Latest releases
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1,990 releases
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Blair welcomes PSNI violence against women and girls strategy
Alliance MLA John Blair welcomes the PSNI's launch of a strategy to reduce violence against women and girls, citing 34 women and girls killed by men between 2017 and 2021. He calls for a renewed Executive strategy to follow.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI violence against women and girls strategy launch Original release: Blair welcomes PSNI violence against women and girls strategy (opens in a new tab)
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Time is running out for employment support services, says Armstrong
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong warns that disability employment support services funded by the ESF face closure when funding ends on 31 March, with no Executive to agree a Budget. She calls for urgent funding to keep these services running after a Stormont event held for NIUSE.
Disability and equality Economy and employment Original release: Time is running out for employment support services, says Armstrong (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: PSNI action plan to tackle violence against women and girls “long-overdue”
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin describes the PSNI's new action plan on violence against women and girls as overdue and calls for wider action from a reformed Executive, including publication of its delayed strategy on the issue.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: PSNI violence against women and girls strategy launch Original release: McLaughlin: PSNI action plan to tackle violence against women and girls “long-overdue” (opens in a new tab)
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Allister highlights legal duty on schools relating to religious education
TUV leader Jim Allister opposes a University of Ulster report, funded by the Integrated Education Fund, that calls for repealing the requirement for Christian-focused religious education and worship in schools. He says he has tabled a question asking the Education Minister to commit to keeping the…
Education Issue: University of Ulster report on repealing Christian-focused religious education in schools Original release: Allister highlights legal duty on schools relating to religious education (opens in a new tab)
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"The existence of “Christian-Focused Religious Education” as a choice, offered to parents, enriches our pluralistic society."
Aontú's Brolly rejects a University of Ulster UNESCO Education Centre research paper that criticises Christian-focused religious education, arguing it lacks evidence and that parental choice should be protected under human rights law.
Education Issue: University of Ulster report on repealing Christian-focused religious education in schools Original release: "The existence of “Christian-Focused Religious Education” as a choice, offered to parents, enriches our pluralistic society." (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Schools feeling pressure from cost of living emergency
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan warns schools face a deepening cost of living crisis, citing Education Authority advice of a threefold rise in heating costs. He calls on the Education and Finance Ministers to fund schools for heating bills and on the Education Authority to publish a support…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Authority advice on schools' heating cost increases Original release: McCrossan: Schools feeling pressure from cost of living emergency (opens in a new tab)
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Parental choice in education must be paramount: Dodds
DUP MLA Diane Dodds argues that parental choice must be paramount in education and opposes removing schools' use of academic criteria in admissions. She responds to an Ulster University paper on transforming education, saying it seeks a fully comprehensive system and pointing to the Fair Start…
Education Issue: Ulster University transforming education paper publication Original release: Parental choice in education must be paramount: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister must tackle Gender Identity Clinic Staff Shortages – Sheerin
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin urges the Health Minister to tackle staffing gaps at the Brackenburn gender identity clinic, where over 500 people were reportedly waiting as of April. She links the problem to a need for an Executive to fund extra health recruitment.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Brackenburn gender identity clinic waiting list and staffing shortages Original release: Health Minister must tackle Gender Identity Clinic Staff Shortages – Sheerin (opens in a new tab)
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Executive needed to improve childcare and early education- Brogan
Sinn Féin MLA Nicola Brogan welcomes the Education Minister's commitment to gradually expand pre-school provision to 22.5 hours weekly, arguing it must sit within a wider childcare strategy. She calls for a departmental review of current provision and an Executive restored urgently, and accuses…
Education Issue: Education Minister's pre-school provision announcement Original release: Executive needed to improve childcare and early education- Brogan (opens in a new tab)
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McIlveen announces move towards 22.5 hours of funded pre-school for…
DUP Education Minister Michelle McIlveen says the Department is working towards funded pre-school for all 3-4 year olds at a minimum of 22.5 hours weekly, starting with a pilot of new full-time statutory nursery places. She has also asked the UK Chancellor to raise Tax-Free Childcare from 20% to…
Education Issue: Education Minister's pre-school provision announcement Original release: McIlveen announces move towards 22.5 hours of funded pre-school for… (opens in a new tab)
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Egan: Pre-school provision falls short of what parents need
Alliance's Connie Egan says the Education Minister's plan for a minimum of 22.5 hours of pre-school education weekly falls well short of parents' needs. She calls for a universal, government-subsidised childcare scheme and urges the Minister to publish a Childcare Strategy.
Education Issue: Education Minister's pre-school provision announcement Original release: Egan: Pre-school provision falls short of what parents need (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter urges Education Minister to avert teachers’ strike action
SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter urges Education Minister Michelle McIlveen to negotiate a fair pay agreement with teaching unions and avert strike action ballots over pay and working conditions as pupils return to school.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teachers' strike ballots over pay and working conditions in the North Original release: Hunter urges Education Minister to avert teachers’ strike action (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Ambition must be to provide 30 hours free childcare
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan says the Education Minister's plan for 22.5 hours of pre-school education is not ambitious enough and calls for at least 30 hours of free childcare a week in any childcare strategy.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Minister's pre-school provision announcement Original release: McCrossan: Ambition must be to provide 30 hours free childcare (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan questions ongoing problems with sub teachers register
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan questions continuing problems with the Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register after the Education Authority closed phone lines due to high demand. He says he has asked the EA about the backlog, timescale and reasons for the closure, and calls for…
Education Issue: Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register (NISTR) launch problems and phone line closure Original release: McCrossan questions ongoing problems with sub teachers register (opens in a new tab)
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Brogan welcomes plan for two new special schools
Sinn Féin MLA Nicola Brogan welcomes Education Authority plans to build two new special schools, citing a rise of about 500 pupils in special schools in a year to around 7,150 in September 2022.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority plan to build two new special schools Original release: Brogan welcomes plan for two new special schools (opens in a new tab)
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Sheehan welcomes plan to increase Irish medium schools
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes Education Authority plans to expand Irish-medium post-primary provision across the north, citing rising enrolments. He calls on the EA to deliver the plan and secure new first-class facilities for Irish-language pupils.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority Irish-medium post-primary expansion plan Original release: Sheehan welcomes plan to increase Irish medium schools (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Schools need answers over plans for new buildings
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan backs a call from the Construction Professionals' Council of Northern Ireland for Education Minister Michelle McIlveen to publish a timetable after delays to 28 new school buildings. He says the Minister must clarify the position for schools and contractors…
Education Infrastructure and transport Issue: CPCNI call over delays to 28 new school buildings Original release: McCrossan: Schools need answers over plans for new buildings (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan expresses concerns over problems with new sub teacher register
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan warns that performance problems with the Education Authority's new substitute teacher register could leave schools struggling to recruit cover and teachers unable to register. He urges the EA to resolve the technical faults quickly.
Education Issue: Education Authority substitute teacher register performance problems Original release: McCrossan expresses concerns over problems with new sub teacher register (opens in a new tab)
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Tennyson launches new All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson says he is launching an All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality to make LGBTQIA+ rights a priority this Assembly term. It will examine healthcare inequalities, school bullying, hate crime, the long-delayed LGBTQI+ strategy and banning conversion therapy.
Disability and equality Issue: Launch of All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality Original release: Tennyson launches new All Party Group on LGBTQIA+ Equality (opens in a new tab)
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Acute Transport Crisis Affecting Children with Special Needs - Brolly
Aontú's education spokesperson Gemma Brolly has asked the Infrastructure Minister to urgently review school transport arrangements, especially for children with special educational needs, citing a shortage of licensed taxi drivers and operators. She urges reinstating earlier support measures that…
Education Infrastructure and transport Original release: Acute Transport Crisis Affecting Children with Special Needs - Brolly (opens in a new tab)