NEWS

Supporters outside Stormont calling for long-term investment in agri-environment schemes to support farmers and restore wildlife, joined by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir New polling commissioned by RSPB NI has revealed strong public support for increased investment in nature-friendly farming, as the organisation called on politicians to provide greater backing for farmers working to protect wildlife and tackle climate change. The survey found that 68 per cent of people support i

Inset: Communities Minister Gordon Lyons Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has pledged tougher action against social housing fraud in Northern Ireland as a new public consultation launches on proposals to strengthen powers against those abusing the system. The move comes amid continuing pressure on social housing across Northern Ireland, with the Department estimating tenancy fraud and misuse costs the public purse around £9.9 million every year. Officials believe the true co

Girls in Northern Ireland could soon be guaranteed the right to wear trousers to school under proposed legislation progressing through the Assembly, with North Antrim MLA and Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows describing the move as a matter of “common sense and personal choice”. The UUP leader and the party’s education spokesperson welcomed the Bill’s progress after supporting its Second Stage debate in the Assembly on Wednesday, July 1. The legislation seeks to ensure

Farmers across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to examine new environmental funding opportunities after applications opened for the 2026 Farming with Nature Transition Scheme, with grants of up to £20,000 available for eligible projects. The scheme, which opened on Monday, offers financial support for a range of environmental measures designed to improve biodiversity, water quality and habitat protection while allowing farms to remain productive businesses. However, the

Stormont Parliament Buildings, Belfast. (Photo: Nigel McDowell/Ulster University) A major new study has found that people across Northern Ireland want any future debate on Irish unity to be driven by evidence, planning and practical answers rather than political rhetoric, with the experience of Brexit continuing to shape public attitudes towards constitutional change. Research published on Wednesday, July 1, by Ulster University suggests the conversation around Northern Irela

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has launched a sharp criticism of new PSNI search guidance issued by the Department of Justice, claiming it leaves frontline officers facing uncertainty in some of the most sensitive situations they encounter. The North Antrim MLA said the interim arrangements, introduced following the recent Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of sex, place too much responsibility on individual officers rather than providing clear operati

People across Northern Ireland can now report a wide range of environmental incidents more quickly and easily following the launch of a new online reporting system designed to speed up investigations and improve responses from authorities. The new service, introduced by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), creates a single reporting route for environmental concerns ranging from illegal dumping and damage to protected habitats to illegal fishin

Children with special educational needs across Northern Ireland are now expected to wait an extra year for long-promised improvements to support services after the implementation of new SEN regulations was pushed back until September 2027. The delay has sparked a political row at Stormont, with Education Minister Paul Givan expressing “serious concern” over what he says will be the direct impact on children, families and schools, while Alliance MLA and Education Committee Cha

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long Calls for a fully independent investigation into what senior figures knew about concerns surrounding former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson have intensified following revelations aired in the BBC Spotlight documentary Politician, Predator, Paedophile. On Sunday, 28 June, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said transparency was now essential regarding the actions and knowledge of senior members of the Democratic Unionist Party in relation to allegat

Political fallout intensified across unionism on Friday night after a special edition of BBC Spotlight examining the double life of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson prompted renewed scrutiny over what was known, when it was known, and who, if anyone, failed to act. The programme, presented by investigative journalist Mandy McAuley and titled Politician, Predator and Paedophile, examined how one of the most powerful figures in modern Northern Ireland politics was able to ri

Education Minister Paul Givan pictured with Tom Bennett who will lead on a review of behaviour policy and practice across schools. The way behaviour is managed in schools across Northern Ireland is set for a major review after Education Minister Paul Givan announced an independent examination aimed at helping teachers deal with increasingly complex behavioural challenges in the classroom. The review will shape a new Department of Education Behaviour Policy and updated practic

Gracehill, Ballymena (Image: Gail Spiers) and the Giant’s Causeway from above (Image: Patryk Sadowski Photography) Northern Ireland’s internationally recognised UNESCO sites – including Gracehill’s newly inscribed World Heritage Site status – were celebrated at Stormont this week as political leaders, councillors and heritage representatives gathered to launch a new video series highlighting some of the region’s most significant cultural and natural landmarks. The event, held

A plan to introduce a drug-testing pilot at major gigs and festivals in Belfast has been effectively blocked by the Department of Health. A motion passed unanimously by Belfast City Council earlier this year called for drug-testing and harm-reduction facilities to be explored at council-owned venues hosting music festivals and large-scale events. The motion called on public bodies, including the Public Health Agency and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, alongside organisa

The Dark Hedges, County Antrim in June. (Image: Shirley Carson Photography) Causeway Coast and Glens DUP councillor Darryl Wilson has accused the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Department for the Economy (DfE) of a “dereliction of duty” over the future management of the Dark Hedges. June’s meeting of the council’s Leisure and Development Committee received an update report from Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust (CCGHT). The report followed a motion tabled b

New drivers across Northern Ireland will face a major overhaul of the licensing system from October after MLAs approved legislation paving the way for Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). The Assembly on Tuesday, 23 June approved Regulations confirming that the new road safety scheme will come into force on 1 October 2026, marking the most significant reform of driver licensing and testing in almost 70 years. Designed to reduce the disproportionate number of fatal and serious ro

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

Muckamore Abbey Hospital A landmark public inquiry into abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital has concluded that vulnerable patients were abused, families were repeatedly let down, and a series of systemic failures across Northern Ireland’s health and social care system allowed poor practice to continue unchecked for years. The final report of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry, published on Thursday, delivers a stark verdict on the treatment of people with learning disabilitie

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, Allister Kyle, Chairman of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) with Party Leader Jim Allister MP A senior TUV figure and Causeway Coast and Glens councillor has been unveiled as the party’s candidate for East Londonderry ahead of next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, with a pledge to build on what he described as the party’s strongest-ever electoral performance in the constituency. Allister Kyle, who currently serves as Chairman

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA The father of North Belfast attack victim Stephen Ogilvy has made a direct appeal for false rumours about his son’s condition to stop, as the young man remains in intensive care following what has been described as a “horrendous” assault. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA said he spoke personally with Mr Ogilvy on Wednesday morning, June 10, following Monday night’s attempted murder investigation, and revealed the family

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA speaking on Tuesday in the Northern Ireland Assembly Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has called for calm across Northern Ireland following a shocking attempted murder in north Belfast that has left a man in a serious condition in hospital. Speaking after raising the incident in the Assembly on Tuesday morning, Mr Burrows condemned what he described as a “barbaric attack” and warned against escalating tensions as graphi