Latest releases
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4,192 releases
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Alliance representatives emphasise importance of regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week.
Alliance MLAs Nuala McAllister and Michelle Guy urge women to attend regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week. They call for a Department of Health response to Southern Trust misread screening results and back a statutory public inquiry.
Health Issue: Cervical Screening Awareness Week Original release: Alliance representatives emphasise importance of regular cervical screenings during Cervical Screening Awareness Week. (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan encourages public to have its say on MOT consultation
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan encourages the public to respond to a Department for Infrastructure consultation on moving some vehicles from annual to two-yearly MOT testing, open until 16 April 2025. He says Minister John O'Dowd is working to cut MOT wait times through recruitment and Sunday and…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Department for Infrastructure consultation on biennial MOT testing Original release: Boylan encourages public to have its say on MOT consultation (opens in a new tab)
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Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls on the Department of Health to explore expanding robotic-assisted surgery to other specialties, after Health Minister figures showed 513 of 599 such surgeries since 2019 were on males. She says the split reflects unequal access to…
Health Disability and equality Issue: Minister's figures on gender split in robotic surgery Original release: Gender inequalities a stark reality in health, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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DUP will oppose unlimited public funds to assisted suicide legislation
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP says the party will vote against a money resolution in the House of Commons giving uncapped public spending for developing the assisted suicide legislation. He argues it risks diverting scarce resources from palliative care and mental health support, and calls for…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Commons money resolution on assisted suicide bill uncapped spending Original release: DUP will oppose unlimited public funds to assisted suicide legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Flynn welcomes support for reducing stigma surrounding mental ill-health
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes backing from across parties for a motion aimed at reducing stigma around mental ill-health. She credits the Health Minister's work so far, while urging further practical steps and more accessible mental health services under the Mental Health Strategy.
Health Issue: Cross-party motion on reducing stigma around mental ill-health Original release: Flynn welcomes support for reducing stigma surrounding mental ill-health (opens in a new tab)
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Sheerin welcomes additional funding to help communities tackle violence against women and girls
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin welcomes an additional £1.2 million for grassroots organisations to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, following an earlier £2 million commitment to local communities.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Additional £1.2 million funding for violence against women and girls awareness Original release: Sheerin welcomes additional funding to help communities tackle violence against women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins welcomes cross‑party support for a motion urging the health minister to devise specialist autism mental health services, saying many with ASD lack needed care and the minister must work with families to deliver fully accessible support.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion calling for specialist autism mental health services Original release: Kimmins welcomes cross-party support for improved autism mental health support (opens in a new tab)
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Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is using unreliable data on vacant properties to excuse inaction on housing, and calls on the Finance and Communities Ministers to ensure empty homes records are accurate and up to date.
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Thousands of Houses Empty and Thousands Homeless: Time for Action (opens in a new tab)
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McAleer welcomes new veterinary nursing degrees at Ulster University
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer welcomes Ulster University's announcement that its Coleraine campus will offer veterinary nursing degrees, and a part-time animal healthcare and practice degree for registered veterinary nurses. He hopes the courses will keep veterinary careers in Northern Ireland…
Agriculture and rural affairs Education Issue: Ulster University Coleraine veterinary nursing degree announcement Original release: McAleer welcomes new veterinary nursing degrees at Ulster University (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party welcome rejection of UUP anti-trans motion
Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn welcomes the failure of a UUP motion on trans prisoners, calling it a distraction. He says the Assembly should instead deliver the LGBTQ equality strategy promised since 2007 and address hate crime and health inequalities.
Disability and equality Issue: UUP motion on trans prisoners rejected in Assembly Original release: Green Party welcome rejection of UUP anti-trans motion (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan says Executive inaction on empty homes is a missed opportunity after Department of Finance figures showed 21,081 vacant properties across the North. He calls for immediate action, including a review of the Empty Homes Strategy and a scheme similar to Scotland's Empty Home…
Housing Issue: Communities Minister comments on lack of data on vacant properties Original release: Durkan: Executive inaction sees Empty Homes rise to over 21,000 (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister will be judged on delivery of SEN provision, says Alliance representatives, calling for urgent action.
Alliance Education MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy urge the Education Minister to publish a detailed delivery plan for special educational needs, saying his recent statements lack concrete actions, timescales and funding and that his performance will be judged on SEN provision.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education minister's SEN transformation statement Original release: Education Minister will be judged on delivery of SEN provision, says Alliance representatives, calling for urgent action. (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister marks Holocaust Memorial Day at PRONI
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons spoke at a PRONI event marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2025, which examined the story of Holocaust survivor Walter Sekules and his family's move to Kilkeel. Lyons calls for lessons from the past to be applied so that genocide and persecution are never repeated.
Disability and equality Original release: Communities Minister marks Holocaust Memorial Day at PRONI (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna welcomes Irish Government commitment to Northern Ireland
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP welcomes the draft Irish Government Programme for Government, citing its reflection of SDLP proposals on a skills task force, cross-border environment and waterways, and Erasmus access, plus a €1bn-plus Shared Island Unit commitment and a John Hume Fund.
Constitutional affairs Infrastructure and transport Issue: Draft Programme for Government omits presidential voting rights for citizens abroad Original release: Hanna welcomes Irish Government commitment to Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Corridor care can’t become the norm
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says corridor care cannot become the norm in hospitals, after an RCN report found some patients dying in corridors. He calls for proper workforce planning and health service transformation, and warns the situation in the North may be worse than…
Health Issue: Royal College of Nursing report on corridor care across Britain and Northern Ireland Original release: McGrath: Corridor care can’t become the norm (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Executive squabbling won’t solve health crisis
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath calls for an end to Executive infighting over the health service crisis, criticising Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's statement on the draft budget's equality impact assessment as a list of grievances. He urges parties to work together on solutions.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Health Equality Impact Assessment of 2025‑26 budget Original release: McGrath: Executive squabbling won’t solve health crisis (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan urges Infrastructure Minister to review winter services plan
SDLP Opposition Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA calls on Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd to review the department's winter services programme, saying road gritting criteria and grit box provision are not serving all areas well. He says reviews should involve other agencies to…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Winter weather road gritting and grit box provision by DfI Original release: Durkan urges Infrastructure Minister to review winter services plan (opens in a new tab)
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McAleer encourages community participation in Dalradian inquiry
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer urges residents across the north west to take part in the additional consultation on Dalradian's proposed Sperrins goldmine and processing plant, after its planning inquiry was suspended. He calls the delay regrettable and stresses the project's possible environmental…
Environment and climate Issue: Dalradian Sperrins goldmine planning inquiry suspension Original release: McAleer encourages community participation in Dalradian inquiry (opens in a new tab)
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‘People’s Kitchen must have adequate support, tools and resources to carry out vital homelessness work’ – Finucane
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane says he and MLA Carál Ní Chuilín met Communities Minister Gordon Lyons with the People's Kitchen team, and calls on the minister to examine funding streams for the Belfast homelessness charity, which receives no public funding.
Housing Social security and welfare Original release: ‘People’s Kitchen must have adequate support, tools and resources to carry out vital homelessness work’ – Finucane (opens in a new tab)
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Minister commends organisations working to tackle homelessness
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons praised frontline homelessness charities during a visit to a north Belfast support centre, highlighted the Executive’s Housing Supply Strategy, announced an extra £6.7 m for the Housing Executive and a new 2025‑26 allocation for homelessness prevention, and thanked
Housing Issue: Housing Supply Strategy and homelessness funding boost Original release: Minister commends organisations working to tackle homelessness (opens in a new tab)