Latest releases
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58 releases
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Health savings won’t be allowed to come at expense of patient safety – Chambers
UUP health spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA says patient safety must come first as Health Trusts consider savings proposals, warning financial targets cannot dictate safe care. He blames the Executive's failure to agree a Budget and calls for Westminster to recognise funding pressures.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Health Trust savings proposals and patient safety Original release: Health savings won’t be allowed to come at expense of patient safety – Chambers (opens in a new tab)
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NI Fiscal Council Report – Fix the roof, not apply more duct tape
UUP MLA Dr Steve Aiken says the NI Fiscal Council's report on Northern Ireland's sustainability shows finances need structural reform, not short-term fixes, and criticises the lack of urgency over the absence of a budget. He calls for a coherent case on funding levels.
Public finance and taxation Health Issue: Fiscal Council Sustainability Report publication June 2026 Original release: NI Fiscal Council Report – Fix the roof, not apply more duct tape (opens in a new tab)
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Transformation Funding Must Deliver Real Change - Dodds
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes Transformation Fund allocations, including £42 million for ePharmacy and digital reform and funding for Together for Families, while calling for measurable outcomes, shorter waiting times and accountable delivery.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive Transformation Fund allocations announcement Original release: Transformation Funding Must Deliver Real Change - Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Kimmins welcomes £29.2 million transformation funding for family support
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins welcomes Finance Minister John O'Dowd's allocation of £29.2 million from the Transformation Fund to the Department of Health's Together for Families project, which will also receive £30 million in National Lottery match funding. She praises the appointment of Jacinta…
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive Transformation Fund allocations announcement Original release: Kimmins welcomes £29.2 million transformation funding for family support (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter concerned at youth club funding cliff-edge
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA expresses concern after the Department of Education confirmed youth club funding only until June, with around £37m no longer ring-fenced. She urges the Education Minister to clarify his position and says the Executive's budget failures put…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Department youth services funding allocation change Original release: Hunter concerned at youth club funding cliff-edge (opens in a new tab)
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Robinson - Reserve Funding Welcome but Reform is Essential
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP welcomes confirmation that the Executive will access £400 million from the Reserve for public services, while saying the funding is exceptional and backing line-by-line scrutiny of Executive budgets. He calls for root and branch reform of the Northern Ireland Civil…
Public finance and taxation Issue: £400 million Reserve funding for Northern Ireland Executive Original release: Robinson - Reserve Funding Welcome but Reform is Essential (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin oversells £400 million reprofiling as HM Treasury imposes greater oversight
UUP Finance Spokesperson Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA says the agreed reprofiling of Northern Ireland's £400 million overspend is a smaller gain than Sinn Féin and the Finance Minister suggest, and warns that HM Treasury oversight may reduce pressure for departmental reform.
Public finance and taxation Issue: £400 million Reserve funding for Northern Ireland Executive Original release: Sinn Féin oversells £400 million reprofiling as HM Treasury imposes greater oversight (opens in a new tab)
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£400m reserve claim welcome but fundamental reform required, says Tennyson
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson welcomes Treasury approval of a £400m reserve claim for the Executive, but says it is only temporary relief without public service reform and action on the cost of division. He backs the planned Treasury open-book exercise.
Public finance and taxation Issue: £400 million Reserve funding for Northern Ireland Executive Original release: £400m reserve claim welcome but fundamental reform required, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)
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Dolan welcomes funding announcement of almost £55 million
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomes almost £55 million in funding allocations for road and transport, public sector pay, disability home adaptations and education. She says the Finance Minister is working with the Executive and calls for a multi-year budget to allow departments to plan more…
Public finance and taxation Infrastructure and transport Original release: Dolan welcomes funding announcement of almost £55 million (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Community sector funding cuts will cause huge damage
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP says the UK Government's 64% cut to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will devastate the community sector, putting jobs and services for marginalised people at risk. She suggests the timing, days before Christmas, was designed to bury opposition, and urges the Executive to…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: UK Shared Prosperity Fund 64% cut to community sector Original release: Hanna: Community sector funding cuts will cause huge damage (opens in a new tab)
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Dolan welcomes investment in public services and workers
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomes Finance Minister John O'Dowd's monitoring round allocation of £162 million for capital projects and £104 million for public sector pay awards. She says it will improve roads, public transport, housing, healthcare and education, and urges parties to work together…
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Executive monitoring round allocates £162m capital and £104m public sector pay Original release: Dolan welcomes investment in public services and workers (opens in a new tab)
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Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says the British Chancellor's Autumn Budget missed an opportunity to redirect public funding towards those most in need, arguing £18.8 million extra this financial year falls far short of front-line service needs.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Autumn Budget 2025 Northern Ireland funding and tax threshold freeze Original release: Autumn Budget missed opportunity to help those who most need it – Dolan (opens in a new tab)
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TUV responds to Budget
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Budget does little for Northern Ireland, criticising the continued farm death tax, lack of funding for PSNI data breach costs and officer shortages, and a £16m Irish Sea border payment he says amounts to under £5m a year over three years.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: TUV responds to Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget
SDLP leader Claire Hanna welcomes the scrapping of the two-child welfare limit and a £370m boost for Northern Ireland in the Budget, but calls on Executive Ministers to act on health, housing, justice and childcare rather than blaming Westminster.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: November 2025 Budget income tax threshold freeze Original release: Hanna: Executive must take responsibility following Budget (opens in a new tab)
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Baker welcomes uplift in funding for frontline youth services
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker welcomes confirmation of £12 million in funding over the coming years for youth clubs and organisations. He says the party has pressed providers for the boost and pledges to keep working with youth workers and volunteers.
Public finance and taxation Issue: £12 million funding confirmed for youth clubs and organisations Original release: Baker welcomes uplift in funding for frontline youth services (opens in a new tab)
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Dolan welcomes additional funding for departments
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomes the Executive's £118 million allocation after the June monitoring round, citing £25 million each for health and education and £9 million for social and affordable homes. She also calls for an end to British government cuts.
Public finance and taxation Education Issue: Executive £118 million allocation following June monitoring round Original release: Dolan welcomes additional funding for departments (opens in a new tab)
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Dolan welcomes Executive’s budget to ‘improve the lives of workers and families’
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomes the Executive's budget agreement, which she says funds childcare, waiting lists, and efforts to end violence against women and girls. She also welcomes Finance Minister John O'Dowd's plan to move to multi-year spending from next year, and calls for fairer funding.
Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive agreed 2025/26 budget with £215 million for health Original release: Dolan welcomes Executive’s budget to ‘improve the lives of workers and families’ (opens in a new tab)
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Budget underlines Executive’s commitment to health – McGuigan
Sinn Féin health spokesperson Philip McGuigan MLA welcomes the Executive's agreed budget, saying £215 million for 2025/26 will fund cutting waiting lists and investment in elective care. He says it shows the Executive's commitment to health.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive agreed 2025/26 budget with £215 million for health Original release: Budget underlines Executive’s commitment to health – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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£129m investment in transforming public services an important first step, says Tennyson
Alliance Finance spokesperson Eóin Tennyson MLA welcomes the £129m Transformation Programme allocation to six projects as an important first step. He calls on the Finance Minister to make the Public Sector Transformation Board permanent and to release the remaining £102.5m quickly.
Public finance and taxation Health Issue: £129m Executive transformation funding for six public service proposals Original release: £129m investment in transforming public services an important first step, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)
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Murphy welcomes funding to assist communities with Storm Éowyn recovery
SDLP... no. Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy welcomes the Executive's £17 million allocation to departments for Storm Éowyn recovery and hopes the money reaches affected communities quickly. She also urges the electricity provider and energy regulator to introduce compensation for customers hit by power…
Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive £17 million Storm Éowyn recovery funding allocation Original release: Murphy welcomes funding to assist communities with Storm Éowyn recovery (opens in a new tab)