Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
- Health: remove filter
- Disability and equality: remove filter
- Education: remove filter
- Parliamentary or governmental update: remove filter
104 releases
-
Carroll: Reject Givan’s Delay Tactics. Make Sure No Child Goes Hungry
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll says he will vote against the Education Minister's amendments to the Holiday Meal Payments Bill at Further Consideration Stage and back the Education Committee's amendments, so payments are never below a school dinner's cost.
Social security and welfare Education Issue: Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill Further Consideration Stage amendments Original release: Carroll: Reject Givan’s Delay Tactics. Make Sure No Child Goes Hungry (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 12 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Bower welcomes passing of motion to make public spaces safer for those with severe allergies
Alliance Belfast Councillor Christine Bower welcomes the committee passage of her motion to make public spaces safer for people with severe allergies, ahead of full council ratification next month. She proposes child-friendly hand-washing signage at play parks, better-placed waste bins, staff…
Health Local government Issue: Belfast City Council motion on safer public spaces for severe allergies Original release: Bower welcomes passing of motion to make public spaces safer for those with severe allergies (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Tennyson welcomes Conversion Practices Bill passing second stage
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA welcomes his Conversion Practices Bill clearing second stage in the Assembly, with the bill now moving to Committee Stage. He calls conversion practices cruel and archaic and says the bill protects LGBT+ people while preserving free speech and religious…
Disability and equality Issue: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill Second Stage debate Original release: Tennyson welcomes Conversion Practices Bill passing second stage (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Sinn Féin opposed to conversion therapy – Hargey
Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey says the party opposes conversion therapy during the Second Stage debate on the Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill. She says Sinn Féin will keep engaging with the Bill sponsor to make the legislation fit for purpose.
Disability and equality Issue: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill Second Stage debate Original release: Sinn Féin opposed to conversion therapy – Hargey (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Conversion Practices Bill a historic opportunity for progress, says Tennyson, ahead of debate
Alliance Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson MLA calls on Assembly members from all parties to back the Conversion Practices Bill at Second Stage, describing it as a historic opportunity to ban conversion practices he calls cruel and archaic.
Disability and equality Issue: Conversion Practices Bill Second Stage debate Original release: Conversion Practices Bill a historic opportunity for progress, says Tennyson, ahead of debate (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Health Minister Robbie Butler visits Bryson Charitable Group on first day in post
Health Minister Robbie Butler says he visited Bryson Charitable Group in Belfast on his first full day in post, hearing about its homecare work and anti-poverty efforts. He stresses the importance of community and voluntary sector partners to his Department's Neighbourhood Model of Care and says…
Health Original release: Health Minister Robbie Butler visits Bryson Charitable Group on first day in post (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 12 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
McGuigan convenes urgent meeting of Health committee
Sinn Féin health spokesperson and Health committee Chair Philip McGuigan is convening an urgent Health committee meeting after the resignation of Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. He says the committee will ask the Department of Health's Permanent Secretary to attend to understand the impact on health…
Health Issue: Health Minister Mike Nesbitt resignation Original release: McGuigan convenes urgent meeting of Health committee (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 12 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason says the School Uniforms Bill’s latest Assembly stage provides an opportunity to guarantee every pupil the automatic right to wear trousers, urging school uniform policy to be brought into the 21st century.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill passes Assembly stage Original release: No girl should have to ask permission to wear trousers to school – Mason (opens in a new tab)
-
Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes an Assembly motion on IVF equality, calling for access to fertility treatment to be based on need rather than ability to pay and describing IVF as essential healthcare.
Health Disability and equality Issue: Assembly motion on IVF equality and access to fertility treatment Original release: Ensuring greater access to IVF is about fairness and equality – Flynn (opens in a new tab)
-
McGuigan requests urgent oral on advanced heart conditions recall
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan requests an urgent oral question on the advanced heart conditions recall, after the Belfast Health Trust identified over 160 patients may have undergone unnecessary procedures, and says he has written to the Minister to seek reassurance and answers.
Health Issue: Belfast Health Trust advanced heart conditions recall Original release: McGuigan requests urgent oral on advanced heart conditions recall (opens in a new tab)
-
Assembly passes ‘transformative’ Sign Language Bill – Gildernew
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes the Assembly’s passage of the Sign Language Bill, saying it gives legal recognition to Irish and British Sign Language and places a duty on bodies to provide accessible services for deaf and deaf‑blind people.
Disability and equality Issue: Assembly passage of Sign Language Bill Original release: Assembly passes ‘transformative’ Sign Language Bill – Gildernew (opens in a new tab)
-
Allen welcomes Final Stage passage of Sign Language Bill
Ulster Unionist Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen MBE MLA welcomes the bill’s passage through the Assembly’s final stage, noting it will now proceed to Royal Assent and urging that its duties on British and Irish Sign Language be fully resourced and implemented.
Disability and equality Issue: Assembly passage of Sign Language Bill Original release: Allen welcomes Final Stage passage of Sign Language Bill (opens in a new tab)
-
Murray welcomes introduction of pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events
Alliance councillor Micky Murray welcomes Belfast City Council's passing of his motion seeking pilot drug-checking services at major city events, arguing testing gives people safety information and helps health authorities issue warnings.
Health Local government Issue: Belfast City Council motion on drug testing at city events Original release: Murray welcomes introduction of pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events (opens in a new tab)
-
Cuireann Sheehan fáilte roimh an dul chun cinn ar Bhille um Ghaelscolaíocht
Sinn Féin MLA for West Belfast Sheehan welcomes the Irish Medium Education workforce bill passing its second stage in the Assembly. He says it will require the Department of Education to plan for the sector's staffing needs, and accuses the DUP and others of trying to obstruct progress.
Education Issue: Irish Medium Education workforce bill second stage in Assembly Original release: Cuireann Sheehan fáilte roimh an dul chun cinn ar Bhille um Ghaelscolaíocht (opens in a new tab)
-
Murray calls for pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events to improve public safety
Alliance councillor Micky Murray says a motion he brought to Belfast City Council seeking pilot drug-checking services at major city events and festivals has cleared its first stage. He argues such testing would help health authorities warn the public about dangerous substances and reduce…
Health Local government Issue: Belfast City Council motion on drug testing at city events Original release: Murray calls for pilot drug testing facilities at Belfast events to improve public safety (opens in a new tab)
-
Gildernew welcomes progress on delivering Sign Language Bill
Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew welcomes progress on the Sign Language Bill after it was approved at Consideration Stage. He says the Bill is an important step towards giving the deaf and deafblind community access to public services in their own language, and praises their input into shaping it.
Disability and equality Issue: Sign Language Bill approval at Consideration Stage Original release: Gildernew welcomes progress on delivering Sign Language Bill (opens in a new tab)
-
Bill to support Irish-medium education passes first stage – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says his Irish Medium Education Bill has passed its first stage in the Assembly. He says Irish-medium schools struggle to recruit teachers, SEN and early years staff, and calls for the Department of Education to plan the Irish-medium workforce with evidence, targets and…
Education Issue: Irish Medium Education Bill passes first stage in Assembly Original release: Bill to support Irish-medium education passes first stage – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
-
Minimum unit alcohol pricing would help to save lives and reduce harm – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, chair of the Health Committee, welcomes the committee's decision to write to the Executive backing the Health Minister's minimum unit pricing legislation for alcohol. He argues it would reduce harm and urges all parties to progress the law this mandate.
Health Issue: Health Committee briefing on minimum unit pricing for alcohol Original release: Minimum unit alcohol pricing would help to save lives and reduce harm – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
-
Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women
SDLP MLA Hunter says she will bring forward an Assembly motion on online harm against women. The release gives no further detail on the motion's wording or timing.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Original release: Hunter to bring forward Assembly motion on online harm against women (opens in a new tab)
-
New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn welcomes a new cross-party inquiry into funding for suicide prevention in the north, set up by the All-Party Group she chairs. She says the inquiry will look at services beyond a purely health-focused approach, involving schools, prisons and youth clubs, and will hear…
Health Issue: Cross-party inquiry into suicide prevention funding launched by All-Party Group Original release: New inquiry launched to improve suicide prevention services in the north – Flynn (opens in a new tab)