paul Givan to present a credible plan that reduces teacher workload, saying teachers have warned for years and should not need industrial action to be heard.
Education Issue: Teaching unions announce industrial action short of strike Original release: Education Minister must bring forward a plan to reduce teacher workload – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Maternity announcement demands answers from Health Minister
DUP representatives call for urgent clarity after the Southern Trust announced changes to maternity care at Daisy Hill, asking whether this is a wider reduction in services and whether the Health Minister will set out the clinical basis and duration.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services crisis and possible relocation to Craigavon Original release: Maternity announcement demands answers from Health Minister (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows urges Givan to act before workload dispute escalates to strikes
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA urges Education Minister Paul Givan to return to talks and agree a time-bound plan to implement the Independent Review of Workload in full, ahead of teachers' action short of strike from 28 September.
Education Issue: Teaching unions announce industrial action short of strike Original release: Burrows urges Givan to act before workload dispute escalates to strikes (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Stop Belfast City Airport Expansion
Green Party Northern Ireland calls on Belfast City Airport and decision‑makers to reject the plan to raise the yearly flight limit from 48,000 to about 61,000 and to stop extending operating hours to 10.30 pm, urging protection of noise safeguards for local residents.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast City Airport proposed increase in flight movements Original release: Stop Belfast City Airport Expansion (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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SAVE DAISY HILL MATERNITY – DON’T LET “TEMPORARY” BECOME FOREVER
Health Original release: SAVE DAISY HILL MATERNITY – DON’T LET “TEMPORARY” BECOME FOREVER (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 25 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent action needed on Daisy Hill maternity – Kimmins
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins urges the Health Minister to act on the crisis at Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services, calling for recruitment of clinical staff, including from other Trusts and across the island, and warning against relocating services to Craigavon.
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services crisis and possible relocation to Craigavon Original release: Urgent action needed on Daisy Hill maternity – Kimmins (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Taylor: Priority must be to keep consultant-led maternity care at Daisy Hill
UUP Councillor David Taylor says retaining inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital must be the priority after the Southern Trust flagged medical workforce pressures. He calls for a full explanation from the Trust, an urgent meeting on workforce planning, and clear conditions for any…
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services crisis and possible relocation to Craigavon Original release: Taylor: Priority must be to keep consultant-led maternity care at Daisy Hill (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Political inaction allowed collapse of maternity services at Daisy Hill, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA says political inaction has allowed maternity services at Daisy Hill to collapse, blaming long-term workforce planning failures, training places and pay. She calls on a Health Minister to act on the Renfrew Maternity Review recommendations…
Health Issue: Daisy Hill Hospital maternity services crisis and possible relocation to Craigavon Original release: Political inaction allowed collapse of maternity services at Daisy Hill, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister must confirm when he will deliver Real Living Wage for care workers
Sinn Féin's social care spokesperson Linda Dillon MLA says rising fuel costs are squeezing care workers who drive to clients, and has asked the Health Minister to confirm when the Real Living Wage will be delivered for them and what steps will ease travel costs.
Health Economy and employment Original release: Health Minister must confirm when he will deliver Real Living Wage for care workers (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 20 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: Nearly £1 million spent on mothballed Careers Portal
UUP Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong MLA says the Department for the Economy has spent about £889,000 on the paused Careers Portal Project, with nothing delivered, and demands the Minister state whether it will continue or close and show what benefits the spending has produced.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Careers Portal Project spending revealed in Assembly question response Original release: Armstrong: Nearly £1 million spent on mothballed Careers Portal (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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MLAs Pocket Pay Rises While Workers Wait
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll condemns proposed further MLA pay rise after their 27% increase, contrasting it with public sector workers still awaiting pay awards and the Executive's lack of budget. He says Executive parties cannot blame the Remuneration Board and urges MLAs to refuse the…
Economy and employment Health Issue: Proposed further MLA pay rise from Remuneration Board Original release: MLAs Pocket Pay Rises While Workers Wait (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 3 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Queen’s report highlights again the damaging impact of academic selection – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says a new Queen's University Belfast report shows academic selection harms children and the education system, and blames successive DUP Education Ministers for ignoring the evidence. He calls for a fairer post-primary transfer system.
Education Issue: Queen's University Belfast report on academic selection and post-primary transfer Original release: Queen’s report highlights again the damaging impact of academic selection – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Taoiseach Refuses To Seek Clarity From Burnham on Mechanism for Unity Referendum – Tóibín
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD urges the Taoiseach to press Andy Burnham for clarity on how an Irish unity referendum would be triggered, and argues that all-island health planning would give better services at lower cost.
Constitutional affairs Health Issue: Taoiseach's refusal to raise unity referendum mechanism with Burnham Original release: Taoiseach Refuses To Seek Clarity From Burnham on Mechanism for Unity Referendum – Tóibín (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Richard Smart selected as Ulster Unionist candidate for Strangford
UUP leader Jon Burrows says the party has chosen Councillor Richard Smart, a Newtownards councillor and former Ards and North Down mayor, to contest Strangford at next May's Assembly election. Mike Nesbitt, the outgoing Strangford MLA, offers his backing.
Other Local government Issue: Ulster Unionist selection of Richard Smart for Strangford Assembly candidacy Original release: Cllr Richard Smart selected as Ulster Unionist candidate for Strangford (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Aiken warns of long and frustrating winter as EU-UK reset delayed again
UUP Windsor Framework spokesperson Dr Steve Aiken MLA warns that repeated delays to EU-UK reset talks, with the timetable slipping from July to October and now late November, leave agribusiness and manufacturing firms without needed certainty.
Education Economy and employment Issue: EU-UK reset talks timetable delayed again to late November Original release: Aiken warns of long and frustrating winter as EU-UK reset delayed again (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Brain drain and vocational pathways matter more than the transfer test row, says Burrows
UUP Leader Jon Burrows MLA calls for the education debate to shift from the transfer test to tackling brain drain and creating properly funded vocational pathways into apprenticeships, while defending parents' right to choose a child's school.
Education Economy and employment Original release: Brain drain and vocational pathways matter more than the transfer test row, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood demands equitable access to new breast cancer treatment for patients in Northern Ireland
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood calls for equitable access to Enhertu, a life-extending breast cancer drug now available on the NHS in England, for patients in Northern Ireland. She has written to Health Minister Robbie Butler seeking an urgent timetable for its availability locally.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Enhertu breast cancer drug availability in Northern Ireland Original release: Eastwood demands equitable access to new breast cancer treatment for patients in Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Infrastructure Minister must act on sand-dredging at Lough Neagh, says Blair
Alliance Environment Spokesperson John Blair MLA calls on the Infrastructure Minister to pause commercial sand dredging on Lough Neagh until a review of permissions and environmental assessments is completed, citing evidence that dredging releases nutrients linked to algal blooms. He also urges…
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Lough Neagh sand dredging nutrient release and NIEA licence review letter Original release: Infrastructure Minister must act on sand-dredging at Lough Neagh, says Blair (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Late Night transport a huge success for Belfast – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Cáral Ní Chuilín praises the Late Night transport pilot in Belfast, citing over 43,000 journeys and more than 100 major events supported. She credits Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and calls for the scheme to become permanent with Executive colleagues and the…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast Late Night transport pilot project results Original release: Late Night transport a huge success for Belfast – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 17 September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Allister calls on minister to bridge the gaps in dental provision
TUV leader Jim Allister calls on health minister Robbie Butler to fund dental hygienist training in Northern Ireland and to create an NHS contract for hygienists, arguing it would save money long term. He also highlights a claimed gap in hygienist numbers compared with England and says the…
Health Issue: Northern Ireland dental hygienist training courses and NHS contract Original release: Allister calls on minister to bridge the gaps in dental provision (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)