Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Environment and climate: remove filter
- Housing: remove filter
- Policy proposal: remove filter
55 releases
-
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)
-
Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA introduces the Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill to the Assembly, seeking to ban conversion therapy and coercive conversion behaviour in Northern Ireland with penalties of fines or up to two years in custody.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Original release: Alliance introduces essential legislation to end cruel so-called conversion practices (opens in a new tab)
-
Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston welcomes a Scottish Court of Session judgment ruling that prison accommodation must be segregated by biological sex, and says it should prompt reflection in Northern Ireland. He points to Rule 90 of the 1995 Prison Rules and says his Amendment 97 to the Justice Bill will be…
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Gaston Amendment Backed by Fresh Court Ruling on Prison Accommodation (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
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.
-
Horrifying reports of AI-generated abuse of disabled people highlights need for regulation, says Nicholl
Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl calls for AI regulation after reports that Meta is investigating accounts sharing AI-generated sexualised content degrading disabled people. She says she will bring an amendment to the Justice Bill banning tools built to create non-consensual sexually explicit images.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Horrifying reports of AI-generated abuse of disabled people highlights need for regulation, says Nicholl (opens in a new tab)
-
Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes the strongly positive response to a survey by the Education Committee on a plan guaranteeing all pupils the right to wear trousers, with about 98% in favour. She says the School Uniform Bill was a missed opportunity and calls for it to pass before next year's…
Education Disability and equality Original release: Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
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)
-
Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon welcomes the response to her consultation on a Bill that would give legal protection to breastfeeding in public and require businesses and service providers to make premises breastfeeding-friendly. She urges councils, businesses and public facilities to display…
Disability and equality Original release: Dillon welcomes progress on Legislation protecting right to breastfeed in public (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
Consultation on Disability and Work strategy launched by Minister…
DUP's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons outlines a Disability and Work Strategy aiming to bring 50,000 more people into the workforce over ten years, launching a 12-week public consultation running to 12 January 2026. The strategy proposes a Disability and Work Council and four themes including…
Disability and equality Economy and employment Original release: Consultation on Disability and Work strategy launched by Minister… (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
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)
-
Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has re-submitted amendments to the School Uniforms Bill to reduce family costs, proposing limits on branded items, generic alternatives, girls' right to wear trousers, support for children with additional needs, and uniform banks and swap schemes.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
-
Dillon encourages the public to have their say on breastfeeding bill
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon urges the public to respond to a consultation on her Private Member's Bill that would create an offence for discouraging breastfeeding in public, require premises to be breastfeeding-friendly, and penalise discrimination. The consultation closes on 24 October 2025.
Disability and equality Health Original release: Dillon encourages the public to have their say on breastfeeding bill (opens in a new tab)
-
Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Begins with Consistent Sentencing – Beattie
UUP justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MLA calls for a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland, arguing inconsistent sentencing is undermining confidence in the courts. He cites a recent case where a man received a suspended sentence for striking a teenage girl, and urges the Justice Minister to…
Justice and policing Education Original release: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Begins with Consistent Sentencing – Beattie (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
Banning Conversion Practices
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson proposes a Private Members' Bill to ban conversion practices in Northern Ireland, creating two new offences: engaging in conversion practice, and removing a person from Northern Ireland for that purpose.
Disability and equality Justice and policing Original release: Banning Conversion Practices (opens in a new tab)
-
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Obligation on Public Authorities) Bill
Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly is introducing a Bill that would require public authorities in Northern Ireland to give statutory due regard to the rights set out in the UN disability treaty, UNCRPD, when developing and reviewing policies and decisions.
Disability and equality Original release: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Obligation on Public Authorities) Bill (opens in a new tab)