Latest releases
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1,977 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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Armstrong welcomes welfare mitigations review but warns no action without Executive
Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA welcomes the Department for Communities' published independent review of welfare mitigation schemes, but says none of its recommendations can proceed without an Executive. She urges the DUP to end its blocking of the Executive now.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Independent review of welfare mitigation schemes published by Department for Communities Original release: Armstrong welcomes welfare mitigations review but warns no action without Executive (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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Real People are the Collateral Damage of Westminster & Stormont Fiasco Factories - Tóibín
Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín says the Westminster government collapse and the suspended Stormont Assembly are imposing a human cost on families facing poverty, hunger and cold homes. He calls for urgent reform of political institutions and for the Irish government to press the case with whoever…
Constitutional affairs Health Original release: Real People are the Collateral Damage of Westminster & Stormont Fiasco Factories - Tóibín (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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Robinson highlights opportunities to cut broadband costs
DUP MP Gavin Robinson welcomes Vodafone's offer of a year of free broadband for small businesses and urges Universal Credit and Pension Credit recipients to check whether they qualify for social broadband tariffs. He cites 6,500 East Belfast claimants.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Issue: Vodafone free broadband offer for small businesses Original release: Robinson highlights opportunities to cut broadband costs (opens in a new tab)
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Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomes the Prime Minister's Commons assurance that the triple lock on pensions will remain, after speculation it could be scrapped. She says the DUP secured the triple lock in its 2017 agreement and opposed any move to drop it.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Government assurance that triple lock on pensions will remain Original release: Triple lock commitment welcome – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald presses the economy minister to confirm when and how the £400 energy support payments will reach households, accusing the DUP of an information gap and of delaying support through its boycott of the Executive.
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: £400 energy support payment timing in Northern Ireland Original release: ‘Economy minister must clarify £400 energy payment date’ – Archibald (opens in a new tab)
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Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong
Alliance's Kellie Armstrong MLA calls on the UK Government to confirm that benefits will rise with the 10.1 per cent CPI inflation figure, ahead of the April 2023 uprating. She says ministers have so far given vague answers, and urges an urgent announcement to protect universal credit claimants.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: Government needs to confirm benefits rise now inflation rate is clear, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury
Alliance Economy spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA says he is alarmed by the Economy Minister's decision to raise student maintenance loans by 40 per cent and tuition fees by 1.8 per cent. He calls for an urgent financial support package for students, including higher maintenance grants and…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Economy Minister's student finance changes and maintenance loan increase Original release: Dickson brands student finance news as insult to injury (opens in a new tab)
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O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter
SDLP Cost of Living Spokesperson Matthew O'Toole says rising inflation signals a hard winter for households, warning that families may struggle to afford heating and food. He calls for urgent support, including the SDLP's proposed 1,000 litre home heating oil voucher scheme, rather than an…
Economy and employment Social security and welfare Issue: UK inflation rise to 10.1% and winter cost of living pressures Original release: O’Toole: Inflation rise shows challenge facing families this winter (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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Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on the DUP to consider the stress its position is placing on carers across Northern Ireland, citing a Carers NI report finding fewer than one in three could afford their bills. She urges a return to the Executive to agree a budget.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Carers NI State of Caring Northern Ireland 2022 report Original release: Carers in crisis could be helped if there was a local Executive (opens in a new tab)