Latest releases
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1,421 releases
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Allen meets with the Utility Regulator to discuss rising energy costs
East Belfast UUP MLA and Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen MBE says he met Utility Regulator John French to discuss rising energy costs. He calls for a review of the regulator's powers, energy efficiency investment, a fuel poverty taskforce, and a Programme for Government.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Original release: Allen meets with the Utility Regulator to discuss rising energy costs (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan welcomes review of travel support for parents of sick children
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan welcomes Health Minister Robin Swann's commitment to establish a review of the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme, which he says would extend support to low-income parents of sick children. Durkan says the commitment followed his written Assembly question.
Health Social security and welfare Issue: Hospital Travel Costs Scheme review commitment by Health Minister Original release: Durkan welcomes review of travel support for parents of sick children (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: DUP should hang their heads in shame
SDLP South Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole accuses the DUP of putting its own interests first by blocking the election of an Assembly Speaker, and says this stalls support for families facing rising costs and health waiting lists.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: DUP blocking of Assembly Speaker election May 2022 Original release: O’Toole: DUP should hang their heads in shame (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood: DUP must support Speaker to allow cost of living help
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood urges the DUP to back Patsy McGlone as Speaker so the Assembly can pass emergency legislation releasing over £300m held in Stormont accounts for cost-of-living support. He says the DUP's boycott is blocking help over the £400 energy bill discount.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: DUP blocking of Assembly Speaker election May 2022 Original release: Eastwood: DUP must support Speaker to allow cost of living help (opens in a new tab)
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Wilson – no one should be playing politics with vulnerable
DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson says Sinn Fein is cynically using vulnerable people for political gain and calls for the Chancellor's £650 cost-of-living payment to reach every Northern Ireland household, with energy firms passing on discounts directly as in Britain.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Government cost of living support package announcement May 2022 Original release: Wilson – no one should be playing politics with vulnerable (opens in a new tab)
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Ciara Henry has welcomes the reopening of Ballycopeland Windmill
Green Party NI MLA Ciara Henry welcomes the opening of Ballycopeland Windmill to the public from 2 June as a heritage visitor site. She highlights a Changing Places facility, a cafe run by USEL that will offer jobs to people with disabilities, and the windmill's value to local history.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: Ballycopeland Windmill reopening as visitor attraction Original release: Ciara Henry has welcomes the reopening of Ballycopeland Windmill (opens in a new tab)
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Allen welcomes the direct inclusion of Northern Ireland in cost-of-living payments
East Belfast UUP MLA and Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen MBE welcomes confirmation from the Chancellor that direct cost-of-living payments will extend to Northern Ireland. He calls on the Department for Communities to develop further targeted support, including a fuel poverty task force.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: UK Government cost of living support package announcement May 2022 Original release: Allen welcomes the direct inclusion of Northern Ireland in cost-of-living payments (opens in a new tab)
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More financial support may be needed in the autumn – Aiken
UUP Finance Spokesperson Steve Aiken OBE MLA welcomes the Chancellor's £15billion cost of living support package but warns more help may be needed in the autumn. He criticises the household support fund not being available directly in Northern Ireland, calling the £14million Barnett supplementary…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Government cost of living support package announcement May 2022 Original release: More financial support may be needed in the autumn – Aiken (opens in a new tab)
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Northern Ireland continues to lose out from cost of living support
Alliance Finance Spokesperson Andrew Muir MLA says Northern Ireland risks losing out on UK Government cost of living measures, calling for benefits to be uprated to current inflation and urging the DUP to lift its veto so an Executive can allocate the £400 energy bill discount.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: UK Government cost of living support package announcement May 2022 Original release: Northern Ireland continues to lose out from cost of living support (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: DUP cannot hold up support for families
SDLP South Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole urges the DUP to end its blockage and return to the Executive on Monday so that the British government's £400 energy bill discount and windfall tax can reach households here. He says Stormont has over £300m in its accounts and that the DUP is the only obstacle.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Government cost of living support package announcement May 2022 Original release: O’Toole: DUP cannot hold up support for families (opens in a new tab)
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Whether at Westminster or Stormont roll over Unionism cannot wash its hands of Irish language legislation
TUV South Antrim representative Mel Lucas says the DUP agreed the substance of Irish language legislation introduced at Westminster, claiming it conceded the measure to restore Stormont and was passed there to avoid Assembly debate. He warns it will disadvantage non-Irish speakers in public sector…
Disability and equality Economy and employment Issue: British government confirmation of Irish Language Act legislation tabling Original release: Whether at Westminster or Stormont roll over Unionism cannot wash its hands of Irish language legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Mary Lou McDonald TD welcomes Acht Gaeilge breakthrough
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald TD welcomes confirmation that legislation for an Irish Language Act will be tabled, and calls for it to be delivered before Westminster's summer recess. She blames unionist parties for reneging on the commitment in the 2020 New Decade, New Approach agreement.
Disability and equality Issue: British government confirmation of Irish Language Act legislation tabling Original release: Mary Lou McDonald TD welcomes Acht Gaeilge breakthrough (opens in a new tab)
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O’Neill welcomes confirmation that Acht Gaeilge is to proceed
Sinn Féin First Minister Designate Michelle O'Neill welcomes confirmation that the British government will table Irish Language Act legislation in Westminster, and calls for it to be done before the summer recess. She also welcomes £4 million funding for An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge.
Disability and equality Issue: British government confirmation of Irish Language Act legislation tabling Original release: O’Neill welcomes confirmation that Acht Gaeilge is to proceed (opens in a new tab)
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Time for ‘Practical Measures’ to address HRT shortage, says Bradshaw
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA calls for practical measures to address the UK-wide HRT shortage affecting women in Northern Ireland, pointing to English pharmacy swap powers and urging a Women's Health Strategy with specialist menopause clinics.
Health Disability and equality Issue: UK HRT shortage affecting women in Northern Ireland Original release: Time for ‘Practical Measures’ to address HRT shortage, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Public can’t afford to wait for cost of living support
SDLP MP Claire Hanna says people facing rising food, fuel and energy costs cannot wait for the UK Government, and calls for a windfall tax on energy companies and a support package brought forward immediately after Boris Johnson signalled further measures would take longer.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Johnson signals delay to further cost of living support measures Original release: Hanna: Public can’t afford to wait for cost of living support (opens in a new tab)
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Impact of impasse on school meals for children shameful, says McAllister
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister calls the Stormont impasse "shameful" after the Department of Education confirmed summer school meal payments are not yet in place, and blames the DUP for refusing to return to Government.
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Summer school meal payments delayed by Stormont impasse Original release: Impact of impasse on school meals for children shameful, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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DUP must end Executive boycott to support children with autism- Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan urges the DUP to end its Executive boycott and return to government, citing Department of Health figures showing autism diagnoses in children have risen fourfold in a decade and will add pressure on special educational needs services.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Department of Health figures on childhood autism diagnoses over ten years Original release: DUP must end Executive boycott to support children with autism- Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Tennyson extremely disappointed at number of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson says he is disappointed that PSNI figures show homophobic and transphobic hate crimes at their highest level since records began. He blames the DUP for blocking the Executive from progressing hate crime legislation and calls for an Executive to be restored.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: PSNI homophobic and transphobic hate crime figures 2021-22 Original release: Tennyson extremely disappointed at number of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty urges support for Irish language march
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty urges support for the Irish language march in Belfast on Saturday, organised by An Dream Dearg, which calls for Irish language legislation under New Decade, New Approach to be introduced without further delay. He says the DUP failed to honour the…
Disability and equality Issue: An Dream Dearg Irish language march Belfast Original release: Doherty urges support for Irish language march (opens in a new tab)
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de Faoite calls for action after spike in homophobic hate crime
SDLP Belfast councillor Séamas de Faoite calls for more action against crime targeting the LGBT+ community after PSNI figures showed homophobic hate crimes rose from 246 to 336 in 2021/22. He urges delivery of the sexual orientation strategy and a conversion therapy ban.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: PSNI homophobic and transphobic hate crime figures 2021-22 Original release: de Faoite calls for action after spike in homophobic hate crime (opens in a new tab)