Latest releases
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47 releases
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Sinn Fein’s ANC Bill would rob lowland farmers to boost payments to…
DUP agriculture spokesperson Michelle McIlveen MLA warns that Sinn Féin's proposed Areas of Natural Constraint Bill would shift farm payments from lowland producers to large landowners, as the Assembly Agriculture Committee moves to deliberation. She says no extra funding exists, so money would…
Agriculture and rural affairs Public finance and taxation Issue: Sinn Fein ANC Bill proposal Original release: Sinn Fein’s ANC Bill would rob lowland farmers to boost payments to…Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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Hanna: Budget must deliver support now and invest in Northern Ireland's future
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP calls on the Chancellor to use the 2026 Budget to fund extra Home Heating Oil Support, an Essentials Guarantee for Universal Credit and extend Rural Fuel Duty Relief, and to pledge a ten‑year partnership investing in infrastructure, housing and skills to build a stronger
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Stormont budget request for household support and infrastructure investment Original release: Hanna: Budget must deliver support now and invest in Northern Ireland's futureArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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DUP will oppose carbon audit penalties on farmers – McIlveen
DUP Agriculture spokesperson Michelle McIlveen MLA says her party will oppose Minister Andrew Muir's plan to make the carbon footprinting project mandatory for the Farm Sustainability Payment, arguing it would cut payments for non-participating farms without funding in place.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Original release: DUP will oppose carbon audit penalties on farmers – McIlveenArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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Whitehall asleep as EU parcel tax and AI rules hit Northern Ireland
UUP spokesperson Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA welcomes the proposed UK-EU SPS agreement but says it does not cover customs or tariffs. He criticises Whitehall's handling of the Union Customs Code parcel handling fee and EU AI Act provisions in Northern Ireland, and calls for the Stormont Brake to be used.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: EU handling fees on Northern Ireland parcels Original release: Whitehall asleep as EU parcel tax and AI rules hit Northern IrelandArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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Armstrong: Farm fire costs rose four times faster here than across the UK
Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong calls for investment in rural fire services after farm fire costs rose 73% in Northern Ireland.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: NFU Mutual's Farm Fires Report 2025 statistics release Original release: Armstrong: Farm fire costs rose four times faster here than across the UKArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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CCG: Don’t sell our land for an AI campus!
Aontú calls on the Causeway Coast and Glens council’s Land and Property Sub‑Committee to halt the proposed sale of public land for the Coleraine AI campus data‑centre expansion, warning of massive power demand, lack of a development plan and urging full impact assessments and public consultation.
Local government Infrastructure and transport Issue: Coleraine data centre expansion proposal Original release: CCG: Don’t sell our land for an AI campus!Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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Hunger figures must be a wake-up call for Communities Minister, says Mulholland
Alliance MLA Mulholland says new figures showing more than one in five people in Northern Ireland ran out of food and could not afford more in the last year should be a wake-up call for the Communities Minister. He calls for a funded, ambitious Anti-Poverty Strategy with deadlines and measurable…
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Stormont poverty statistics release Original release: Hunger figures must be a wake-up call for Communities Minister, says MulhollandArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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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 split from the rest of the UK on many regulations and that the new EU customs code will increase trade divergence.
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 goneArchived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026
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Andrew Muir and Connie Egan selected as Alliance North Down Assembly candidates
Alliance Party announces that Andrew Muir and Connie Egan have been selected as its candidates for the North Down Assembly constituency, with both citing their records and calling for a reformed Stormont ahead of next May's election.
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Andrew Muir and Connie Egan selected as Alliance North Down Assembly candidates
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Armstrong: Labour’s red hand strikes farmers again
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA says the Budget leaves farm families unchanged, with no amendment to the Family Farm Tax and a red diesel duty cut that ends in July next year. She also criticises the halving of Business Asset Disposal Relief and the expansion of…
Agriculture and rural affairs Public finance and taxation Issue: Labour's Family Farm Tax implementation and red diesel duty changes Original release: Armstrong: Labour’s red hand strikes farmers again
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Alliance representatives express concern following devastating oil contamination incident
Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland and Ballymena Braid councillor Chelsea Harwood say they are shocked and saddened by an oil contamination at the Broughshane wildlife trust BEWWT, which killed several birds, including two Trumpeter swans.
Environment and climate Issue: Broughshane Environment Waterfowl and Wildlife Trust oil contamination Original release: Alliance representatives express concern following devastating oil contamination incident
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Reichenberg highlights oil voucher discrimination
Aontú representative in Slieve Gullion Liam Reichenberg says residents of Radius sheltered accommodation in Crossmaglen and Keady have been excluded from the £100 home heating oil voucher and calls on the minister and department to urgently review the criteria.
Social security and welfare Economy and employment Issue: Home Heating Oil Support Scheme voucher eligibility criteria review Original release: Reichenberg highlights oil voucher discrimination
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New Strategy must mark a turning point for nature in Northern Ireland, says Blair
Alliance MLA Blair welcomes the launch of the Nature Recovery Strategy as a step towards the 30 per cent protection target for 2030, citing 12 per cent of species threatened with extinction. He says it sets out action on pollution, invasive species, tree cover and farmer support, and urges other…
Environment and climate Issue: Launch of Nature Recovery Strategy Original release: New Strategy must mark a turning point for nature in Northern Ireland, says Blair
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Armstrong calls for interventions to support homeless in NI following Prime Minister's summit on rough sleeping
Alliance MLA Armstrong, the Strangford MLA, calls for interventions to support rough sleepers in Northern Ireland after a Prime Minister-hosted summit on rough sleeping, urging accommodation at scale and partnership with the voluntary sector.
Housing Social security and welfare Issue: Prime Minister's summit on rough sleeping Original release: Armstrong calls for interventions to support homeless in NI following Prime Minister's summit on rough sleeping
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Green Party welcomes permanent closure of Drumbo Park greyhound track
Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Green Party welcomes permanent closure of Drumbo Park greyhound track
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Northern Ireland left behind as plug-in solar launches in Britain
Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn criticises the lack of plug-in solar in Northern Ireland as Great Britain's rules allowing up to 800W systems take effect, and calls on Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald to explain the delay and set out a timetable.
Economy and employment Environment and climate Issue: plug-in solar launch in Great Britain Original release: Northern Ireland left behind as plug-in solar launches in Britain
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Dumped Car in River Lagan 40 Years On
Green Party Cllr Anthony Flynn and Lagan Valley Greens Co-chair Richard Gill call for a dumped car in the River Lagan to be removed and the site checked for contamination, including whether a battery is leaching into the water. They criticise Alliance and the UUP over years of inaction and urge…
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Dumped car in River Lagan near Lisburn council chamber Original release: Dumped Car in River Lagan 40 Years On
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Cllr Flynn slams agriculture minister over cattle cull
Green Party Cllr Anthony Flynn criticises agriculture minister Muir over DAERA's decision to destroy 51 cattle in Fivemiletown, calling for an independent review to examine alternatives and for the operational plan and welfare risk assessment to be published now.
Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: Cattle cull in Fivemiletown by DAERA Original release: Cllr Flynn slams agriculture minister over cattle cull
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Green councillor Anthony Flynn pledges clean water and better transport in North Down Assembly bid
Green Party NI councillor Anthony Flynn announces his candidacy for North Down in the 2027 Assembly election, pledging to protect the coastline and water quality, improve public transport and town‑centre businesses, secure affordable homes, cut health‑care waiting lists, strengthen animal‑welfare en
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Original release: Green councillor Anthony Flynn pledges clean water and better transport in North Down Assembly bid
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Council must stop passing the buck on dumped car in River Lagan
Green Party Northern Ireland, with Cllr Anthony Flynn and local group Lagan Valley Greens, calls for a dumped car in the River Lagan near Lisburn to be removed, responsibility for it agreed, and a clean-up plan for the river, backed by a petition.
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Dumped car in River Lagan near Lisburn council chamber Original release: Council must stop passing the buck on dumped car in River Lagan