Latest releases
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3,926 releases
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Hazzard welcomes progress on A24 Ballynahinch Bypass Scheme
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard welcomes the Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's announcement that the A24 Ballynahinch Bypass Scheme will move to the business case and procurement stage, with procurement expected in 2027/28. He says the bypass will ease town traffic, improve safety and cut journey…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Ballynahinch Bypass business case and procurement approval by DfI Original release: Hazzard welcomes progress on A24 Ballynahinch Bypass Scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Payment date for £100 fuel support payment announced by Minister Lyons
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announces that the £100 Pension Age Fuel Support Payment, funded by £17million of Executive money, will start arriving automatically in pensioners' accounts from Friday 21 March. He says it will partly offset changes to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Pension Age Fuel Support Payment date announced after Winter Fuel Payment changes Original release: Payment date for £100 fuel support payment announced by Minister Lyons (opens in a new tab)
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Ballynahinch Bypass could have been delivered sooner, says Alliance representatives
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison welcomes the Infrastructure Minister's decision to progress and prioritise the Ballynahinch Bypass, but says it has been side-lined for too long due to stop-start government and calls for institutional reform. Colleague Kellie Armstrong pledges to hold the Minister to…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Ballynahinch Bypass business case and procurement approval by DfI Original release: Ballynahinch Bypass could have been delivered sooner, says Alliance representatives (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna to co-sponsor Bill to support Mother and Baby Home survivors
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says she will co‑sponsor Philomena’s Law, a draft bill introduced by Labour MP Liam Conlon on 12 March, to protect Mother and Baby Home survivors in Britain from losing benefits when they accept compensation and to raise awareness of the scheme.
Social security and welfare Issue: Introduction of Philomena’s Law draft legislation Original release: Hanna to co-sponsor Bill to support Mother and Baby Home survivors (opens in a new tab)
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Women in agriculture must be supported – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy welcomes cross-party Assembly backing for a motion on women's contribution to agriculture, saying it urges the Agriculture Minister to boost female participation and leadership in the industry. She calls for help for women inheriting farms, owning land and running…
Agriculture and rural affairs Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on women's role in agriculture Original release: Women in agriculture must be supported – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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£6.5m paid out in childcare support a boost for working families –…
DUP South Down MLA Diane Forsythe welcomes the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme, saying £6.5m has been allocated and 15,375 children enrolled in its first six months. She credits Education Minister Paul Givan and points to the scheme's extension with a 10% higher subsidy cap.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme first six months figures Original release: £6.5m paid out in childcare support a boost for working families –… (opens in a new tab)
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Pan-UK approach to tackle drugs needed : Campbell
DUP MP Gregory Campbell urges the UK Government to work with devolved administrations on a joined-up, pan-UK drugs strategy, prioritising prevention and reviewing enforcement, after raising the issue at Justice Questions in the Commons.
Justice and policing Health Original release: Pan-UK approach to tackle drugs needed : Campbell (opens in a new tab)
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McGuigan concerned by Ambulance Handover waiting times
Sinn Féin Health Committee Chair Phillip McGuigan, North Antrim MLA, expresses concern at an Audit Office report on ambulance handovers, calling on the Health Department to act on its recommendations and review ambulance workforce and hospital and social care capacity.
Health Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on ambulance handover delays Original release: McGuigan concerned by Ambulance Handover waiting times (opens in a new tab)
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End the self-sabotage of our Health Service: Dodds
DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds, MLA for Upper Bann, calls the Audit Office report on ambulance handover delays devastating and urges an end to what she calls self-sabotage in the health system. She says she has pressed the Health Minister for months to name a senior lead with a dedicated team…
Health Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on ambulance handover delays Original release: End the self-sabotage of our Health Service: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Patients will continue to suffer without action to fix crisis in ambulance service, says Donnelly
Alliance Health spokesperson Danny Donnelly MLA says the Department of Health must take definitive action on the ambulance service crisis, citing an NIAO review that found handover delays cost NIAS £50 million and could have harmed over 3,800 patients. He criticises repeated DoH strategies that…
Health Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on ambulance handover delays Original release: Patients will continue to suffer without action to fix crisis in ambulance service, says Donnelly (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Audit Office report underlines ambulances crisis
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says an Audit Office report showing a dramatic rise in ambulance handover times – over 11,000 took more than three hours in 2023/24 – highlights a crisis and calls for fundamental change, welcoming the Health Minister’s willingness to discuss the
Health Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on ambulance handover delays Original release: McGrath: Audit Office report underlines ambulances crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna pushes for increase in maternity pay
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says she has tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill proposing that statutory maternity pay be raised to the real living wage. The party also calls on the UK government to support small firms adapting to the reforms and urges the Executive to match the…
Economy and employment Disability and equality Issue: Employment Rights Bill returns to the Commons Original release: Hanna pushes for increase in maternity pay (opens in a new tab)
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Eastwood: Disability cuts ‘immoral and unethical’
SDLP MP Colum Eastwood says proposed British Government plans to freeze personal independence payments and tighten criteria are immoral and unethical, will leave vulnerable families worse off, and pledges to oppose any legislation cutting disability support.
Social security and welfare Disability and equality Issue: UK government proposal to freeze PIP payments Original release: Eastwood: Disability cuts ‘immoral and unethical’ (opens in a new tab)
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Action, not words, needed on civil service reform - Forsythe
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe, vice-chair of the Finance Committee, says the UK Government's call for civil service reform is welcome but must lead to real change. She links NICS skills gaps to delayed infrastructure projects and overspends, and urges use of the skills exchange with the UK Home Civil…
Public finance and taxation Infrastructure and transport Issue: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster civil service reform call Original release: Action, not words, needed on civil service reform - Forsythe (opens in a new tab)
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Amplification of women’s voices crucial in constitutional discussion – Rose Conway-Walsh TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson Rose Conway-Walsh TD says a feminist analysis is crucial to the constitutional debate, welcoming the National Women's Council's Women's Assembly report and urging the Irish government to begin planning a referendum on Irish Unity.
Constitutional affairs Disability and equality Issue: National Women's Council Women's Assembly report launch Original release: Amplification of women’s voices crucial in constitutional discussion – Rose Conway-Walsh TD (opens in a new tab)
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‘Time for British government to move beyond austerity’ – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew calls on the British government to move beyond austerity towards investment in public services, after reports suggested a £5 billion welfare cut. He has written to the Communities Minister seeking clarity on the impact on disability benefit recipients in the north.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Reported £5 billion welfare budget cuts by British Labour government Original release: ‘Time for British government to move beyond austerity’ – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP launches plan to reduce pressure on ambulance service and emergency departments
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA launches 'Help Can't Wait', a plan to ease ambulance and emergency department pressure by adopting London's W45 45-minute patient handover policy, which he says could cut handover times by 50% and free up 60,000 operational hours.
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Transparency and accountability needed on hospital building projects
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds calls for an independent review of new Belfast Trust building projects after rot and black mould were discovered in the Acute Mental Inpatient centre, urging the Minister to provide details on repairs, costs, timelines and patient impact.
Health Issue: Rot and black mould found in Belfast Trust Acute Mental Inpatient centre Original release: Transparency and accountability needed on hospital building projects (opens in a new tab)
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‘Extension will help motorists stay on the road legally’ – Boylan
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's decision to extend Temporary Exemption Certificates for a further year, saying the scheme has helped cut MOT waiting times to 30 days. He also points to extra staff recruitment and Sunday and bank holiday testing.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Extension of MOT Temporary Exemption Certificates for a further year Original release: ‘Extension will help motorists stay on the road legally’ – Boylan (opens in a new tab)
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DUP delivering on yet another Republican demand
TUV vice chairman Causeway Councillor Allister Kyle says the Executive Office's start of recruitment for an Irish language commissioner gives Sinn Féin a route to directions over the role, and contrasts it with a weaker Ulster Scots commissioner, which he says the DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Irish Language Commissioner application process opening announcement Original release: DUP delivering on yet another Republican demand (opens in a new tab)