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Community Constituency Council Government Louth Louth County Council Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

Councils Drive Cross-Border Progress at Strategic Alliance Meeting

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Louth County Council convened their latest Strategic Alliance meeting on 9 December 2025 at County Hall, Dundalk, reaffirming their commitment to cross-border cooperation and regional development. The Strategic Alliance, established in 2011 through a Memorandum of Understanding, provides a vital forum for both councils to address shared challenges […]

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Government Politics Stormont

SDLP: Alliance Must Account For Failure to Deliver on Reform In Government

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has criticised the Alliance Party for tabling a motion “to mask their own inaction” on institutional reform, saying it highlights their inability to deliver on real change while holding influence at the Executive table. He reaffirmed the SDLP’s support for serious, actionable institutional reform, but said that […]

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Government Politics Stormont

SDLP: Quarter of a Billion Unspent Capital Underlines Staggering Executive Mismanagement

The quarter of a billion in underspent capital funding from mismanaged flagship projects like the A5 and Casement Park is a stark illustration of Executive financial mismanagement, the SDLP Opposition has said. Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA warned that the £250 million of underspend – the largest for many years – announced today […]

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Community Government Politics Stormont

Executive Agrees £273 Million Investment In Public Services

The Executive has agreed £104 million towards public sector pay awards and £162 million for capital allocations including for social housing, health and education. Updating the Assembly on the funding agreed as part of December monitoring round, Finance Minister John O’Dowd said: “The allocations agreed today will make a positive difference to citizens across society. “We […]

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Community Government Housing Politics Stormont

Sinn Fein Welcomes Funding For New Social Homes

Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has welcomed today’s budget allocation of £29.8 million for new social homes.  The party’s communities spokesperson said: “I welcome today’s announcement of an additional budget allocation of £29.8 million by the Finance Minister for new social homes. This reiterates Sinn Féin’s commitment to social housing and builds on the Finance Minister’s additional […]

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Community Constituency Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

McNulty Calls For Urgent Action on Homelessness

SDLP MLA for Newry & Armagh Justin McNulty has called for urgent action on homelessness.  He was speaking after a recent visit to the Simon Community in Armagh.  Mr McNulty said: “I recently had the opportunity to meet some of the brilliant team at the Simon Community in Armagh. The dedication and compassion that they […]

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Armagh Business Community Constituency Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Westminster

All-Island Census Can Help Inform Better Decision Making – Hughes

Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes has welcomed cross-party support endorsing the findings of the 2021-22 all-island joint census report. It found an increase in the island’s population, reaching 7.1 million, the highest since 1851, as well as thousands of workers travelling cross-border for work. The Newry and Armagh MP said: “Censuses help us better understand […]

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Armagh Community Constituency Government Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

Sinn Féin Working to Properly Invest In Public Services – Boylan

Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan has praised the work of Finance Minister John O’Dowd in fighting for fairer funding for public services. The Newry and Armagh MLA was speaking following a debate in the Assembly on the Executive’s multi-year budget. “Fifteen years of British government austerity has left our public services and workers on their […]

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Community Constituency Downpatrick Education Government Politics South Down Stormont

Mason Welcomes Support to Allow Girls The Right to Wear Trousers In School

Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason has welcomed the support from other parties on the Education Committee to allow girls the right to wear trousers in school. The South Down MLA said: “The DUP Education Minister squandered the chance to bring school uniform policies into the 21st century by refusing to guarantee girls the choice to […]

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Armagh Community Constituency Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Stormont

McNulty Challenges First Minister on All Island Healthcare Inaction

In a question to the First Minister in Assembly on Monday, November 17th, SDLP Justin McNulty MLA challenged the First Minister’s commitment to all-island healthcare.  McNulty recently submitted an Assembly Question to the Executive about if CAR-T, a vital immunotherapy that can kill cancer cells, was discussed in the most recent North South Ministerial Council […]

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Armagh Community Constituency Dáil Éireann Government Health Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

All-Ireland Healthcare Is The Best Way Forward -Boylan

Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan has said that recent meetings of the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association underline the urgent need to build an integrated All-Ireland national health service that delivers equal access for all citizens, regardless of where they live on the island. The Newry and Armagh MLA said: “Sinn Féin representatives had constructive engagements […]

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Government Health Politics Stormont

GP Conference Decision was Reckless and ill Judged

Ulster Unionist Party comments on the decision taken over the weekend at the Local Medical Committees conference at the Merchant Hotel.  An Ulster Unionist Spokesperson said, “The decisions flowing from the weekend conference of GPs were not only deeply disappointing – they were astonishingly ill-judged. As we enter into the winter months, it is now particularly […]