NEWS

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with Louise Taylor, Founder of Little Forget Me Nots Trust, at an event in Lurgan to remember babies and children who have died. Thursday 15 October 2026 Families affected by pregnancy and baby loss in Northern Ireland now have access to new workplace rights and formal recognition of their loss, following the introduction of two significant support measures earlier this year. The changes include up to two weeks of miscarriage

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has congratulated our further education colleges and students after they delivered a world-class performance on the global stage, bringing home a gold medal, bronze medal and five medals for excellence from WorldSkills in Shanghai. The Minister met some of the competitors and college representatives at Parliament Buildings before they headed to Shanghai for the ‘Skills Olympics’. Friday 02 October 2026 Ballymena’s Joe Wilton has been reco

The former Northern Regional College building in Ballymena Thursday 01 October 2026 Ballymena’s former Trostan Avenue college campus has no timescale for a sale, prompting Ulster Unionist representative Colin Crawford to seek an on-site meeting over security while a buyer is sought. A Department for the Economy response has confirmed that Northern Regional College is responsible for managing the vacant property and has instructed Land and Property Services to place it on the

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Brendan McAleer, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Diaspora and International Development Officer, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins pictured before a meeting of partners and stakeholders involved in delivering Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026. Monday 21 September 2026 Belfast is already turning its attention to an even bigger Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2027 after this summer’s event

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with Chair of Matrix Robert Hill. Monday 21 September 2026 Northern Ireland could make far greater use of satellites to tackle flooding, monitor the environment, support agriculture and manage public infrastructure, with a new government-backed report identifying at least 77 potential applications across public services. The Northern Ireland Space Enabled Region Pathfinder concludes that the region is well placed to become a U

Thursday 17 September 2026 Around 860,000 households across Northern Ireland will receive £63 off their electricity costs from 6 October, with support applied automatically to bill-paying and keypad customers. The Household Electricity Discount Scheme is not means-tested and the amount does not depend on how much electricity a household uses. No application is needed. For pre-pay and keypad customers, there is an important detail: anyone wanting the full £63 credit in one go

Households across Northern Ireland are expected to receive more than £50 off their electricity bills this autumn, under plans to combine two cost-of-living measures into a single discount. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has confirmed her department is working to finalise an agreement with the Treasury that would increase the support from the approximately £30 previously announced under the NIRO Domestic Electricity Discount Scheme. However, the original discount had be

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with Justin Kerr, head of the Department for the Economy Careers Service. The Department has 78 careers advisers on hand to support people reach their chosen pathway. Thursday 13 August 2026 Young people receiving A-Level, AS and vocational results across Northern Ireland today are being reminded that professional careers advice is available to help them decide what comes next. Whether results have opened the door to a first-c

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with students Naomi Duncan-Todd and Jay Curry encouraging eligible students to apply for the prestigious All Ireland Scholarship Scheme. Thousands of students across Northern Ireland receiving their A-Level and BTEC results are being encouraged to check whether they could qualify for a scholarship worth £5,850 a year to help cover the cost of university. The All Ireland Scholarship Scheme, funded by the JP McManus Trust, is no

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured at Roe Valley Residents Associations Youth and Community Hub in Limavady where she met some of the young people who have participated in the Peaceplus Journeys Project. More than 1,000 young people across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have taken part in a cross-border programme designed to help disadvantaged young people build confidence, gain qualifications and move towards education or employment. The mileston

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured officially opening the Revv It Up Festival, Dungiven Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Dungiven this weekend as the Revvv It Up Festival returns for its biggest event yet, bringing world-class tractor pulling, live music and family entertainment to the area. Organisers are expecting more than 20,000 spectators and competitors from across the UK, Ireland and beyond during the three-day festival, which runs from F

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with George Healy (Go Succeed, Belfast City Council), Prof Thomas Cooney (Technological University Dublin), and Marty McLaughlin (Disability Action) to launch this year’s programme. People with disabilities across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to turn their business ideas into reality through a specialist entrepreneurship programme that is now open for applications for a second year. The Self Employment for Persons wit

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has announced further measures to support students. The additional support has been welcomed by NUS-USI President (pictured) Ben Friel. Thousands of students across Northern Ireland are set to receive increased financial support next year as the Executive moves to ease mounting cost-of-living pressures facing those in higher education. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has announced a package of measures for the 2026/27 academic year

Micro-businesses employing fewer than 10 people will be exempt from proposed new trade union workplace access rules after Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald announced a significant change to the Good Jobs Bill following pressure and engagement from businesses and trade unions. The move marks one of the first major revisions to the flagship employment rights legislation as it moves closer to Assembly scrutiny, with the Minister signalling a willingness to alter proposals in re

Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, Economy Minister, Caoimhe Archibald and Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt with Commission Chair, Alan Milburn (second from right). More than 315,000 working-age people in Northern Ireland are currently economically inactive — the highest rate anywhere in the UK — with disability and long-term ill health now driving more than a third of those cases. The stark figures come as Stormont ministers unveiled a new cross-government Commission on Work a

Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has outlined sweeping employment reforms which could significantly change workplace rights for thousands of workers and families across Northern Ireland. The proposed Good Jobs Bill includes new protections for pregnant employees, rights for zero-hours workers to secure more stable contracts, neonatal leave and pay for parents of sick babies, and new unpaid leave for carers. The legislation

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured at the GeoEnergy Discovery Centre at this year’s Balmoral Show as she launches a consultation on proposals to introduce a new regulatory framework for geothermal energy in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is preparing to open the door to large-scale geothermal energy development for the first time, as the Stormont Economy Minister unveiled plans for a new regulatory system designed to unlock the “heat beneath our feet”. The m

Sainsbury’s in Ballymena Motorists across Northern Ireland have been reassured that fuel continues to be delivered as normal, despite reports over the weekend of shortages at a small number of local filling stations. The reassurance from Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald comes as drivers face a sharp rise in costs at the pumps, with new figures showing petrol and diesel prices have climbed to their highest levels in more than two years. Dr Archibald said there is no conf

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has today published the Northern Ireland’s first Aviation Policy for consultation. Pictured (L-R) are Katy Best, Chief Commercial Officer, Belfast City Airport, Dan Owens, CEO, Belfast International, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Steve Frazer, Managing Director, City of Derry Airport. A major new aviation policy designed to strengthen Northern Ireland’s global connections and drive economic growth has been launched — with ambi

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald pictured with the new regulations Northern Ireland is set to become the first region on these islands to provide paid leave for parents affected by miscarriage, in what has been described as a “meaningful difference” for thousands of families each year. From 6 April 2026, new regulations confirmed by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald will give working parents the right to take up to two weeks of paid leave following a miscarriage, ext