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1,981 releases
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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)
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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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DFC Minister Can Act And Should Act On Punitive Debt Deductions
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin calls on the DfC Minister to suspend punitive debt deductions for Universal Credit and other benefit recipients, citing a Derry and Strabane Council motion and Department correspondence showing no plans to act.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Derry and Strabane Council motion on suspending benefit debt deductions Original release: DFC Minister Can Act And Should Act On Punitive Debt Deductions (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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McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan condemns a reported British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings rather than inflation, calling it a betrayal. He has requested that Minister Deirdre Hargey produce figures on how the change would affect Northern Ireland households, citing Resolution…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: British Government plan to link benefit uprating to earnings growth Original release: McCrossan: Tory benefits plan will plunge thousands into poverty (opens in a new tab)
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Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin says the Council Hardship Fund is a tiny drop compared with the need, condemns the SDLP, Sinn Féin, and DUP for blocking or diluting it, and pledges to push for extra funding and stronger action on the cost‑of‑living emergency.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Council Hardship Fund Original release: Harkin: Council Hardship Fund Hypocrites (opens in a new tab)
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Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald says the British Government's £100 payment for households relying on home heating oil is totally inadequate and an afterthought, and warns the switch to paying it via electricity providers may push people towards costlier electric heating. She also calls on the DUP…
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: £100 home heating oil payment announcement by British Government Original release: Support for households relying on oil totally inadequate – Archibald (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)
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Cllr McKee welcomes support for workers undergoing fertility treatment
Green Party councillor Barry McKee welcomes unanimous backing from Ards and North Down Council's Corporate Committee for a motion to expand support for staff undergoing fertility treatment. He hopes officers' forthcoming report leads to a swift introduction of the measures.
Economy and employment Local government Issue: Ards and North Down council motion on fertility treatment support for staff Original release: Cllr McKee welcomes support for workers undergoing fertility treatment (opens in a new tab)
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Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown
Alliance MLA Patrick Brown welcomes the first meeting of a cross-party Assembly working group on universal basic income, which discussed developing a UBI pilot for Northern Ireland. He says the economic pressures of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis make new support measures necessary.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Assembly All-Party Working Group on universal basic income first meeting Original release: Assembly group on universal basic income important step towards potential introduction here, says Brown (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna welcomes progress on Irish language legislation
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna welcomes progress on the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill ahead of its Westminster second reading, calling for the protections to be enacted promptly and criticising that the legislation is not being progressed locally at Stormont.
Disability and equality Issue: Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill second reading at Westminster Original release: Hanna welcomes progress on Irish language legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Dickson encourages victims of hate crime to come forward and report incidents
Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson urges victims and witnesses of hate crime to come forward to support services and police, citing recent PSNI figures showing rises in five motivation categories, with disability-motivated incidents at their highest since records began.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI hate crime statistics showing rises across five motivation categories Original release: Dickson encourages victims of hate crime to come forward and report incidents (opens in a new tab)
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Conference 2022 - Education Minister Michelle McIlveen
DUP Education Minister Michelle McIlveen MLA, addressing the 2022 DUP Conference, says the party kept schools open during Covid and lists its education record, including a new post-primary school building programme, Nurture Units, Healthy Happy Minds counselling and the School Age Act.
Education Public finance and taxation Original release: Conference 2022 - Education Minister Michelle McIlveen (opens in a new tab)