NEWS

TUV agriculture spokesman Councillor Allister Kyle Northern Ireland’s farming community is being “failed” by Stormont, according to TUV agriculture spokesman Councillor Allister Kyle , who used a West Tyrone fundraising breakfast to launch a sweeping critique of agricultural policy, bovine TB controls and the Windsor Framework. Addressing party members on Saturday (February 21), Cllr Kyle painted a picture of mounting pressure on farmers — from disease outbreaks and slurry st

Pictured at the Veteran Information Roadshow event in Ballymena are (L-R) Charlie Marno, Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, Veterans Commissioner David Johnstone and Tricia Robinson, Royal Armed Medical Core Serving personnel, veterans and their families in Northern Ireland are set to benefit from a new dedicated advice service designed to help them access the support and entitlements available to them. The announcement was ma

The Independent Remuneration Board has published its first draft determination proposing a 26.8% increase in MLA salaries to £67,200 per year from 1 April 2026, alongside automatic financial sanctions if an Executive is not formed following future Assembly elections. The newly established Board, which is responsible for setting the salaries and pensions of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), has launched a two-week consultation seeking views from MLAs, the Assembly Co

TUV MLA for North Antrim Timothy Gaston Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) MLA Timothy Gaston has strongly criticised a £14,000 pay rise for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), after a determination increased Stormont salaries by 27% from £53,000 to £67,200. In a statement, Mr Gaston said the decision by the Independent Remuneration Board would result in a substantial uplift in pay at a time when many households across Northern Ireland are facing ongoing financial press

Pictured with the Commissioner for Older People Siobhan Casey (second right) are from L-R George Bell, Wilma Stewart, Colin Flinn.  Older people across Northern Ireland say they feel increasingly shut out from the health and social care system they paid into throughout their working lives, according to a new report published by the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland (COPNI). Voices of Concern: The Reality of Health and Social Care for Older People in Northern

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir announces next steps towards introducing new rules on selling and supplying puppies and kittens in Northern Ireland. Minister Muir is pictured with Laura Orr and Adam Clowes from Dogs Trust, members of Northern Ireland Companion Animal Welfare Group (NICAWG). Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir has announced the next steps towards introducing new rules on selling and supplying puppies and kittens in Northern Ireland, incl

Inset: Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised Health and Social Care (HSC) staff after new encompass data revealed the scale of daily patient care delivered across the region, including more than 43,000 appointments and over 70,000 domiciliary care calls in a single day. Providing an update on the encompass programme nearly ten months after all five geographic Trusts went live, the Minister said the integrated

Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomes the confirmation of resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm Resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm are expected to commence soon after confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), with short-term disruption anticipated while the improvement scheme is carried out. TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomed the update, describing the long-awaited road maintenance as necessary and beneficial for the area. “I welcome confirmation fro

Thousands of Northern Ireland pupils have called for a reduction in exam pressure as the Department of Education publishes its long-awaited report on the future of CCEA GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications. Nearly 4,500 young people responded to a dedicated survey, alongside more than 3,500 individuals and organisations who took part in a public consultation between September and November 2025. The findings will inform a new Qualifications Policy Framework, with revised CCEA s

The 2026 Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme is now open for applications, the Department for Communities has announced, offering financial support to eligible students and adult learners to attend Irish-language courses in Gaeltacht areas. The scheme provides attendees with an opportunity to immerse themselves in an Irish speaking community, increase their knowledge and use of Irish through attending classes, and take part in a wide range of cultural activities including sport an

Nexus NI has been awarded the contract to manage the Domestic and Sexual Abuse (DSA) Helpline, a free, confidential 24/7 support service for anyone impacted by domestic and/or sexual abuse in Northern Ireland. The contract was jointly awarded by the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Department for Communities. It will run for an initial three-year period, followed by two optional extension periods of two years each. 24/7 support for victims and survivors The Dom

Kilrea Bridge on the B64 Bann Road in Kilrea will fully reopen to all vehicles at 5pm on Wednesday 18 February, following the successful completion of permanent structural repair works, the Department for Infrastructure has confirmed. The bridge, which has been restricted to cars and light vehicles since early December, will once again be accessible to all traffic as width and weight restrictions are lifted. The reopening marks the completion of the main stabilisation works,

Young Ballymena woman Chloe Mitchell who was brutally murdered in the town. The Chloe Mitchell trial will proceed after Justice Minister Naomi Long and representatives of the Criminal Bar Association reached agreement following talks aimed at resolving the current impasse within the criminal justice system. In a joint statement issued on Sunday (15 February), the Minister and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) confirmed that an accelerated review of the fees structure will co

Carolyn Tailford, Founder, Senior Director and Chair of A Safe Space to be Me . Adults with ADHD in Northern Ireland are being left without diagnosis, medication and support, according to mental health charity A Safe Space to Be Me, which has responded to the publication of the Department of Health’s long-awaited ADHD Needs Assessment. The report, published on Thursday, 12 February 2026, by the Department of Health, confirms significant gaps in provision for both children and

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering a 3.3% consolidated pay uplift for NHS staff from 1 April 2026, following the latest recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). The proposed pay rise would apply to all Agenda for Change (AfC) pay points across Health and Social Care (HSC), impacting thousands of frontline staff including nurses, paramedics, healthcare assistants and administrati

The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed the Regional Rate for 2026/27, confirming a 5.0% increase for domestic properties and a 3.0% increase for non-domestic properties. The decision means the domestic regional rate element of the average household bill will rise by 63p per week. The regional rate forms part of the overall rates bill and is used to fund public services across Northern Ireland. The Executive confirmed it has taken the same approach as 2025/26 in setting the

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly after serving a two-day suspension, using his first day back in the Stormont chamber to defend his conduct and challenge the handling of the so-called ‘breathegate’ controversy. Speaking during Assembly business, Mr Gaston said the sanction imposed on him had now been “served” and set out a detailed response to the circumstances surrounding his removal from the Chamber.

(L-R) Orlaith McLoughlin, Paul McHenry (Acting Director of CAFRE), Maynard Mawhinney (Chair of the CAFRE College Advisory Group), Cathal O’Donnell, Lawrence Whyte and Stephen Black. Stephen Black, Principal of Ballymena Academy , has been appointed to the CAFRE College Advisory Group, as the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed four new members to the strategic body supporting agri-food and rural education in Northern Ireland. The appoin

Two Ballymena schools have secured funding for new synthetic sports pitches following successful applications to the Department of Education, a move welcomed by North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew as a significant boost to sports provision in local schools. Cambridge House Grammar School and Slemish College have both been approved for new facilities under Department of Education capital programmes, aimed at strengthening physical education, sport and wider wellbeing as part of t

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has launched a £7.85 million Winter Recovery Road Fund to address widespread damage caused by recent severe weather, following a sharp rise in potholes and surface defects across the road network. The announcement comes in addition to 40 resurfacing schemes already programmed after the Minister’s December Monitoring allocation, and is intended to provide an urgent response to the impact of storms, prolonged rainfall, ice and snow. £7.85m f