Latest releases
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30 releases
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Budget must put workers and families first – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald TD says Budget 2027 must put workers and families first, setting out proposals to abolish USC on the first €40,000 and provide a €400 energy credit. She also calls on the Irish government to prepare for Irish unity and to put the Triple Lock dismantling plan to a…
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Original release: Budget must put workers and families first – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy
Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy says a biomethane strategy should focus on treating waste and by‑products rather than altering the agricultural system, urging local consultation, strong planning, robust regulation and direct benefits for rural communities.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: Biomethane strategy must be based on treating waste and by-products, not distorting the agricultural system – Murphy (opens in a new tab)
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Gerry Carroll’s People's Housing Bill: the Tenant Protections Stormont Refuses to Deliver
People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll says Belfast rents have jumped over 50% in five years, leaving tenants vulnerable to evictions and disrepair. He announces a private members People’s Housing Bill to cut rents and ban no‑fault evictions, calling for urgent action on the housing crisis.
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SDLP proposes amendment to establish independent EPA
The SDLP has proposed an amendment to establish an independent Environmental Protection Agency for Northern Ireland. The release gives no further detail on the amendment's wording or the bill it would attach to.
Environment and climate Original release: SDLP proposes amendment to establish independent EPA (opens in a new tab)
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Sinn Féin bill removes barriers to accessing social housing – Eoin Ó Broin TD
Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, with Louise O'Reilly and Mark Ward, has introduced the Social Housing Passport Bill 2026 in the Dáil. It would let people move between local authority housing lists and keep their years on the list in cases such as domestic violence, employment or medical needs, and…
Housing Local government Original release: Sinn Féin bill removes barriers to accessing social housing – Eoin Ó Broin TD (opens in a new tab)
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Independent environmental regulator crucial to tackling pollution – Finnegan
Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan says an independent environmental regulator is key to tackling environmental damage, ahead of an Assembly motion calling for an Independent Environmental Protection Agency. She says it would reduce pollution and work alongside Executive departments.
Environment and climate Original release: Independent environmental regulator crucial to tackling pollution – Finnegan (opens in a new tab)
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Ending the rip-off and supporting workers and families must be top priority in this budget – Mary Lou McDonald TD
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: Ending the rip-off and supporting workers and families must be top priority in this budget – Mary Lou McDonald TD (opens in a new tab)
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Ferguson committed to banning unfair letting fees
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson welcomes progress on her bill to ban unfair letting fees, following the close of her consultation, and says most respondents backed a ban on charges such as application, administration, credit check and inspection fees. The bill would also require Department for…
Housing Economy and employment Original release: Ferguson committed to banning unfair letting fees (opens in a new tab)
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Tree Protection Bill
Alliance Party calls for a Tree Protection Bill to strengthen legal protections for single trees, groups of trees and ancient woodland, citing a NIPSO report finding only one of 369 reported tree protection breaches led to enforcement action. The bill would reinforce Tree Preservation Orders…
Environment and climate Original release: Tree Protection Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Flexibility Isn’t Weakness, It’s Wisdom: Butler Backs Locally-Informed Climate Planning
UUP agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA welcomes the European Commission's more flexible 2040 climate target and calls for a co-designed Rural Climate and Energy Roadmap for Northern Ireland, with cross-departmental leadership and support for anaerobic digestion.
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Flexibility Isn’t Weakness, It’s Wisdom: Butler Backs Locally-Informed Climate Planning (opens in a new tab)
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Gildernew launches consultation on homelessness prevention legislation
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew invites public views on his proposed bill to extend Housing Executive support for people at risk of homelessness from 28 days to at least 60 days. He says the consultation will help ensure the legislation meets people's needs.
Housing Social security and welfare Original release: Gildernew launches consultation on homelessness prevention legislation (opens in a new tab)
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Ferguson launches consultation on banning unfair letting fees
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson urges the public to respond to a consultation on her Private Members' Bill to ban unfair letting fees charged by landlords or letting agents, which also would require the Department for Communities to issue guidance on prohibited payments. The consultation is open…
Housing Original release: Ferguson launches consultation on banning unfair letting fees (opens in a new tab)
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People's Housing Bill Consultation
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll introduces the People's Housing Bill, aiming to ease the North’s housing crisis affecting nearly 48,000 households. The plan would cap rents, convert vacant homes into dwellings, set up a Rental Board, tighten landlord duties and enforce basic housing standards
Housing Issue: People's Housing Bill proposal Original release: People's Housing Bill Consultation (opens in a new tab)
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Legislation needed to tackle unadopted roads: Erskine
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine says she will bring forward a Private Members' Bill to tackle unadopted housing developments, arguing homeowners are left liable for repairs while current Department powers are rarely used and not strong enough.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Original release: Legislation needed to tackle unadopted roads: Erskine (opens in a new tab)
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New funding model the only way to begin boosting capacity in our water infrastructure, says McMurray
Alliance MLA Andy McMurray calls for a new NI Water funding model, favouring mutualisation so it can borrow against its assets, after reports that water constraints are blocking a £400m, 2,500-home scheme in Derry.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Original release: New funding model the only way to begin boosting capacity in our water infrastructure, says McMurray (opens in a new tab)
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Neglect and underfunding of water infrastructure is impacting economic growth, house building and our environment, says McMurray
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew McMurray MLA says chronic underfunding of NI's water and wastewater infrastructure is harming health, growth, housing and the environment, and launches the In Deep Water policy paper with proposed alternative funding and governance for NI Water.
Infrastructure and transport Economy and employment Original release: Neglect and underfunding of water infrastructure is impacting economic growth, house building and our environment, says McMurray (opens in a new tab)
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Gerry Carroll MLA Launches Public Consultation On The ‘People’s Housing Bill’
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll launches a public consultation on his People's Housing Bill, a private members' bill proposing rent limits, an end to no-cause evictions, five-year minimum tenancies, a Rental Board and powers to reuse over 22,000 empty properties as social homes. The…
Housing Issue: Gerry Carroll People's Housing Bill public consultation launch Original release: Gerry Carroll MLA Launches Public Consultation On The ‘People’s Housing Bill’ (opens in a new tab)
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Bill important first step in securing future of woodlands here, says McReynolds
Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds says his proposed Private Members' Bill on tree protection is an important first step to securing Northern Ireland's woodlands. The Bill would strengthen tree preservation orders, create a 'heritage tree' designation and protect trees from permitted developments.
Environment and climate Original release: Bill important first step in securing future of woodlands here, says McReynolds (opens in a new tab)
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Greens join calls for a Wealth Tax in the UK
Green Party NI leader Mal O'Hara calls for a UK wealth tax, aligned with Scottish, English and Welsh Greens, targeting household wealth above £3.4 million and saying it would raise at least £75 billion a year alongside a windfall tax on energy companies.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Original release: Greens join calls for a Wealth Tax in the UK (opens in a new tab)
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No Congestion Charges – Free Public Transport
People Before Profit opposes congestion charges, which it says would create class barriers to city centres, and calls for free, frequent public transport in urban centres instead. It responds to a proposal by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan that councils prepare traffic plans by 2026 and consider…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Eamon Ryan congestion charges proposal Original release: No Congestion Charges – Free Public Transport (opens in a new tab)