Latest releases
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1,874 releases
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Historic day as legislation passes to give official recognition to the Irish language – O’Neill
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill welcomes legislation passing to give official recognition to the Irish language, saying it secures Irish speakers' rights to public services and court use. She credits grassroots activists and points to a planned Irish language commissioner with statutory powers.
Disability and equality Issue: Irish Language Act legislation passes Original release: Historic day as legislation passes to give official recognition to the Irish language – O’Neill (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan calls for intervention to avoid Housing Executive maintenance delays
SDLP Social Justice Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan warns that re-tendering planned maintenance contracts could delay work on 3600 Housing Executive homes by up to a year. He calls on the Finance Minister and his department to look again at further support where Procurement Advice Note guidance…
Housing Economy and employment Issue: Housing Executive planned maintenance contract re-tendering delays Original release: McCrossan calls for intervention to avoid Housing Executive maintenance delays (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: UK Government must ensure no further blockage of language rights
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna urges the UK Government to guarantee no further obstruction of Irish language protections after an SDLP amendment on the Identity and Language Bill was defeated in the Commons. She says the bill passed its final reading.
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill final Commons reading and defeated SDLP amendment Original release: Hanna: UK Government must ensure no further blockage of language rights (opens in a new tab)
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Endometriosis sufferers still require urgent action: Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart says urgent action is still needed on endometriosis healthcare, calling for reinstatement of specialist care in the Western Trust and full accreditation for the Belfast centre. She also urges access to care across the UK for local patients, citing APPG and RCOG reports.
Health Disability and equality Original release: Endometriosis sufferers still require urgent action: Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Tennyson welcomes protection of Citypark in Craigavon
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson welcomes the Court of Appeal's ruling overturning planning permission for a Southern Regional College campus at Craigavon Lakes. He calls on SRC and the council to accept public opposition and find an alternative site in the area.
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Court of Appeal overturns Southern Regional College Citypark campus planning approval Original release: Tennyson welcomes protection of Citypark in Craigavon (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna expresses concerns around removal of environment and public health protections
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna warns that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, due for its Commons second reading, could strip environmental and nature protections in Northern Ireland. She has tabled an Early Day Motion asking ministers to halt the removal of these laws.
Environment and climate Issue: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill second reading Original release: Hanna expresses concerns around removal of environment and public health protections (opens in a new tab)
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Announcement concerning the commissioning of abortion services welcome, says Bradshaw and Egan
Alliance MLAs Paula Bradshaw and Connie Egan welcome the Secretary of State's confirmation that the UK Government will commission abortion services in Northern Ireland, but Bradshaw says no funding plan has yet been provided and calls for a clear roadmap.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland announced by Secretary of State Original release: Announcement concerning the commissioning of abortion services welcome, says Bradshaw and Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Shambolic Tory budget leaving mortgage payments ‘unaffordable’ – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says she has written to the British Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, over mortgage payments that have become unaffordable after the mini-Budget and rising interest rates. She urges support for families, small businesses and public services, and calls for a windfall tax on energy…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: UK mini-Budget and resulting rise in mortgage interest rates Original release: Shambolic Tory budget leaving mortgage payments ‘unaffordable’ – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Urgent need for commissioning of abortion services, say Bradshaw and Egan
Alliance MLAs Paula Bradshaw and Connie Egan call for urgent commissioning of abortion services on the third anniversary of decriminalisation in Northern Ireland, saying women face a postcode lottery in access. Egan urges the Secretary of State to step in and commission full services under UN…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Third anniversary of abortion decriminalisation in Northern Ireland Original release: Urgent need for commissioning of abortion services, say Bradshaw and Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance MLAs meet with Housing Executive to examine retrofitting of homes
Alliance MLAs Kellie Armstrong, Nuala McAllister and Danny Donnelly report meeting the Housing Executive at Cliftondene Park in North Belfast to examine retrofitting of homes. They say it aims to meet zero carbon targets and cut heating bills, and have requested energy rating evidence and an…
Housing Environment and climate Original release: Alliance MLAs meet with Housing Executive to examine retrofitting of homes (opens in a new tab)
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Online abuse and the harm it causes must be rooted out of our society, says Alliance MLAs
Alliance MLAs Connie Egan and Patricia O’Lynn call for the eradication of targeted cyber abuse, welcome Justice Minister Naomi Long’s proactive steps and PSNI involvement, and pledge continued work to stamp out online intimidation of women in public life.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Justice Minister Naomi Long meeting on online abuse of women Original release: Online abuse and the harm it causes must be rooted out of our society, says Alliance MLAs (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna sponsors Bill on Energy Equity
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna says she supported a cross-party bill to create an Energy Equity Commission, proposing a Universal Basic Energy Allowance, graduated tariffs and a retrofitting strategy to ease winter heating costs.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: Energy Equity Commission bill supported in Westminster Original release: Hanna sponsors Bill on Energy Equity (opens in a new tab)
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“Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly
Aontú Spokesperson for Agriculture Cllr. Sarah O'Reilly says the Government demands carbon cuts from farmers but fails to recognise or support emissions-reducing practices such as Anaerobic Digestion, which she says lacks support and incentives in Ireland.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: “Government Demonises Farmers Yet Doesn’t Recognise Their Emissions Reductions” – Cllr. O’Reilly (opens in a new tab)
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Amendment to Criminalise Care and Support Around Abortion Clinics Must be defeated - Brolly
Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly urges defeat of a proposed amendment by British MP Rupa Huq that would establish buffer zones restricting volunteers outside abortion clinics, arguing it threatens free assembly and support for pregnant women.
Disability and equality Health Issue: Rupa Huq amendment on buffer zones around abortion clinics Original release: Amendment to Criminalise Care and Support Around Abortion Clinics Must be defeated - Brolly (opens in a new tab)
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Blair welcomes national report on police-perpetrated violence against women and girls
Alliance MLA John Blair welcomes the NPCC and College of Policing review of police-perpetrated violence against women, and says he wants the PSNI to set out reforms targeting lower-level sexual offending. He cites the Sarah Everard and Libby Squires cases to argue the police must prevent officers…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: NPCC and College of Policing review of police-perpetrated VAWG Original release: Blair welcomes national report on police-perpetrated violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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‘Need for greater awareness of challenges facing women during menopause’ – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn calls for greater awareness of the challenges women face during menopause, particularly in the workplace, after attending a Menopause Conference. She urges the DUP to end its boycott and restore the Executive so women can get support.
Health Disability and equality Original release: ‘Need for greater awareness of challenges facing women during menopause’ – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
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Forsythe - menace to women should be in jail for longer
DUP South Down MLA Diane Forsythe welcomes the Lady Chief Justice's response to her complaint about Judge Sherrard's comments in Dungannon, which led to further judicial guidance and training. She says the comments were ill-judged and will write to Justice Minister Naomi Long on whether…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Judge Sherrard's comments in Dungannon court case Original release: Forsythe - menace to women should be in jail for longer (opens in a new tab)
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£330,000 budget to pander to 10 English-speaking MLAs who might occasionally wish to speak in Irish
TUV leader Jim Allister criticises a £330,000 translation and interpretation service for Irish use in the Assembly, noting only 10 MLAs want to use it, and warns of further costs from Irish language legislation and an Irish Language Commissioner.
Disability and equality Public finance and taxation Issue: Assembly Irish language translation and interpretation service costs Original release: £330,000 budget to pander to 10 English-speaking MLAs who might occasionally wish to speak in Irish (opens in a new tab)
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Language and Identity Bill another example of contempt for devolution…
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart says the Government's decision to proceed with the Language and Identity Bill is another case of disregarding devolution to push through legislation lacking cross-community support. The DUP says it will oppose the bill unless Unionist concerns are addressed.
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill second reading at Westminster Original release: Language and Identity Bill another example of contempt for devolution… (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon writes to Lady Chief Justice about remarks in Tyrone sexual assault case
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon says she has lodged a formal complaint with the Lady Chief Justice over a judge's remarks in a Tyrone sexual assault hearing, including encouraging the defendant to settle down and refusing to bar him from contacting women online. She calls for judges to be trained on…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Tyrone sexual assault hearing judge's remarks complaint to Lady Chief Justice Original release: Dillon writes to Lady Chief Justice about remarks in Tyrone sexual assault case (opens in a new tab)