Latest releases
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1,977 releases
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‘Heaton-Harris must give families date for payment of £600’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy urges Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to set a firm date for paying the £600 energy support, blaming DUP refusal to form an Executive for the delay as temperatures fall below zero.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Heaton-Harris must give families date for payment of £600’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Time to update the NI Act to remove designations in the assembly, says Armstrong, following NIHRC Annual Statement
Alliance Communities Spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA calls for the NI Act to be updated to remove designation in the Assembly, following the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's Annual Statement. She advocates a weighted majority system to replace the current designation system.
Constitutional affairs Disability and equality Issue: NIHRC Annual Statement 2022 on equality law and Assembly designation Original release: Time to update the NI Act to remove designations in the assembly, says Armstrong, following NIHRC Annual Statement (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty highlights community support after people turn to loan sharks
SDLP West Belfast representative Paul Doherty urges struggling families to seek community support rather than paramilitary loans, after a Spotlight investigation found groups offering loans to food bank users. He also says the British government and DUP have let people down over delayed energy…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: BBC NI Spotlight investigation into paramilitary loan sharks Original release: Doherty highlights community support after people turn to loan sharks (opens in a new tab)
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UK Government must act now to support households in Northern Ireland – Allen
UUP MLA Andy Allen calls for at least £200 of the £600 Westminster energy support to be released to Northern Ireland households before the end of December, after confusion over delivery timing. He has written to the Energy Minister, Prime Minister and Secretary of State.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: UK Government must act now to support households in Northern Ireland – Allen (opens in a new tab)
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High air pollution demonstrates need for urgent and consistent action on air quality, says Alliance MLAs
Alliance MLAs John Blair and Paula Bradshaw say high air pollution warnings in parts of the north west show air quality needs urgent action from the incoming Executive. Blair blames the outgoing minister for refusing extra monitoring sites and says the Clean Air Strategy has not been delivered.
Environment and climate Health Issue: North west Northern Ireland high air pollution warnings December 2022 Original release: High air pollution demonstrates need for urgent and consistent action on air quality, says Alliance MLAs (opens in a new tab)
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‘Families will pay more for energy as Tories cut support’ – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says families in the north will face higher energy costs as the UK government reduces support, leaving Power NI unable to cut bills and denying the £600 payment; she urges an Executive be formed to secure the aid.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Families will pay more for energy as Tories cut support’ – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Ní Chuilín writes to Speaker over ‘unacceptable comments’
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín says UUP leader Doug Beattie’s remarks about women on the Assembly floor were totally unacceptable and fell below expected standards, and she has written to the Speaker urging the incident be formally acknowledged.
Disability and equality Issue: Doug Beattie comments on women in Assembly Original release: Ní Chuilín writes to Speaker over ‘unacceptable comments’ (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Public must receive detailed welfare advice
SDLP Social Justice Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan says the public must receive detailed welfare advice, after the Ombudsman found a taxi driver was badly advised on a Universal Credit claim and should be compensated over £11,000. He says he will seek reassurances from the Department for…
Social security and welfare Issue: Ombudsman finding on taxi driver's Universal Credit advice and compensation Original release: McCrossan: Public must receive detailed welfare advice (opens in a new tab)
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Form Executive now to give £600 energy payment to families – Michelle O’Neill
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill calls on the DUP to rethink its boycott and form an Executive now, so a £600 energy payment can reach families struggling with cold homes and rising bills. She also urges the British government to resolve the nurses' pay dispute and intensify EU negotiations.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Assembly recall over Executive formation and £600 energy payment delay Original release: Form Executive now to give £600 energy payment to families – Michelle O’Neill (opens in a new tab)
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“Abortion Censorship Zones Echo the Ban in Civil Rights Marches in the North” – Denise Mullen
Aontú Cllr Denise Mullen criticises the UK Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Abortion Censorship Bill, arguing it restricts pro-life campaigners and cites 6,412 public submissions, mostly opposed. She calls on Stormont to reverse the bill and fund support for women with unplanned pregnancies.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Supreme Court ruling on Safe Access Zones legislation Original release: “Abortion Censorship Zones Echo the Ban in Civil Rights Marches in the North” – Denise Mullen (opens in a new tab)
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Clare Bailey has welcomed today’s ruling from the Supreme Court
Green Party MLA Clare Bailey welcomes the Supreme Court ruling that the Northern Ireland Assembly had legal competence to pass the Safe Access Zones Bill, which will now proceed to Royal Assent. She pays tribute to campaigners and says the ruling paves the way for similar legislation elsewhere.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Supreme Court ruling on Safe Access Zones legislation Original release: Clare Bailey has welcomed today’s ruling from the Supreme Court (opens in a new tab)
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Outcome of COP15 crucial to secure future for nature, says Nicholl
Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl, Chair of the All Party Group on Climate, argues ahead of COP15 in Montreal that the outcome will be crucial for nature as well as climate. She criticises the Prime Minister's decision not to attend and the Retained EU Law Bill, and says Northern Ireland's absence from…
Environment and climate International affairs Issue: COP15 UN biodiversity conference in Montreal, December 2022 Original release: Outcome of COP15 crucial to secure future for nature, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
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Supreme Court ruling shows benefit of functioning Stormont, says Bradshaw
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw welcomes a UK Supreme Court ruling that allows the Safe Access Zones Bill to become law in Northern Ireland, upholding the ban on protests outside abortion service facilities, and cites it as evidence of a functioning Stormont.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Supreme Court ruling on Safe Access Zones legislation Original release: Supreme Court ruling shows benefit of functioning Stormont, says Bradshaw (opens in a new tab)
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People cannot wait any longer for support with heating bills – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says people cannot wait longer for heating bill support after Firmus announced gas prices will fall in January. She says the £600 energy payment for households in the north has not been paid, blames the DUP's boycott of the Executive, and calls for ministers to be…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Firmus announcement of gas price reduction from January Original release: People cannot wait any longer for support with heating bills – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance Councillor Michelle Guy has welcomed backing for her proposal to help tackle the Cost of Living crisis
Alliance Councillor Michelle Guy, Deputy Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh, welcomes council backing for her proposal to divert £34,000 from a suggested Hillsborough royal status budget to support communities facing the cost of living crisis, with £50,000 kept for a community-led Coronation…
Public finance and taxation Local government Issue: Lisburn & Castlereagh council vote on Coronation budget diversion Original release: Alliance Councillor Michelle Guy has welcomed backing for her proposal to help tackle the Cost of Living crisis (opens in a new tab)
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‘Executive needed to put £600 in people’s pockets now’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy urges an Executive to be formed immediately so households receive the £600 energy payment before Christmas, accusing the DUP of blocking government and delaying the money. He says his party will call an Assembly sitting this week to push for ministers.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: Assembly recall over Executive formation and £600 energy payment delay Original release: ‘Executive needed to put £600 in people’s pockets now’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Women have waited too long for modern and compassionate health services – Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín calls on the Department of Health to start commissioning abortion services for women in the north now, after the British Secretary of State instructed it to do so. She says women have waited long enough and have had to travel to England, often alone.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Secretary of State instruction to Department of Health on abortion services commissioning Original release: Women have waited too long for modern and compassionate health services – Ní Chuilín (opens in a new tab)
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Forsythe – NI childcare costs on a par with central London
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe and MP Sammy Wilson say they have jointly written to the Chancellor asking for Tax Free Childcare allowance to be raised beyond 20%, arguing Northern Ireland childcare costs match central London and keep working parents out of work.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Employers for Childcare report on Northern Ireland childcare costs Original release: Forsythe – NI childcare costs on a par with central London (opens in a new tab)
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London's last minute change is delaying energy payments
DUP MLA Gordon Lyons, writing in the Belfast Telegraph, accuses Ministers in London of delaying the £600 energy support payment in Northern Ireland by introducing a last-minute cash-out option. He says the payments were promised for autumn and before Christmas, and calls the change cynical and…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: London's last minute change is delaying energy payments (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Anthony Flynn welcomes next stage of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund
Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn welcomes Belfast City Council's agreement of a £1 million fuel poverty hardship fund offering one-off £100 payments to eligible households this winter. He says the Green Party will do what it can to support the most vulnerable, blaming UK government and DUP…
Social security and welfare Local government Issue: Belfast City Council £1 million fuel poverty hardship fund agreement Original release: Cllr Anthony Flynn welcomes next stage of Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund (opens in a new tab)