Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has unveiled a new “Legenderry” tourism campaign designed to showcase Derry~Londonderry as a vibrant destination while supporting the city’s wider economic regeneration. The initiative, launched today by the Department for the Economy, targets travellers across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with a focus […]
The seventh meeting of the Executive Working Group on Wellbeing, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention heard stark evidence linking poverty and inequality to rising suicide rates in Northern Ireland. The meeting, held on 13 March 2026, also saw Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announce plans to roll out suicide awareness training
Northern Ireland businesses achieved record-breaking sales of £109.3 billion in 2024, marking a 7.5% increase from the previous year and the highest total since records began. The figures, published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) on 11 March 2026, reveal that external sales surged by 14.4% to
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has praised the “anything but small” impact of local investment programmes during a visit to Ballymena, where he met community groups benefiting from the Department for Communities’ Neighbourhood Renewal funding. The Department invests over £20 million annually in the programme, which supports voluntary and community organisations
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins met with students at Limavady’s shared education campus to discuss far-reaching changes to how young people learn to drive, as Northern Ireland prepares to become the first part of the UK to introduce Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) this October. The scheme, described by the Minister as
Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has travelled to Los Angeles to pitch Northern Ireland’s screen industry directly to executives at major Hollywood studios including HBO, Netflix, Amazon MGM and Riot Games. The visit, which included attendance at the annual Oscar Wilde Awards, forms part of a wider West Coast initiative
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has extended the deadline for the public consultation on Northern Ireland’s draft Nature Recovery Strategy by four weeks, giving stakeholders until 15 April 2026 to submit their views. The extension comes amid significant interest in the proposed framework, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss
Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has welcomed plans by global technology firm Version 1 to create approximately 400 new jobs in Northern Ireland over the next three years. The expansion, announced on 13 March 2026, will see the Dublin-headquartered company significantly grow its Belfast operation, with roles focused on artificial
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has unveiled plans for a major redevelopment of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP), securing millions of pounds to modernise the historic site while preserving its 18th-century heritage. The Minister visited the facility on 12 March 2026 to review designs for the project, which aims to
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed the extension of a debt advice initiative into 2026/27, allocating approximately £449,000 to sustain locally delivered financial support across Northern Ireland’s 11 council areas. The Integrated Advice Partnership Fund, launched in November 2024 with £1.7 million, has delivered strong interim results in expanding access
