Why Therapy Notes should not be admissable as evidence against victims/survivors As it stands, counselling notes can be used in court against a survivor of abuse if deemed relevant by a judge.  An abuser accessing the therapy notes of the person they harmed is a violation of a victim/survivor’s rights to healthcare. Counselling and therapy are an essential part of the healing process for many survivors.  Therapy notes are not evidence and should have no place in a criminal trial-they are only included as a way to dig up potential means to discredit victims of gender and sexual violence, a practice common in the legal system that is imbued with misogynistic perpetuation of rape myths.  Why ‘Good Character’ References should be banned in trials relating to Gender & Sexual violence A key recommendation contained within the Gillen Review was the need for measures to be introduced at the outset of any trial to combat rape myths. The ongoing use of good character references flies in the face of this - as it is rooted in the false idea that someone who has ‘good character’ is incapable of perpetrating abuse.  Character references have NO place is cases of GBV. They are retraumatising for survivors, and hold no weight in determining if abuse has taken place. Abusers are often masters of DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender) tactics. The Minister for Justice, Naomi Long, has said she will examine the issue as part of her department’s review of sentencing policy, but with the hope to change the legislation in the next Executive term. But we need action now.

The cost of these cuts will be immense for rural communities, struggling students and older people. More of us will struggle to go to work and school, be unable to support loved ones, miss medical appointments and more. The financial pressures facing Translink is entirely their own doing. Back in 2024, Translink opened the £340 million Grand Central Station, overspending budgets in the tens of millions while splashing £11 million on excessive ‘management fees. Translink’s boss who announced the cuts earns £191,000 per year! We should not be footing the bill! Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has the final say how publicly-owned Translink operates. We call on her to intervene and stop Translink from making these cuts today.

Thales is complicit in supplying Israel’s drones for use in its genocidal campaign against the people of Palestine. It is heavily interlinked with Elbit Systems to do so. Thales also provides other indirect supports to the Israeli military & intelligence services. Politicians across Ireland should be rejecting all such applications, investments & state support for firms complicit in genocide & warmongering, alongside divestment & ending government support. To add insult to injury, this development comes downstream of Thales receiving a £1.6B investment deal from the British Treasury for missile production in the North of Ireland. The plans form part of a £100m spend from Thales to expand their facilities regionally. When workers & the public services they rely on are on their knees we are seeing warfare instead of welfare. We need homes, healthcare, not bombs! We must spread word as to Thales complicity and to prevent the applications succeeding due to flying under the radar. A mass campaign involving many people makes it less likely they can succeed.

Here are some of the main reasons why this application should be rejected: Health Incinerators are a known source of harmful and persistent pollutants, many of which are bio accumulators that have well documented links to a range of respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive and immune system related illnesses. Agriculture & Fisheries The development is proposed in a location surrounded by lands used for grazing livestock and cultivating crops. As above, given the potential emissions there are serious concerns about the potential impact on animal health and the food chain, especially considering the proposal to handle medical and veterinary waste. The proposed site is located in the Blackwater valley close to the Blackwater River - a popular angling resource that outfalls to Lough Neagh. Natural & Built Heritage The site is in an area with a rich biodiversity and historical heritage: close to Milltown & Benburb local wildlife sites; Benburb village; Milltown Valley Heritage Centre; Ulster Canal; Benburb Priory & Castle; and the Battle of Benburb battle site. Economics The development has the potential to adversely impact: property valuations; future residential planning; and the well-established agricultural economy and tourism potential in the area. Traffic The site can only be accessed via single lane roads that are already in poor condition and busier than ever before. Development would increase the pressure on the traffic infrastructure and related road safety. Nuisance The proposed 24/7 operation presents potential risk to the health and well-being of local residents due to noise, vibration, stress, as well as odour and vermin commonly associated with such installations.    Further information can be viewed at: Website: www.raincampaign.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/rainbenburb Instagram: www.instagram.com/rain_campaign

The wildfires at the Mourne Mountains have caused widespread damage. The Mourne Mountain Rangers used to petrol the mountains, educate visitors and prevented fires from being started and breaking out.    However, because of a lack of funding, there have been no rangers on the mountains since December 2025. The initial funding came from the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera), Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Sport NI.  As the wildfires continue to destroy our beloved mountains, the rangers are a crucial part of the solution in preventing these fires in the future. We call on Minister Andrew Muir to intervene immediately and provide bespoke, long-term funding to get the Mourne Mountains Rangers back up and running. 

Northern Ireland is the most dangerous place in the UK to be a woman. But now, Stormont has the opportunity to make a significant legislative change to address the violence against women and girls.  The Committee for Justice can add to the Sentencing BiIl a provision for tougher sentences for those who commit crimes motivated by misogyny (malice towards women and girls). We call on the Committee for Justice to include tougher penalties for crimes motivated by misogyny in the Sentencing Bill today. 

We are inviting people and organisations to sign the open letter below calling for Liz Kimmins, the Minister for Infrastructure, to introduce free travel for Disabled people without further delay. The current half fare concession is both ineffective and unfair. Making this change will address a long standing inequality for Disabled people in Northern Ireland and help to make travel more accessible and affordable for many. “Dear Minister Kimmins We support the introduction of free transport concessions for Disabled people in Northern Ireland We, the undersigned, represent disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, allies and advocacy groups. We are joining activists from SPEC and HalfFareUnfair in calling on the Minister for Infrastructure to make the current half fare concession a free concession for all eligible disabled individuals across Northern Ireland. Access to travel is essential Accessible transport and travel are essential for disabled people to live our lives with dignity, independence and on an equal basis to others. Despite recent improvements, disabled people still face multiple barriers to travel and make 44% fewer journeys than non-disabled people. The government must do more to remove the barriers that exclude us, including reducing the cost of travel. Northern Ireland is an outlier around travel concessions Northern Ireland is the only the part of the UK and Ireland that does not offer disabled people free travel concessions. The disparity in travel concessions available to disabled people in Northern Ireland and every other part of these islands is unacceptable and change is long overdue. The current scheme fails to address cost as a barrier Most disabled people here can only avail of a half fare concession on single tickets, a concession that offers minimal savings or some cases costs more than other ticketing options. Disabled people and their families are more likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people and we have been particularly impacted by the cost of living crisis. The current half fare concession clearly fails in the stated aim of Scheme, addressing the social exclusion experienced by disabled people. Our ask The current half fare concession for disabled people is both unfair and ineffective. Making it a free concession would be a major step forward, addressing a long-standing inequality between disabled people living here compared to other parts of these islands. A relatively small investment by the government will have a significant impact on the lives of disabled people and will reduce costs for other parts of Government. We urge you as Minister for Infrastructure, and the entire Executive, to act now to fix a scheme that doesn’t work for disabled people, unlocking greater freedom for us to travel, to participate and to live on an equal basis with others. Sincerely,”

A UK consultation document states that the practice of docking lamb's tails without pain relief causes them "significant, acute, and chronic pain." This must be prevented. The document also makes clear that the pain suffered by the lambs is not fleeting but 'immediate and ongoing' Minister Muir has the power to change this. We call on him to accept the consultation's findings and act to ensure this painful practice stops in Northern Ireland as a matter of urgency.

Sand dredging is killing Lough Neagh. First-of-its-kind research linked commercial sand dredging of Lough Neagh to the toxic blue-green algae blooms, habitat destruction and more. This kind of mining causes irreversible damage to the Loughs' precious ecosystem. Meanwhile, dredging and construction companies are profiting from Lough Neagh’s destruction.  And the Earl of Shaftesbury - owner of the Lough’s bed and banks - earns a royalty fee for every tonne of sand the companies extract. When the SDLP minister ignored environmentalists and legalised dredging in 2020, they argued that legalising would be benecifial, however recent news has shown gross violations far beyond limits. The more these companies mine Lough Neagh for sand, the more this damage multiplies, and with the Shaftesbury Estate having a contract with the mining industry up until 2046, this could go on for decades more.  Stormont has acted on mining before. Earlier this year, it passed legislation banning filthy fracking - only because of relentless pressure from people and grassroots group. We call on Infrastructure Minister to ban sand dredging today. Demands for an independent enquiry into the effects of sand dredging have been ignored. Studies have identified deep scars, including 17 metre cavities and long-term disruption to sediment systems, which can release stored nutrients, potentially exacerbating algal blooms. We reiterate our campaign demands for a moratorium on extraction of our finite glacial sand in Lough Neagh. 🚨 Join the March for Lough Neagh, Sunday May 17th, 12:30pm, The Battery Bar to Ardboe High Cross!! 🚨 And join the Film Festival & Conference in Lurgan the weekend beforehand saveloughneagh.com

Danny Baker MLA has introduced a Private Member's Bill that will tackle child hunger and poverty during the holidays in the North. The bill proposes that the 90,000 children in Northern Ireland who are in receipt of free schools meals receive financial support during the holidays, including summer, Christmas, Halloween and half term breaks. As the cost-of-living crisis continues, extending these payments for the holidays will be vital for families struggling to make ends meet. We call on every MLA to support and vote for the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill. 

I don't think we should be showing support for Donald Trump. I would like the golfing community to try and get the DP World Tour to move the event to somewhere else.

Peatlands must come first. Northern Ireland should introduce an immediate moratorium on industrial-scale development on peatlands until a comprehensive assessment and mapping programme has been completed and robust protections are in place. Peatlands are vital natural allies in the fight against climate change. They are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth, storing carbon that has accumulated over thousands of years. Although they cover only 3% of the world’s land surface, they store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined. When peatlands are drained, excavated, or disturbed, they can release this stored carbon and become a source of emissions rather than a natural climate solution. All peatlands should be protected, whether they are pristine, damaged, degraded, or in recovery. Degradation should not be used as a justification for further destruction. Instead, damaged peatlands should be restored wherever possible, recognising their importance for biodiversity, water quality, flood management, archaeology, and climate resilience. Developers should not be permitted to rely on mitigation, compensation, restoration proposals, peat reuse, or biodiversity offsetting to justify development on peatlands. Once peatland is disturbed, its ecological, hydrological, and carbon storage functions can be permanently altered, and replacement cannot replicate what has been lost. Peatlands are not vacant land waiting for development, they are living ecosystems that have taken thousands of years to form and are part of Northern Ireland’s natural heritage. The presumption should always be protection and restoration, not industrialisation. Northern Ireland’s peatlands are ancient, irreplaceable, and essential. They must be assessed, protected, and restored for future generations, not sacrificed for short-term development.