Latest releases
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2,940 releases
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‘Time for a new deal for workers and families’ – Kearney
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney calls on the Executive to work with employers and trade unions, including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, to negotiate a new deal for workers and families. He says young people, women and disabled people face wage inequality and poor conditions, and his Assembly…
Economy and employment Disability and equality Original release: ‘Time for a new deal for workers and families’ – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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Work needed to address growing levels of child poverty – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew says work is needed to tackle growing child poverty after the Comptroller and Auditor General published a report on the issue. He calls on the Minister for Communities to make it a key priority while the Anti-Poverty Strategy is finalised.
Social security and welfare Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on child poverty Original release: Work needed to address growing levels of child poverty – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointing Communities Minister not prioritising anti-poverty measures, say Armstrong and Mulholland
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong says the Communities Minister is failing to prioritise anti‑poverty measures despite an Audit Office report that one‑in‑five children live in relative poverty, and calls for urgent action. Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland urges the Minister to extend welfare mitigations for
Social security and welfare Issue: Comptroller and Auditor General report on child poverty Original release: Disappointing Communities Minister not prioritising anti-poverty measures, say Armstrong and Mulholland (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: New approach needed to tackle child poverty
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan says the Executive must devise a fresh child‑poverty strategy with enforceable targets and adequate funding, after the NI Audit Office reported one‑in‑five children in relative poverty and little progress over eight years.
Social security and welfare Issue: Northern Ireland Audit Office report on child poverty Original release: McCrossan: New approach needed to tackle child poverty (opens in a new tab)
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1200 primary school children get set to celebrate sport
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons attended the first of two Celebration of Sport activity days in Ballymoney, where almost 500 primary pupils tried sports including canoeing, cricket and wheelchair basketball. He says the event, now in its 10th year, promotes physical activity and inclusion.
Health Original release: 1200 primary school children get set to celebrate sport (opens in a new tab)
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Allister to Host European Victims Day Event
TUV leader Jim Allister announces a European Victims Day event in the Senate Chamber at Parliament Buildings on 11 March, with a minute's silence and five victims of republican, loyalist and European terrorism sharing their stories.
Community relations and legacy Justice and policing Original release: Allister to Host European Victims Day Event (opens in a new tab)
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Level of assaults on police officers “entirely unacceptable”: Buchanan
DUP MLA Keith Buchanan says it is entirely unacceptable that around eight PSNI officers are assaulted daily and calls for action beyond aspiration on officer welfare. He welcomes the Chief Constable's willingness to make personal impact statements to courts in assault cases.
Justice and policing Health Original release: Level of assaults on police officers “entirely unacceptable”: Buchanan (opens in a new tab)
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Kimmins backs call for greater north-south cancer care cooperation
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins backs calls for greater north-south cooperation on cancer care, arguing an all-island approach would improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and sustainability. She urges the Health Minister to include such cooperation as a key pillar of the new cancer strategy.
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Dillon calls for action to protect care home residents
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon urges the Health Minister to act on a recent report from the Commissioner for Older People, warning that care home evictions are distressing for residents and families. She also calls for enough care home beds to meet demand.
Health Issue: Commissioner for Older People report on care home evictions Original release: Dillon calls for action to protect care home residents (opens in a new tab)
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Children and young people with special educational needs deserve best start to life – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker calls on the Education Minister to overhaul special educational needs provision, saying young people and families are being failed by the current system and urging the minister to act on his commitment following a Education Committee meeting.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Children and young people with special educational needs deserve best start to life – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Irish remains preserve of one community
TUV leader Jim Allister challenges DUP MLA Paul Givan's claim that Irish belongs to everyone, arguing the Irish language is not supported by facts such as its absence from controlled school curricula. He says Irish language legislation aims to promote Gaelicisation as part of a nationalist…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Issue: Paul Givan's comments that Irish belongs to all of us Original release: Irish remains preserve of one community (opens in a new tab)
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Veterans ID Card uptake in Northern Ireland welcomed
DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomes the uptake of Veterans ID Cards in Northern Ireland, saying more than 1,600 have been dispatched, and urges veterans who have not yet applied to submit their applications.
Social security and welfare Original release: Veterans ID Card uptake in Northern Ireland welcomed (opens in a new tab)
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Junior Doctors Are Right To Strike
People Before Profit backs Northern Ireland's Junior Doctors on their first 24-hour strike over pay, and calls for a consolidated 10% pay increase for health and social care workers. It lists picket locations at Craigavon, the Royal Victoria and Altnagelvin hospitals.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Northern Ireland junior doctors 24‑hour pay strike Original release: Junior Doctors Are Right To Strike (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath shows support for junior doctors
SDLP Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath pledges full support for junior doctors taking strike action at the Ulster Hospital picket line, saying their pay and working conditions must be addressed. He urges the Health Minister to reach a fair settlement with them.
Health Economy and employment Issue: Northern Ireland junior doctors 24‑hour pay strike Original release: McGrath shows support for junior doctors (opens in a new tab)
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Smear test review must be concluded urgently – Kimmins
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins urges the Southern Health Trust to finish its review of around 11,000 cervical screening smear tests still awaiting re-checking as soon as possible. She says women's health services are not fit for purpose and calls on the Health Minister to act on a Women's Health…
Health Issue: Southern Health Trust smear test review backlog of around 11,000 tests Original release: Smear test review must be concluded urgently – Kimmins (opens in a new tab)
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Brett thanks public for Hospice Petition support
DUP MLA Phillip Brett thanks those who signed his petition after handing it to the Speaker, which calls on the Department of Health for extra funding for the Children's Hospice to restore bed capacity. He urges the Health Minister to bring forward a funding bid.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Children's Hospice bed capacity reduction petition Original release: Brett thanks public for Hospice Petition support (opens in a new tab)
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Dunne presses for clarity on concessionary fares scheme
DUP MLA Stephen Dunne presses the Infrastructure Minister for clarity on the future of the Concessionary Fares Scheme, noting no decision has followed the consultation that closed in August 2023. He welcomes the Minister's stated intention to keep the scheme in its current form and calls for…
Infrastructure and transport Disability and equality Issue: Concessionary Fares Scheme consultation outcome and future of fare concessions Original release: Dunne presses for clarity on concessionary fares scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister decision more ideological than practical
Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn criticises the Communities Minister's decision to end remote council meetings from 6 March, calling it short-sighted and ideological. He says remote attendance improves accessibility for councillors with caring or health needs and urges the minister to extend…
Local government Disability and equality Issue: Communities Minister ending remote council meetings from 6 March Original release: Communities Minister decision more ideological than practical (opens in a new tab)
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Beattie welcomes NI inclusion in ground-breaking smoking and vaping legislation
UUP leader Doug Beattie MC MLA welcomes Health Minister Robin Swann's confirmation that Northern Ireland will be covered by Westminster's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which would ban tobacco sales to anyone born from 2009 onward. He encourages MLAs to back the measure when it reaches the Assembly.
Health Issue: Health Minister confirms Northern Ireland inclusion in Tobacco and Vapes Bill Original release: Beattie welcomes NI inclusion in ground-breaking smoking and vaping legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Dillon welcomes extension of Nexus contract
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes Department of Health confirmation that Nexus NI's counselling contract for victims of sexual abuse and violence will run for another year. She says she will keep working with the health minister and Nexus on a long-term plan for these services.
Health Justice and policing Issue: Department of Health extension of Nexus NI counselling contract Original release: Dillon welcomes extension of Nexus contract (opens in a new tab)