Latest releases
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1,981 releases
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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)
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Limiting the impact of both the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency go hand in hand, says McMullan
Alliance Councillor Ross McMullan welcomes Belfast City Council's decision to waive building control fees for individual loft insulation applications, saying it will make insulation more affordable amid the cost of living crisis.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Belfast City Council waiving building control fees for loft insulation Original release: Limiting the impact of both the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency go hand in hand, says McMullan (opens in a new tab)
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Further confirmation of ringfenced funding for reproductive health services a welcome step, say Bradshaw and Egan
Alliance MLAs Paula Bradshaw and Connie Egan welcome the Secretary of State's ringfenced funding and formal instruction to the Department of Health to commission reproductive health services, calling it a further step, while urging swift full provision locally.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Secretary of State instruction to Department of Health on abortion services commissioning Original release: Further confirmation of ringfenced funding for reproductive health services a welcome step, say Bradshaw and Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Confirmation people in the north will not receive £600 energy payment until after Christmas “devastating” for workers and families – O’Dowd
Upper Bann MLA John O'Dowd says the delay of the £600 energy payment in the north until after Christmas will hit struggling workers and families hard. He blames the DUP for collapsing the Executive, which stopped funding being allocated, and urges an Executive be formed now.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: Confirmation people in the north will not receive £600 energy payment until after Christmas “devastating” for workers and families – O’Dowd (opens in a new tab)
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The UCU Strikes
People Before Profit interviews Aisling O'Beirn, a UCU representative at Ulster University, on the picket line over the strike. She describes casualised contracts, rising workloads, staff shortages and cuts to pension benefits as the central issues.
Education Economy and employment Issue: UCU strike at Ulster University Original release: The UCU Strikes (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin urges progress on tackling sexual offences
SDLP Justice Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin says new PPS figures on sexual offences, showing prosecution rates rose from 23.6% to 31.6% in 2021/22, show the need for a violence against women and girls plan from a reformed Executive.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PPS annual report on sexual offence prosecutions 2021/22 Original release: McLaughlin urges progress on tackling sexual offences (opens in a new tab)
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‘Tory delays to £600 scheme a crushing blow to workers and families’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy condemns the delay to the £600 energy support payments in the north, saying people will miss them before Christmas, and calls on the British government to set out when and how households will receive the money.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Tory delays to £600 scheme a crushing blow to workers and families’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Government shifting the goalposts on energy support payments: Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart accuses the UK Government of moving the goalposts on the £400 energy support payment, after raising an urgent question in Parliament on its delivery. She says Westminster is withholding the payment from Northern Ireland households and calls for it to be delivered before…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy support payment delivery delay in Northern Ireland Original release: Government shifting the goalposts on energy support payments: Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Dickson calls for a review of support mechanisms for staff experiencing domestic abuse
Alliance Economy Spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA calls on employers to review their policies and procedures so staff experiencing domestic abuse get the right support, citing the 16 days of activism campaign. He urges employers to consider paid leave for appointments, workplace security and…
Justice and policing Economy and employment Original release: Dickson calls for a review of support mechanisms for staff experiencing domestic abuse (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: Blame for energy payment delay lies with DUP
SDLP Cost of Living Spokesperson and South Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole accuses the DUP of responsibility for the holdup in the £600 energy support payment, arguing that a functioning Assembly and Executive would have made delivery easier. He also criticises the British government for missing the…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £600 energy support payment delay in Northern Ireland Original release: O’Toole: Blame for energy payment delay lies with DUP (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes campaign to raise awareness of the signs of all types of domestic abuse
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the PSNI's Tis' the Season Christmas campaign on domestic abuse, citing holiday-period call and crime figures, and calls for the Executive to be restored so parties can take forward violence-against-women measures.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI Tis' the Season Christmas domestic abuse awareness campaign Original release: Dillon welcomes campaign to raise awareness of the signs of all types of domestic abuse (opens in a new tab)
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“British Court of Appeal Permits Abortion Up Until Birth on Grounds of Down Syndrome For North of Ireland” – Cllr Doyle
Aontú Cllr Emmet Doyle criticises a British Court of Appeal ruling that allows abortion on grounds of Down syndrome up to birth, saying it will apply in Northern Ireland. He calls on Stormont to oppose abortion in the North and accuses Sinn Féin and the SDLP of supporting the change.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Court of Appeal rejects Heidi Crowter challenge on Down's syndrome abortion law Original release: “British Court of Appeal Permits Abortion Up Until Birth on Grounds of Down Syndrome For North of Ireland” – Cllr Doyle (opens in a new tab)
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Nicholl marks International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
Alliance Spokesperson for Migration Kate Nicholl MLA marks International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, calling for enhanced protections for women human rights defenders, especially those at risk in migration contexts, from violence, discrimination and harassment.
Disability and equality Immigration Original release: Nicholl marks International Women Human Rights Defenders Day (opens in a new tab)
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Murphy challenges British government on energy support payment timeline
Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy calls on the British government to pay households in the north the full energy discount as promised, opposing reported plans for a lower rate. He also seeks a timeline for the £400 energy and £200 oil payments.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: Reported lower energy discount for households in Northern Ireland Original release: Murphy challenges British government on energy support payment timeline (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs endorse “Never Cross the Line” campaign
Alliance MLAs endorse Ulster GAA's "Never Cross the Line" campaign on violence against women, which aims to teach young people about consent. Sports Spokesperson David Honeyford calls for similar campaigns across other sports, and Connie Egan urges sporting bodies to host workshops.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Alliance MLAs endorse “Never Cross the Line” campaign (opens in a new tab)
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A sad day for rights of the disabled – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart, who chairs the All-Party Pro-Life Group at Westminster, says the Court of Appeal's rejection of Heidi Crowter's challenge to allow abortion up to birth for babies with Down's syndrome is a sad day for disabled people's rights. She hopes Crowter will take the case to the…
Disability and equality Justice and policing Issue: Court of Appeal rejects Heidi Crowter challenge on Down's syndrome abortion law Original release: A sad day for rights of the disabled – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Education Authority proposes huge unnecessary expense on Irish – but includes no costings
TUV leader Jim Allister urges the public to respond to the Education Authority's interim Irish-language services policy, arguing its proposals, such as Irish voicemail options and translator meetings, carry vast unCosted expense amid budget pressures.
Disability and equality Education Issue: Education Authority interim policy on Irish-language services consultation Original release: Education Authority proposes huge unnecessary expense on Irish – but includes no costings (opens in a new tab)