Closest matches to “Ethos & values of schools must be respected: Dodds”
From every party, ranked by how close their text is in meaning. Close in meaning is not the same as agreeing. Only other parties · Back to the release
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Dodds – parental opt-out must be in place
DUP Education spokesperson Diane Dodds calls for a parental opt-out from Relationships and Sexuality Education to be in place before new teaching requirements take effect, after a public engagement on the Department of Education's RSE consultation.
Education Issue: Department of Education RSE consultation on abortion teaching Original release: Dodds – parental opt-out must be in place (opens in a new tab)
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Consultation shows RSE cannot be taught in a moral vacuum: Dodds
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds says the Department of Education's RSE consultation shows that sensitive topics such as abortion should not be taught without a moral and ethical framework. She cites nearly three-quarters of respondents opposing that proposal, 91% backing parental…
Education Issue: Department of Education RSE regulations public consultation results Original release: Consultation shows RSE cannot be taught in a moral vacuum: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds – Christian ethos of schools must be protected
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Christian ethos of post‑primary schools must be protected and calls for parental opt‑out rights, teacher conscience safeguards and governor involvement in the Department of Education’s RSE consultation that would make abortion compulsory teaching.
Education Issue: Department of Education RSE consultation on abortion teaching Original release: Dodds – Christian ethos of schools must be protected (opens in a new tab)
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Parental choice in education should not be undermined: Dodds
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says she will study a UNESCO Education Centre report on school integration closely, argues parental preference in school choice must be kept, and questions the report's figures and funding sources.
Education Issue: UNESCO Education Centre report on Northern Ireland schooling Original release: Parental choice in education should not be undermined: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Brownlee – “teacher & parental choice is key in RSE”
DUP East Antrim MLA Cheryl Brownlee says the Alliance Party must set out detailed plans for Relationship and Sexuality Education, including how they would protect school ethos and parental choice, ahead of an Assembly motion on the subject. She argues parents are absent from the motion and cites…
Education Issue: Alliance Assembly motion on Relationship and Sexuality Education Original release: Brownlee – “teacher & parental choice is key in RSE” (opens in a new tab)
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Fundamental review of education funding will be needed: Dodds
DUP education spokesperson Diane Dodds says education funding needs a fundamental overhaul, alongside a fair pay settlement for teachers, after meeting Department of Education officials. She points to rising pupil numbers, particularly SEN pupils, and per-pupil spending below the UK average.
Education Public finance and taxation Original release: Fundamental review of education funding will be needed: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Right to withdraw from RSE provisions must be respected and not…
DUP MP Carla Lockhart, ahead of an adjournment debate on RSE in Northern Ireland schools, says the right to withdraw children must be respected and not restricted. She calls for conscientious objection provision for teachers and says school ethos should not be dictated from Belfast or London.
Education Issue: Northern Ireland RSE curriculum adjournment debate at Westminster Original release: Right to withdraw from RSE provisions must be respected and not… (opens in a new tab)
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Protecting health and protecting rights must go hand in hand - Dodds
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes the Health Minister's decision to drop the Public Health Bill, saying the draft proposals amounted to an overreach that risked giving the Department of Health sweeping powers without democratic oversight. She says any future framework should be…
Health Issue: Health Minister drops Public Health Bill plans Original release: Protecting health and protecting rights must go hand in hand - Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Inadequate budget at core of challenges in education: Dodds
DUP education spokesperson Diane Dodds welcomes the Department of Education's decision not to proceed with proposed cuts to Youth Services, Early Years Programmes and the full scale of Extended Schools cuts. She says the budget set by the Secretary of State is inadequate and calls for sustainable…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Halt to youth services and early years funding cuts Original release: Inadequate budget at core of challenges in education: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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DUP publish Public Health Bill consultation response
DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Health Minister's refusal to scrap the Public Health Bill consultation has undermined public confidence, and calls for the Department of Health to go back to the drawing board. She rejects sweeping ministerial powers, mandatory vaccination and…
Health Issue: Department of Health consultation on new Public Health Bill powers Original release: DUP publish Public Health Bill consultation response (opens in a new tab)
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Extended Schools decision underscores need to prioritise education…
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds, the Upper Bann MLA, calls for a fundamental overhaul of how education is financed after warning that the Extended Schools programme is likely to be one of several casualties of a shortfall in the education budget. She urges education to be placed alongside…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Extended Schools Programme funding cut and June closure Original release: Extended Schools decision underscores need to prioritise education… (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds stresses need for proper Education funding
DUP Education spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Independent Review of Education panel was told Education budgets are underfunded, citing real-terms cuts of around £150 million and calling for Education to be treated as 'mission critical'. She also highlights rising Special Educational Needs…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Independent Review of Education panel meeting on school funding Original release: Dodds stresses need for proper Education funding (opens in a new tab)
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Publication of Independent Review of Education welcomed
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds welcomes publication of the final Independent Review of Education report, calling for a proper funding settlement and noting a £150million real-terms cut to education budgets over ten years. She also backs early intervention and a separate management…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Independent Review of Education report launch Original release: Publication of Independent Review of Education welcomed (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Responds to Concerns Surrounding the Introduction of RSE
UUP Education Spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA says he has been contacted with concerns about compulsory Relationships and Sex Education, which the Secretary of State wants introduced, and calls for any new curriculum to be created by Northern Ireland parents, children and teachers rather than…
Education Issue: Secretary of State's plans to introduce compulsory RSE in Northern Ireland Original release: Butler Responds to Concerns Surrounding the Introduction of RSE (opens in a new tab)
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Parental choice in education must be paramount: Dodds
DUP MLA Diane Dodds argues that parental choice must be paramount in education and opposes removing schools' use of academic criteria in admissions. She responds to an Ulster University paper on transforming education, saying it seeks a fully comprehensive system and pointing to the Fair Start…
Education Issue: Ulster University transforming education paper publication Original release: Parental choice in education must be paramount: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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NIO must make budget decisions: Dodds
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds expresses disappointment at the Department for Education's decision to end the Engage and Healthy Happy Minds schemes and School Holiday Food Grants. She says the NIO must make budget decisions and calls for education to be prioritised in future funding.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education axing Holiday Hunger Payments, Happy Healthy Minds and ENGAGE programmes Original release: NIO must make budget decisions: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds – “school pay inequality cannot be sustained”
DUP education spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says school support staff deserve a fair, timely pay award ahead of a strike on 16 November. She blames chronic underfunding and the Treasury funding model and calls on the UK Government to act urgently.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: School support staff strike over pay on 16 November 2023 Original release: Dodds – “school pay inequality cannot be sustained” (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister must ensure RSE is age appropriate and evidence based – Mason
SF MLA Cathy Mason calls on the Education Minister to make Relationships and Sex Education suitable for each developmental stage, grounded in research and responsive to young people's needs, following a recent Assembly debate. She argues it helps pupils spot abuse, understand consent and challenge…
Education Issue: Assembly debate on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Original release: Education Minister must ensure RSE is age appropriate and evidence based – Mason (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Students deserve clarity on degree classifications: Dodds
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds says students deserve clarity on degree classifications after hundreds at Queen's University may not receive full results due to lecturers' industrial action. She calls for a resolution to the pay dispute and for the University and Union to set out steps…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Queen's University graduation delay linked to staff pay dispute Original release: Students deserve clarity on degree classifications: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds: Health budget must prioritise patients
DUP MLA Diane Dodds criticises the Belfast Trust's spending of over £130 per teacher on an RSE course, arguing the money should go to waiting lists, cancer diagnosis and emergency care. She says she pressed Health Minister Mike Nesbitt on the matter in committee.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Belfast Trust spending on teacher RSE training course Original release: Dodds: Health budget must prioritise patients (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds: Children’s Safety Must Come Before Political Ideology
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes the UK Medicines Authority’s move to halt the King’s College puberty‑blocker study, saying it underlines the need for safeguarding vulnerable children and criticises other parties for putting ideology ahead of safety.
Health Issue: UK Medicines Authority pauses King’s College puberty blocker trial Original release: Dodds: Children’s Safety Must Come Before Political Ideology (opens in a new tab)
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Egan welcomes updated relationship and sexuality education curriculum
Alliance MLA Connie Egan welcomes the Secretary of State's confirmation that he will update the relationship and sexuality education curriculum in Northern Ireland, saying it is overdue given a legal duty to comply with UN CEDAW recommendations on adolescent sexual health.
Education Disability and equality Issue: NIO decision to add abortion access to RSE teaching Original release: Egan welcomes updated relationship and sexuality education curriculum (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds meets EA about annual SEN chaos
DUP Education spokesperson Diane Dodds, Upper Bann MLA, says a meeting with the Education Authority exposed the yearly chaos in Special Educational Needs placements, blaming education cuts and under‑funding and urging Treasury funding, transformational reform and immediate placement of vulnerable p‑
Education Disability and equality Issue: Annual chaos in Special Educational Needs allocations Original release: Dodds meets EA about annual SEN chaos (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter launches ‘Reforming Relationships and Sex Education’ campaign
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter launches a campaign to reform relationships and sex education, calling for compulsory, modern RSE in all Northern Ireland schools and urging the Department of Education to act. She says the campaign will include public events and meetings with young people and other parties.
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Conference 2024 - Diane Dodds MLA
DUP Health spokesperson Diane Dodds says the party is preparing a response to the Department of Health's proposed Public Health Legislation over concerns about personal liberties. She also calls for a new approach to waiting lists, including partnerships beyond Northern Ireland, and better…
Health Original release: Conference 2024 - Diane Dodds MLA (opens in a new tab)
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Parties must explain opposition to public discussion on consent
DUP Justice Spokesperson Joanne Bunting questions why Alliance, Sinn Féin and SDLP members opposed an amendment calling for consultation on pretrial jury education and the legal definition of reasonable belief of consent. She says the Justice Minister had indicated during the violence against…
Justice and policing Issue: Assembly vote on consultation amendment on consent and pretrial jury education Original release: Parties must explain opposition to public discussion on consent (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Education Minister is undermining integrated education despite his legal duty to promote it
Alliance's Michelle Guy MLA accuses the Education Minister of undermining integrated education through a statement on new thresholds for pupil mix in integrated schools, saying it is confused and may hinder schools seeking integrated status. She urges transforming schools and parents not to be…
Education Issue: Department of Education position paper on 'reasonable numbers' in Integrated Education Original release: DUP Education Minister is undermining integrated education despite his legal duty to promote it (opens in a new tab)
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No quick fix to challenges facing education budget: Dodds
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds says there is no quick fix to the education budget shortfall, warning the Education Authority predicts a £500million gap this year. She calls for education to be treated as "mission critical" like health, and links reform to Treasury recognition and restored…
Education Public finance and taxation Original release: No quick fix to challenges facing education budget: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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Survey highlights NI educational excellence
DUP education spokesperson and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds welcomes an international survey showing Northern Ireland pupils outperformed dozens of education systems in maths, reading and science. She urges protecting that standard, tackling the attainment gap, and says chronic underfunding has left…
Education Issue: International survey of pupil achievement results December 2023 Original release: Survey highlights NI educational excellence (opens in a new tab)
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Transformation of Special Education services essential
DUP Education Spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA welcomes the Ipsos review of Special Educational Needs, citing SEN spending of around £500m a year and calls for transformational change, a sustainable funding model and a more skilled classroom assistant workforce.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Ipsos review of Special Educational Needs services in Northern Ireland Original release: Transformation of Special Education services essential (opens in a new tab)