Latest releases
Searching a long passage? Find similar statements.
968 releases
-
Hunter: School Holidays Shouldn't Mean Hunger
SDLP Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA backs the Holiday Hunger Bill, which would keep Free School Meals support for eligible children during school holidays, and calls on the Executive to fund it.
Social security and welfare Education Issue: Holiday Hunger Bill backing for Free School Meals during school holidays Original release: Hunter: School Holidays Shouldn't Mean Hunger (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 12 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan: Working Families Paying Price for Executive Failure on School Meals
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA criticises a further rise in school meal costs, saying working families are bearing the impact of Executive dysfunction and the lack of a Budget. He questions the cost gap with England and calls for procurement transparency.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Authority school meal price increase to £3.40 Original release: Durkan: Working Families Paying Price for Executive Failure on School Meals (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 12 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hanna: Budget must deliver support now and invest in Northern Ireland's future
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP writes to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, urging targeted help for households facing high energy and bills, including extra money for the home heating oil scheme and an Essentials Guarantee for Universal Credit. She also proposes a ten-year investment partnership on…
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 future (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Hunger figures must be a wake-up call for Communities Minister, says Mulholland
Alliance Communities spokesperson Sian Mulholland MLA expresses concern at Trussell figures showing 21% of people in Northern Ireland reported their household ran out of food in the last year, and calls on the Communities Minister to bring forward an funded Anti-Poverty Strategy with deadlines and…
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 Mulholland (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Reichenberg highlights oil voucher discrimination
Aontú's Liam Reichenberg, representing Slieve Gullion, says residents of Radius sheltered accommodation in Crossmaglen and Keady have been excluded from the £100 heating oil voucher. He is calling on the minister and department to urgently review the eligibility 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 (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Drumcree proving to be a pyrrhic victory for republicans – Empey
Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey says the Drumcree standoff has backfired on republicans, criticising Gerry Adams’s intervention and Sinn Féin’s involvement, and argues the dispute exposes threats to the Orange tradition and highlights demographic changes in a united Ireland.
Community relations and legacy Immigration Issue: Parades Commission Garvaghy Road ruling Original release: Drumcree proving to be a pyrrhic victory for republicans – Empey (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Armstrong calls for interventions to support homeless in NI following Prime Minister's summit on rough sleeping
Alliance housing spokesperson and All‑Party Group on Homelessness Chair Kellie Armstrong MLA calls on the Minister for Communities to fund measures that will save homeless lives, urging coordinated, long‑term solutions after the Prime Minister’s rough‑sleeping summit.
Housing 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 (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Harkin: DUP Incitement of Sectarian Tensions Must be Challenged
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin says sectarian attacks on young people in Belfast must be condemned, and accuses the DUP of inflaming sectarian and racist tensions to deflect from its political crisis, linking this to Stormont cuts and housing failures.
Community relations and legacy Economy and employment Original release: Harkin: DUP Incitement of Sectarian Tensions Must be Challenged (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Gildernew calls for urgent action to tackle child poverty
Sinn Féin's Colm Gildernew MLA urges the Communities Minister to act quickly on an anti-poverty plan after a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report found almost one in five children in the North living in poverty. He says the minister's draft strategy lacked sector confidence and dedicated funding, and…
Social security and welfare Issue: Joseph Rowntree Foundation child poverty report Original release: Gildernew calls for urgent action to tackle child poverty (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Allen calls for longer term action on cost of living pressures ahead of UK Budget
UUP MLA Andy Allen calls for further targeted cost of living support from the UK Budget, and for longer-term measures on energy efficiency and fuel poverty, after a Northern Ireland Assembly motion on the cost of living.
Economy and employment Public finance and taxation Issue: Assembly cost of living motion ahead of UK Budget Original release: Allen calls for longer term action on cost of living pressures ahead of UK Budget (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 22 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Sian Mulholland selected as Alliance North Antrim Assembly candidate
Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland has been chosen to contest the North Antrim seat at the 6 May 2027 Assembly election, saying she will prioritise fighting poverty, easing the cost of living, improving women’s health services, securing affordable homes and reducing energy bills.
Economy and employment Health Issue: Alliance selects North Antrim Assembly candidate Original release: Sian Mulholland selected as Alliance North Antrim Assembly candidate (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 16 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
SDLP selects Gerard McDonald as Assembly Candidate for West Belfast
SDLP announces the selection of Gerard McDonald as its candidate for West Belfast at the next Assembly election, with Leader Claire Hanna MP welcoming the choice. McDonald says the Executive has failed to deliver on housing, cost of living and promised change.
Other Housing Issue: SDLP selection of Gerard McDonald for West Belfast Assembly candidacy Original release: SDLP selects Gerard McDonald as Assembly Candidate for West Belfast (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
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)
-
Budget does little for a justice system in crisis – Matt Carthy TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Matt Carthy TD, says Budget 2027 will do little to address crises across the justice system, criticising the Minister over the criminal legal aid dispute and the planned withdrawal of Gardaí from Dublin overtime.
Justice and policing Immigration Issue: Budget response on justice system and criminal legal aid dispute Original release: Budget does little for a justice system in crisis – Matt Carthy TD (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan: Executive must act on empty homes
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says the Executive is failing to tackle empty homes, citing Finance Minister figures of 22,817 vacant properties as of 30 June 2026 and calling for concrete action as homelessness rises.
Housing Issue: Finance Minister figures on vacant properties across Northern Ireland, June 2026 Original release: Durkan: Executive must act on empty homes (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Free School Meals Is Common-Sense That Stormont Refuses to Implement Cllr Shaun Harkin
PBP Cllr Shaun Harkin pledges support for UNISON's campaign for universal free school meals, urging Stormont to implement the policy and arguing that child poverty in Derry shows the need for it.
Social security and welfare Education Original release: Free School Meals Is Common-Sense That Stormont Refuses to Implement Cllr Shaun Harkin (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 2 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan challenges Executive doublespeak on homelessness prevention
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan says Executive parties' failure to deliver the Programme for Government pledge to prevent homelessness is a betrayal of 65,000 people, after the Communities Minister confirmed the First Minister refused to table a paper prioritising homelessness prevention funding.
Housing Issue: Executive refusal to table homelessness prevention funding paper Original release: Durkan challenges Executive doublespeak on homelessness prevention (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Carroll: Extern Offices Part of the Solution, Not the Problem
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, after meeting Extern in Belfast, defends the charity's planned move of its Homeless Support Service office to King Street. He says the work is outreach-based, criticises misinformation about the move, and calls for services to stay in the city centre.
Housing Issue: Extern Homeless Support Service move to King Street Original release: Carroll: Extern Offices Part of the Solution, Not the Problem (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 3 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Veterans support measures deliver respect and help - Cameron
DUP MLA for South Antrim Pam Cameron welcomes Communities Minister Gordon Lyons's steps to strengthen help for veterans and their families, citing the Veterans' Support Line, a senior strategic lead, and disregarding War Pensions under the Affordable Warmth Scheme.
Social security and welfare Issue: Communities Department veterans support measures announcement Original release: Veterans support measures deliver respect and help - Cameron (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
-
Durkan: Homelessness Commission cannot become cover for delay
SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA says a planned Homelessness Commission must produce immediate action, urging Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to consider SDLP proposals for a legal prevention duty and a six-month threatened-with-homelessness window, and to address the…
Housing Original release: Durkan: Homelessness Commission cannot become cover for delay (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)