News, analysis, and updates on all policy areas and the work of Northern Ireland’s government departments.
Junior Ministers Joanne Bunting and Aisling Reilly have launched a new public awareness campaign to help people recognise the signs of coercive control, a form of domestic abuse that became a criminal offence in Northern Ireland four years ago but remains widely misunderstood. The H.S.K.T. (Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) […]
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have appointed two new Lay Members to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC), the independent body responsible for selecting judges up to High Court level. Dr Geraldine O’Hare, a consultant forensic psychologist, and Mr Peter Osborne, a veteran reconciliation
The Northern Ireland Executive has issued a forceful condemnation of the “disorder, violence and intimidation” that swept across Belfast and surrounding areas this week, following two nights of unrest triggered by a serious knife attack in the north of the city. In a united statement published on 10 June 2026,
Belfast-headquartered technology firm Kainos will create 341 new jobs across Northern Ireland over the next three years, First Minister Michelle O’Neill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald have announced. The expansion, backed by £1.5 million from Invest Northern Ireland, will see the global IT provider
Executive Ministers showcased a £42 million digital prescription programme at a Belfast pharmacy as part of a wider £102.6 million investment to modernise Northern Ireland’s public services. The funding, announced by Finance Minister John O’Dowd on 26 May 2026, represents the final tranche of a £235 million UK Government package
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have published the Programme for Government Annual Report for 2025-26, using visits to a Belfast nursery and a Lisburn engineering firm to showcase investments in health, childcare, and skills. Launched at Kids Korner Day Nursery and On Track Technicians, the
A car bomb has exploded outside a police station in Dunmurry on the outskirts of Belfast, forcing residents from their homes and prompting the First Minister and deputy First Minister to issue a joint condemnation, describing the incident as a “cowardly attempt” to drag Northern Ireland backwards. The device detonated
Moira Doherty has been appointed permanent head of The Executive Office, assuming one of the most senior civil service positions in Northern Ireland. The appointment, confirmed by Jayne Brady, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, completes Ms Doherty’s transition from interim leadership to the permanent role this week following
The Northern Ireland Executive has issued an urgent appeal to the UK Government to increase funding for the Local Growth Fund, warning that vital community services are facing severe cuts. Ministers say the “significantly reduced quantum” of the fund is placing lifeline services at risk and describe the current position
Work has officially begun on a £3.4 million youth hub in North Belfast, transforming a derelict site into a shared community facility for young people across interface areas. First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly cut the first sod at the Ardoyne site on Sunday, marking the
