NEWS

Pictured at the at the unveiling of the Historical Institutional Abuse memorial plaque in the Great Hall, Parliament Buildings are First Minister Michelle O’Neill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, NI Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots and Fiona Ryan, Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse. A permanent memorial now stands at Stormont to honour the victims and survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse — a visible acknowledgement of decades of sufferi

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

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

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.

North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC The closure of McKillen’s on Church Street has been described as a devastating blow to Ballymena town centre, with North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC warning that rising overheads and business rates are “strangling” local retailers and accelerating the decline of the high street. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Allister said the loss of the century-old family business, coming shortly after the closure of Wyse Byse, marked a critical moment fo

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Paul Frew MLA has welcomed assurances from Education Minister Paul Givan that changes are planned to end the disadvantage currently faced by working families in the allocation of funded pre-school places, while warning that existing funding and capacity levels are still falling short of what families need. The North Antrim DUP representative said parents across his constituency continue to experience real difficulty securing funded pre-school

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has warned that ending academic selection in Northern Ireland would undermine parental choice and distract from the real pressures facing schools, during a debate in the Assembly on Tuesday (3 January). Mr Burrows was speaking during consideration of a private members’ motion tabled by Sinn Féin South Down MLA Cathy Mason , which calls for a time-bound plan to end academic selection and transfer tests as part of p

(L-R) Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Jon Burrows and fellow North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston (TUV) Jon Burrows MLA has raised serious concerns in the Northern Ireland Assembly over the proportionality of a sanction recommended against his North Antrim colleague, Timothy Gaston MLA , warning that the response risks undermining fairness, free expression and public confidence in political accountability. Speaking during an Assembly debate this week, Mr Burrows questioned whether

Large waves recorded in Carrickfergus on Thursday afternoon. (Image: Sarah Ellen Photography NI) Multi-agency emergency partners are on high alert as preparations continue ahead of forecast heavy rain across Northern Ireland in the coming days. A Met Office Yellow weather warning for rain is currently in place until 11.59pm on Friday 6 February, with further rainfall expected to continue throughout the weekend. Officials say staff from all relevant agencies are already on the

Inset: Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has issued a stark warning over proposals contained within the Executive’s proposed Five-Year Education Budget Strategy, cautioning that cuts to classroom assistants and the use of unqualified substitute teachers would have devastating consequences for schools, staff and pupils across Northern Ireland. Responding to the public

Inset: SDLP Councillor Malachy Quinn SDLP Councillor Malachy Quinn has expressed delight that his campaign for the introduction of Caoimhé’s Law is continuing to gather momentum, with the Justice Minister and two Northern Ireland local authorities now pledging their support. In October 2025, the Torrent DEA representative tabled a motion calling for legal restrictions on the sharing on social media of images and videos taken at the scenes of serious road traffic collisions.

First Minister and deputy First Minister welcomed Catherine Connolly, President of Ireland to Stormont Castle during her visit to Belfast. Pictured left to right are: First Minister Michelle O’Neill, President of Ireland Catherine Connolly and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have welcomed Catherine Connolly, President of Ireland , to Stormont Castle during her official visit to Belfas

Kilrea Bridge, and (inset) North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston Businesses on both sides of the River Bann are facing severe financial pressure following the prolonged closure of Kilrea Bridge, with some traders reporting losses of hundreds of pounds per day and warning that their long-term viability is now at risk. The issue was raised in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday by North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston , who used an Adjournment Debate to highlight the economic and

Inset: Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, chair of Northern Ireland Health Committee Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan has said the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol would help to save lives and reduce alcohol-related harm, after Stormont’s Health Committee agreed to formally back proposed legislation. The North Antrim MLA, who chairs the Assembly’s Health Committee, was speaking after members heard detailed evidence on the impact of excessive alcohol consumption

Ulster Unionist education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA As Northern Ireland begins to recover from the widespread disruption caused by Storm Chandra, renewed criticism has been levelled at the Department of Education over its handling of school closures during severe weather events. The storm brought significant challenges across the region, including power cuts, flooding and travel disruption, with more than 346 schools forced to close in response to weather warnings. In the

The Met Office has issued a further yellow weather warning for ice across Northern Ireland, as multi-agency partners continue to meet in response to Storm Chandra and its ongoing impacts. The warning is in place from 03:00 to 10:00 on Wednesday 28 January 2026 , with all counties affected. Forecasters have warned that clearing skies overnight on Tuesday will allow temperatures to fall below freezing, increasing the risk of icy conditions following several days of heavy rainfa

Emergency services, infrastructure teams and public bodies across Northern Ireland are stepping up preparations ahead of the anticipated impact of Storm Chandra, as a combination of yellow and amber Met Office weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds comes into force. Multi-agency planning is already underway to minimise disruption and protect public safety, with authorities warning of possible power cuts, travel disruption, flooding and coastal hazards over the comin