Dear Belfast Pride,  In 1991, Northern Ireland was a vastly different place—far less safe for our community. But you stood up. Despite immense political opposition and social backlash, you took to the streets and demonstrated that we exist, that we matter, and that we would not be silenced. Your bravery helped transform our country, creating a more inclusive society and saving countless lives through visibility and representation.  We recognise and appreciate the impact Belfast Pride has had in shaping our community’s progress. It is because of your courage that grassroots movements like Causeway Pride exist today. However, we now find ourselves facing a new crisis—one that requires decisive action.  The recent decision by the NI Executive to ban puberty blockers is an attack on the trans community, an act of political negligence that directly endangers young lives. Our community has been exploited and betrayed by politicians time and time again, and we refuse to accept it any longer. That is why we urge Belfast Pride to stand with us in rejecting participation from political parties complicit in this decision.  Stormont has consistently failed to deliver for LGBTQ+ people in Northern Ireland, with a long history of neglect, broken promises, and a lack of concrete action on equality. Despite repeated commitments, no minister with responsibility for equality has allocated specific funding to LGBTQ+ issues since 2005. This lack of financial support has left vital services, advocacy groups, and community initiatives struggling to survive, relying instead on limited charity funding or UK-wide grants rather than dedicated local investment.  Beyond funding, there has been a persistent failure to develop a comprehensive strategy to address LGBTQ+ inequality. Since 2007, the Northern Ireland Executive has promised to introduce an LGBTQ+ strategy, but nearly two decades later, no such strategy has been implemented. This has left gaps in crucial areas such as healthcare, education, housing, and protection from discrimination. While other parts of the UK have made significant strides in advancing LGBTQ+ rights, Northern Ireland has lagged behind, with its government failing to take meaningful action.  The absence of a strategy means there is no coordinated approach to tackling homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, nor is there a clear commitment to improving LGBTQ+ mental health services, addressing homelessness within the community, or ensuring inclusive education in schools. The continued inaction from Stormont highlights a pattern of neglect that has left LGBTQ+ people in Northern Ireland without the support and protections they deserve.  Pride has always been a protest. It is not a platform for those who legislate against us, who refuse to protect our most vulnerable, or who remain silent in the face of oppression. Other Pride organisations, such as Foyle Pride, have already taken a firm stance—banning parties involved in the puberty blocker ban from their festival. We ask Belfast Pride to do the same.  Rather than holding a consultation, we believe that now is the time for decisive leadership. This is not an issue that requires deliberation; it is a fundamental question of whether Belfast Pride will allow those who harm our community to march beneath its banner. We ask you to cancel the consultation and take a clear, principled stand: political parties involved in the puberty blocker ban should not have a place at Pride.  Pride belongs to the people—not to politicians who betray us. We urge you to make your decision reflect this. Stand with us. Speak out. Fight back. 

Trust and confidence in leadership is essential for the reassurance of any community and many constituents have been looking forward in general terms to the new Minister’s  delivery on the Sinn Fein 2024 election manifesto, “Strong Leadership, Positive Change”.  In the Warrenpoint area, residents and businesses look forward specifically to leadership towards a solution within an area of Infrastructure responsibility to the waste stench and odour nuisance which dates back to a Council abatement notice going back almost ten years to  2015. Positive change would be greatly welcomed here. Recent confusion around the chemicals used by Re-Gen Waste in what appears to be a losing battle in negating the impact of their organic waste stench in Warrenpoint Port has led to claims and counter-claims by WHA and Re-Gen Waste as to which chemicals have been used. Their lack of agreement has resulted in the withdrawal of an Environmental Audit from the WHA website at the end of October and, in the three and a half months since then, no clarification has been forthcoming from the two bodies forming crucial cogs in the infrastructure of the NI Waste Industry.  That confusion has been escalated by WHA claims that HSENI had made a specific review into those chemicals, a position which has been categorically undermined by HSENI. Stakeholders can have no confidence and no trust in the running of the Trust Port in Warrenpoint by the  Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Board until WHA has replaced their withdrawn Environmental Audit on their website and also fully explained the answers received by a Warrenpoint resident from HSENI as follows :   QUESTIONS TO HSENI Can you please provide me the following: 1. Copies of all emails relating to the statement made by Mr Holmes especially the email of how you informed Mr Holmes of the results of the “specific review” on the Chemicals used by Re-Gen. 2. Copies of any evidence that you hold that supports the claim Mr Holmes has made relating to your organisation. HSENI RESPONSE : A search has been carried out on HSENI’s electronic and paper records based on the parameters of your request. I can confirm that HSENI holds no information in relation to your request. In response to question 1, requesting copies of all emails relating to the statement made by Mr Holmes especially the email of how you informed Mr Holmes of the results of the specific review on the Chemical's used by Re-Gen. I can confirm that HSENI holds no information in relation to this question. In response to question 2, requesting copies of any evidence that you hold that supports the claim Mr Holmes has made relating to your organisation. I can confirm that HSENI holds no information in relation to this question. In response to question 3, requesting copies of the information where Mr Holmes states that you have informed WHA not to modify any of its practices. I can confirm that HSENI holds no information in relation to this question.

The genocide in Gaza has been livestreamed to the world since October 7 2023. Conservative estimates put the number of people killed as approx. 68,000 (recent figures published by The Lancet) with over 100,000 maimed and injured. Every step of this genocide has been funded and supported by the United States. Our governments have paid lip service rather than take any meaningful action against Israel. The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel is guilty of committing plausible genocide in Gaza. Israel has displayed intent in the words of its government officials, in its deliberate denial of humanitarian aid, food, preventing safe births to mention a few. In 2024 our petition to Boycott the White House St Patrick's Day Celebrations got more than 20,000 signatures. The pressure we put on politicians not to go resulted in several prominent politicians not going, as well as protests in Ireland and the US against the betrayal. This year we have an opportunity to build on this. Through constant lobbying and pressure, Ireland is now a party to the case South Africa is taking against Israel in the International Courts of Justice. People pressure also forced Israel to close its embassy in Ireland. We call on all political parties on the island of Ireland to listen to the people and not go to Washington on St. Patrick's Day to shake hands soaked with the blood of Palestinians. Petition endorsed by: Derry IPSC Mid Ulster IPSC Cairde Palestine Gaels Against Genocide Mothers Against Genocide QUB Palestine Assembly Artists Against Genocide Teachers for Palestine Fermoy IPSC D7 For Palestine Lurgan IPSC Minority teachers Ireland Louth IPSC The People of Clare Against Genocide BadAds  Hcworkers for Palestine Derry Anti-War Coalition Swords For Palestine United Against Racism NW BDS Strabane NYirish4palestine Newry IPSC South Kerry Friends Of Palestine East Derry IPSC Armagh IPSC ATU Friends of Palestine 

Filthy mining corporation Dalradian is fighting to be able to rip up our stunning Sperrin Mountains, pollute our waters, and damage our health - so they can get rich by mining for gold. After 50,000 written objections, over a decade of tireless campaigning and numerous legal interventions, Save Our Sperrins have taken their fight to a landmark public inquiry that will decide if the mine will go ahead. As Save Our Sperrins says: “The inquiry is a rare opportunity for all of us to come together and have our voices heard. Together, we can stand for what truly matters.” They’ve been fighting for years, and now we stand with them. No toxic mining in Sperrins!

'The People's Housing Bill' aims to alleviate the devastating housing crisis being felt in communities throughout the North, and is being brought forward by Gerry Carroll MLA. Social housebuilding is at a 60-year low, while private rents are at an all-time high.  48,366 households are on the housing waiting list - this amounts to around 90,000 people. 36,741 of those households are in “housing stress", dealing with issues like damp and mould, overcrowding and facing homelessness. The bill proposes to cut and cap rents, and increase housing supply by turning empty houses into homes.  Meaningful action to tackle the housing crisis is long overdue - it's time to show Stormont that people demand change. Sign the petition today! 

Invest NI has given £19.66 million pounds of public money to three companies based in Crumlin, Newtownabbey, Dunmurry and Castledawson that make parts for F-35 war planes - the very ones which are raining bombs down on Gaza. Crumlin and Newtownabbey based company RLC Group, and Dunmurry based company RFD Beaufort Limited are named by Campaigns Against the Arms Trade as manufacturers of parts for the F-35 fighter jets. According to their website, Moyola Precision Engineering manufacture "airframe parts for F35" and received £5.67 million of taxpayers money from Invest NI with some of that allocated in 2023/2024.  And what’s more, the UK arms industry produces 15% of every one of those jets that are made, including the 39 being used by Israel’s to bomb Gaza. There’s a real chance that our money has been used to support companies involved in aiding Israel. But here’s the thing - we don’t know for sure. Because, despite Freedom of Information requests and journalists asking questions for us - Invest NI won’t tell us if those companies are supplying Israel. Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald, who is in charge of Invest NI, needs to come clean, and reveal if our money is being given to companies aiding the slaughter in Gaza.

On February 8th 2024, the UK government blocked a British Phonographic Industry (BIP) funding award that would help Belfast rap trio Kneecap to expand their music in global markets. Their application was approved and signed off by an independent selection board, but he UK government overruled this decision. A spokesperson for Kemi Badenoch cited that the UK government "didn't want to hand out UK tax money to people that oppose the United Kingdom itself." The British government blocking arts funding for a group because they aren't pro-union goes against the very essence of the Good Friday Agreement, artistic freedom and free speech. No government should be removing funding due to an artist’s position on constitutional the future of the north.

The Troubles in Northern Ireland cost thousands of lives and tore generations of families apart. The fragile peace brokered after was hard won. It was a process which took years and involved people who had been at war with each other sitting down together to work out a way forward. No matter which way people voted on Brexit, no one wants to put peace in Northern Ireland at risk. Please don’t risk the fragile peace in Northern Ireland. It’s too important to sacrifice.

It's been 40 years since the first integrated school was started here, but in 2022 only 7.5% of schools here are integrated schools - bringing together children from all backgrounds - Catholic, Protestant and other. But there is overwhelming demand: 71% of people here believe our children should be educated together. Stormont has commissioned a new Independent Review of Education that could change everything - but we need you to tell them integrated education matters to you so that they make recommendations to promote integrated education! Now's your chance to speak up! Email the panel members now and tell them that you want to live in a future where all our children are educated together, promoting reconciliation.

Since the start of 2018, no new patients have been seen in the Northern Ireland adult gender identity clinic. There are now over 400 on the waiting list, some of whom have been on this list for over 4 years. While a review of these services was commissioned late last year, progress has been slow, and the Department and HSCB have been unwilling to meaningfully include and consult with trans communities. As a result, the majority of trans people in Northern Ireland who are currently accessing gender affirming care are doing so through private services, including those in England and further afield, or through self-medication. Those who self-medicate have been doing so to reduce the harm that is being done to them by the failure of statutory services to provide support and care while this review is ongoing and in the two years before it was commissioned. There is a mental health crisis in trans communities; while trans-led support groups and advocacy organisations are doing our best to support our communities, these groups are chronically under-funded and under-staffed. There is an urgent need for statutory services to step up and provide support to trans communities who have waited years for action.

Doug Beattie, the UUP Leader, said in January that "Northern Ireland has been blighted by division.. and yet we don't take the brave steps to try and deal with that division...we need to end educational apartheid which is taking place here in Northern Ireland." But his party is opposed to the Bill and may join the DUP in using this undemocratic Assembly mechanism to block the Bill. Doug and his party need to rule out using a Petition of Concern to block the Bill.

Only 7.5% of schools here are integrated schools - bringing together children from all backgrounds - Catholic, Protestant and other. All integrated schools here have been fought for and demanded by parents. But this bill could really change things. It would ensure that every new school opened in Northern Ireland from now on is integrated. And it would strengthen the Department for Education's legal duty, requiring the Minister to be held to account for their performance in promoting integrated education. But some parties want to water the bill down. If we flood the consultation with responses, we can make sure that doesn't happen. Photo: Belfast Live