NEWS

Sunday 18 October 2026 Families across Northern Ireland whose children were losing childcare subsidy support because of their July or August birthdays will now be able to continue receiving financial assistance while their children remain in Primary 7. Education Minister Paul Givan has confirmed changes to the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS), addressing an inconsistency that left some families without support despite their children remaining in the same scho

DUP North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Saturday 17 October 2026 Residents of a housing development in Broughshane have seen road surfacing work completed following complaints about the condition of roads and footpaths in their neighbourhood. North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew said the work at Knowehead Close followed his intervention with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Roads and NI Water after residents raised concerns about delays in completing the surfaces. The MLA welcomed th

Former Ulster Unionist Party leader Lord Empey Tuesday 13 October 2026 Twenty years after the St Andrews Agreement reshaped Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangements, former Ulster Unionist Party leader Lord Empey has accused the DUP of making a “strategic blunder” that ultimately allowed Sinn Féin to secure the office of First Minister. Marking the anniversary of the October 2006 negotiations, Lord Empey claimed that changes to the rules for appointing Northern Ireland’s

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher Monday 12 October 2026 Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has defended the PSNI’s handling of the Garvaghy Road parade dispute, warning that attempting to force the procession through could have triggered prolonged disorder, injuries and consequences extending beyond Portadown. His comments come amid renewed political disagreement following a Court of Appeal ruling upholding the Parades Commission’s determination, with

Northern Ireland’s Unionist party leaders (L-R): Gavin Robinson MP (DUP), Jim Allister MP (TUV), and Jon Burrows (UUP). Saturday 10 October 2026 A deepening political dispute over Drumcree has exposed sharply different approaches within unionism, with DUP leader Gavin Robinson defending his party’s decision to remain in government, TUV leader Jim Allister accusing him of failing to deliver meaningful consequences, and Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows demanding police accoun

DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Friday 09 October 2026 DUP MP Carla Lockhart has called on Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir to act on new research into bovine tuberculosis (bTB), warning that farmers cannot continue to shoulder the financial and emotional burden of a disease which has affected Northern Ireland's cattle industry for decades. The Upper Bann MP has welcomed an independent evidence review by AgriSearch examining DAERA’s proposed wildlife intervention options, ar

Carla Lockhart MP Sunday 27 September 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing renewed pressure to revisit controversial inheritance tax changes affecting family farms, with DUP Agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart welcoming reports that the policy could be reconsidered ahead of the autumn Budget. The Upper Bann MP said any move by the new Prime Minister to change the reforms introduced under his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer would be welcomed by farming families, includi

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long, and (inset) North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Tuesday 22 September 2026 North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew has challenged Justice Minister Naomi Long over how she came to give the Assembly information that was later found to be incomplete about the temporary release of convicted murderer Gary Anderson, who remains unlawfully at large. Mr Frew, who chairs Stormont’s Justice Committee, questioned whether information supplied to the Minister ha

Inset: North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Home care workers across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust are set to have average overtime earnings included when their holiday pay is calculated, with retrospective payments also expected to be made before the end of the year. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed the commitment after raising concerns with the Northern Trust on behalf of constituents who said they were losing out because of the way their holiday pay was calcul

DfI contractors on site refreshing the road markings outside Ballymena Primary School on the busy Ballymoney Road North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed action to improve road safety outside Ballymena Primary School after he raised concerns with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on behalf of the school. Fresh yellow zig-zag markings have now been installed after the school’s principal highlighted faded road markings and malfunctioning flashing school safety signs. Whil

Inset: DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Questions over the sourcing and labelling of chicken served in Northern Ireland schools remain despite fresh assurances from the Education Authority that halal-certified poultry is not being provided as a blanket policy, an MP has said. Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart is calling for greater transparency for parents and increased use of locally produced food in publicly funded catering, as she prepares to meet Education Authority (EA) o

E-scooters seized by police in Antrim over the weekend. Seven e-scooters have been seized by police in Antrim as officers step up enforcement against their illegal use in public places — prompting a local MLA to issue a warning to parents ahead of Christmas. The PSNI said Antrim Neighbourhood Policing Team, supported by the District Support Team, Local Policing Team and Probationer Support Team, seized the seven machines during an operation in the town. Police said files will

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Failures to tell GPs that hospital referrals had been rejected affected 44,657 referrals in Northern Ireland, including 1,423 for suspected cancer and 16,366 classified as urgent, a ministerial letter has revealed. The figures were disclosed to North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew by former Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in correspondence dated 17 August, before his resignation. Mr Nesbitt said the referrals had been received and clinically assessed within

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew speaking at the local business networking event in Ballymena More than 100 representatives from businesses and the wider community gathered in Ballymena on Friday morning for a major networking breakfast bringing local industry together with senior political figures. North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew hosted the Business Networking Breakfast at the Adair Arms Hotel, with DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA

A High Court ruling that the Parades Commission acted unlawfully in its handling of the Drumcree parade has triggered demands for the entire Commission to resign, with political pressure now expected to move to Westminster. Mr Justice McAlinden today quashed the Commission’s determination preventing Portadown District Orange Order from completing its traditional church parade along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The court outcome represents a significant d

County Hall, Ballymena A review of the environmental service that advises councils on major planning applications is being pursued by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council amid concerns over delays, accountability and confidence in Northern Ireland’s planning system. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has welcomed the move to examine Shared Environmental Services (SES), which is based at County Hall in Ballymena and provides specialist environmental advice to councils as part of the

DUP Agriculture Spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP Serious whistleblowing allegations involving animal welfare, biosecurity and environmental practices at Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) should be subjected to a genuinely independent examination, a DUP MP has said. Upper Bann MP and DUP Agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart has questioned whether investigations into concerns at AFBI’s Hillsborough site can command public confidence when the organis

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Serious questions are being raised over whether opportunities to intervene were missed before two dogs were found dead inside a property in Lurgan. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has secured an urgent meeting involving police, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Arbour Housing after saying local residents had raised concerns about the Sloanhill Court property before the animals were discovered. A 47-year-old man has been arrest

Pictured: DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart and Ulster Unionist agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA, and the farmers protest earlier this week outside Stormont. Friday 14 August 2026 Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has rejected demands for his resignation and launched an extraordinary attack on the Ulster Farmers’ Union, declaring that its days of “dictating government policy are over”. His defiant response came after the UFU passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Muir,

DUP agriculture spokesperson, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Pressure on DAERA over the controversial destruction of cattle near Fivemiletown has intensified after DUP agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart described the incident as “one of the biggest scandals the department has ever faced”, while calling for a full public inquiry rather than an external review. The Upper Bann MP said confidence in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) had been