Latest releases
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33 releases
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Fine Gael proposals on Irish unity a welcome step forward – Mary Lou McDonald
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD welcomes Fine Gael's Irish unity proposals announced at its Ard Fheis and urges Tánaiste Simon Harris to engage with the Opposition, Northern parties and civil society. She calls on the Government to publish a Green Paper on reunification and establish a…
Constitutional affairs Issue: Fine Gael Irish reunification proposals announcement at Ard Fheis Original release: Fine Gael proposals on Irish unity a welcome step forward – Mary Lou McDonald (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Pulling Stormont Brake is another DUP stunt, says Tennyson
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA calls the unionist request to trigger the Stormont Brake a cynical, self-defeating stunt that would undermine progress on an SPS agreement ahead of a UK-EU summit. He urges a full reset of the EU relationship instead.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Stormont brake request on EU goods regulations Original release: Pulling Stormont Brake is another DUP stunt, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Welcomes The Triggering of the Stormont Brake After a Month of Drawing Attention to Dangerous New EU Regulation
TUV welcomes the triggering of the Stormont Brake on EU Regulation 2026/2108, saying it followed a month of the party highlighting the legislation. It points to its October submission to a Northern Ireland Assembly scrutiny panel and an article by leader Jim Allister KC MP, which argues the new…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Stormont brake request on EU goods regulations Original release: TUV Welcomes The Triggering of the Stormont Brake After a Month of Drawing Attention to Dangerous New EU Regulation (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Hanna welcomes Taoiseach’s New Ireland Commitment
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP welcomes the Taoiseach's recent remarks on Irish unity as an important step, and says her party will work with the Irish Government to translate that ambition into concrete preparation. She repeats the SDLP's call for a dedicated minister to drive the work.
Constitutional affairs Issue: British Prime Minister and Taoiseach commitment on cross-border employment issues Original release: Hanna welcomes Taoiseach’s New Ireland Commitment (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Swann welcomes Joint UK-EU Agreement on parcel fees ahead of Parliamentary Partnership Assembly
UUP MP Robin Swann welcomes confirmed arrangements exempting "not at risk" consumer parcels entering Northern Ireland under Windsor Framework schemes from new EU handling fees, ahead of the Joint Committee meeting. He flags unresolved questions over how EU artificial intelligence rules would…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU handling fees on Northern Ireland parcels Original release: Swann welcomes Joint UK-EU Agreement on parcel fees ahead of Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Draft agreement between EU and British government ‘further evidence of failed Brexit project’ – Ferguson
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson welcomes a draft EU-UK agreement on food and plant products, calling it further evidence that Brexit failed economically, socially and politically. She says she met the British Cabinet Office Windsor Framework team and that Sinn Féin will focus on reducing trade…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK food and plant products agreement Original release: Draft agreement between EU and British government ‘further evidence of failed Brexit project’ – Ferguson (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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BROLLY: “Safeguarding must not be used as an excuse to sideline parents”
Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly, ahead of the Assembly debate on the Education Committee's report into RSE, says safeguarding must not sideline parents and calls for parental rights, school ethos and transparency to be protected. She asks the Education Minister to clarify withdrawal rights…
Education Issue: Assembly debate on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Original release: BROLLY: “Safeguarding must not be used as an excuse to sideline parents” (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Aiken: Food checks deal welcome, but Irish Sea border is far from gone
UUP MLA Dr Steve Aiken welcomes the draft UK‑EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement on food checks, but warns that Northern Ireland will stay separated from the rest of the UK on many regulations and that the new EU customs code will increase trade disruption.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU-UK food and plant products agreement Original release: Aiken: Food checks deal welcome, but Irish Sea border is far from gone (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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TUV welcomes Carla Lockhart move
TUV leader Jim Allister welcomes Carla Lockhart MP's decision to leave the DUP, saying she followed her conscience. He claims the DUP chose Michelle O'Neill over Lockhart due to its 'O'Neill Must Stay' preference, and looks forward to working with her on unionist issues.
Constitutional affairs Issue: Carla Lockhart leaves the DUP Original release: TUV welcomes Carla Lockhart move (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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You cannot champion the Union by leaving Northern Ireland's chair empty
Ul Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows says the DUP's choice to exclude Northern Ireland from tomorrow's Glasgow Economic Forum harms NI's economy and the Union, urging another executive minister— such as Health Minister Robbie Butler—to attend instead.
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: DUP's decision to exclude Northern Ireland from Economic Forum in Glasgow Original release: You cannot champion the Union by leaving Northern Ireland's chair empty (opens in a new tab)
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Common sense prevails as Queen’s lifts Remembrance collarette ban
UUP Young Unionist chairman Jay Basra welcomes Queen's University Belfast's reversal allowing Orange collarettes at its 8 November Remembrance service. He thanks the Queen's Orange Society for raising the issue and urges the university to consult affected groups before future changes.
Community relations and legacy Education Original release: Common sense prevails as Queen’s lifts Remembrance collarette ban (opens in a new tab)
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Brett Welcomes Queen’s U-Turn on Orange Collarettes
DUP MLA and Economy Committee Chair Phillip Brett welcomes Queen's University Belfast's reversal of its decision to ban Orange collarettes at its Remembrance Sunday service, crediting his direct intervention with senior management and calling for lessons to be learned.
Community relations and legacy Education Issue: Queen's University Orange collarette policy change Original release: Brett Welcomes Queen’s U-Turn on Orange Collarettes (opens in a new tab)
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Robinson welcomes Secretary of State’s openness to ministerial…
DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP welcomes the Secretary of State's openness to legislative change that would let the Northern Ireland Act 1998 impose a sanction on Ministers found guilty of criminal offences. He calls for that openness to become an effective law change.
Constitutional affairs Justice and policing Issue: Secretary of State's openness to ministerial roles Original release: Robinson welcomes Secretary of State’s openness to ministerial… (opens in a new tab)
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O'Neill: Girls Themselves Won U-Turn on Right to Wear Trousers Through Relentless Efforts
People Before Profit's Maeve O'Neill welcomes the decision to let girls wear trousers in school, crediting girls who campaigned for years and criticising Education Minister Paul Givan's U-turn as embarrassing. She calls for the uniform legislation to be challenged and for RSE and menstrual health…
Disability and equality Education Original release: O'Neill: Girls Themselves Won U-Turn on Right to Wear Trousers Through Relentless Efforts (opens in a new tab)
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Zero Action on Teacher Workload - Carroll Backs Teachers' Strike Mandate
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll backs five teaching unions that have voted to strike over workload, and calls on Education Minister to implement the 27 recommendations of the 2025 workload review without delay.
Education Economy and employment Original release: Zero Action on Teacher Workload - Carroll Backs Teachers' Strike Mandate (opens in a new tab)
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Binning Derry Air Dome Sports Facility is Premature and Reckless
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin calls the scrapping of the Ulster University Air Dome sports facility in Derry premature and reckless. He urges Economy Minister intervention and Executive support to deliver Magee expansion projects, and calls for accountability from the university and…
Education Economy and employment Original release: Binning Derry Air Dome Sports Facility is Premature and Reckless (opens in a new tab)
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Carroll to Host Workers and Unions at Stormont as Ulster University Job Cuts Fight Comes to Parliament Buildings
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll is hosting a panel at Parliament Buildings with workers and trade unions opposing Ulster University's decision to cut 450 jobs. He criticises the Teams-call notification and university spending on the Belfast campus and events.
Education Economy and employment Original release: Carroll to Host Workers and Unions at Stormont as Ulster University Job Cuts Fight Comes to Parliament Buildings (opens in a new tab)
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Carroll on Ulster University Job Losses: Cash for Campuses, Cuts for Workers
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll demands answers from Ulster University on which jobs will be cut and the impact on students, and calls on the Economy Minister to intervene over plans to make up to 450 workers redundant.
Economy and employment Education Original release: Carroll on Ulster University Job Losses: Cash for Campuses, Cuts for Workers (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools
Green Party councillor Flynn welcomes the Supreme Court judgment on compulsory religious worship in Northern Ireland schools, urging the Executive to act quickly to overhaul the education framework so pupils from all backgrounds, including non-religious families, feel respected.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools Original release: Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party Leader cautiously welcomes Equality Commission way forward following Supreme Court judgment
Green Party Leader Mal O'Hara welcomes the Equality Commission's announcement on its proposed pathway after the Supreme Court judgment, calling it a constructive step giving legal clarity. He says the Supreme Court failed to resolve Northern Ireland's distinct legal position and that the Green…
Disability and equality Constitutional affairs Original release: Green Party Leader cautiously welcomes Equality Commission way forward following Supreme Court judgment (opens in a new tab)