The Legacy Bill passed in Westminster includes a form of immunity for some perpetrators of crimes committed during the Northern Ireland Troubles and prevents future civil cases and inquests into legacy offences. Families bereaved in Northern Ireland through the conflict have suffered from their loss and the pain of getting justice for decades. For many, this will close the door on that forever. All victims groups, all political parties and international human rights bodies vigorously oppose this law. The only way to stop it now is for the Irish government to take an Inter-state complaint against the UK on the Legacy Bill.

Lough Neagh is the largest lake on these islands.  Steeped in history and unique biodiversity, a pollution expert has said that without intervention Lough Neagh will become “a stinking septic tank that’s 400 square kilometres with no lid on it” from which we can no longer draw drinking water.  The owner of the lake-bed makes huge profits by selling licences to sand extraction companies. It's not enough to offer to sell the Lough, it must be given freely over to the peole so that the desecration can stop.

Thirteen people were killed on 30 January 1972 when soldiers from the Parachute Regiment opened fire on a civil rights march. These flags have been roundly condemned by all sides of the community, and are a deliberate attempt to hurt survivors and intimidate communities. They must be taken down now.

The Department of Health NI are refusing to commission abortion services, despite regulations now in place which make abortion provision a legal requirement. This means that only limited abortion access has been provided and too many women and pregnant people have been refused treatment and told to travel. The Minister for Health has also stated this limited access is an ‘interim’ measure only, which means that there has been NO attempt by the Department to commission fitting, adequate and permanent abortion provision we need. We have the law. Now we need the access.

More than 25,000 people, including over 10,000 children, have been killed in Gaza since October. Joe Biden cannot be allowed to celebrate the peace on the island of Ireland while continuing to fund Benjamin Netanyahu's slaughter in Palestine. By not attending the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Michelle O'Neill will show the cost of this support, and send a strong message in favour of a ceasefire.

Over ten years has passed since the UK Climate Change Act was passed and there is still no Northern Ireland specific Climate Change legislation. Northern Ireland is lagging behind, urgent and ambitious action is now required. As proposed in the cross-party Private Members Bill, we demand that a Northern Ireland Climate Act must include: - an overarching target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland by 2045 - interim emissions reduction targets - a duty on government to bring forward a Climate Action Plan with sectoral targets and relevant policies/programmes and clear carbon budgets for each sector (to be laid before the NI Assembly within three years) - a duty on government to establish an independent monitoring and oversight body

Violence cannot be seen as a series of isolated incidents - but part of a bigger societal problem. It's enabled by our policing and legal system; how our children are educated about consent; the way women are silenced in politics, public life and workplaces; how women are portrayed in the media; the silence of too many men; and how all this is made worse for many women living with with racism and hate.

No matter who we are or what we look like, we all deserve to live our lives without fear. But the handful of extremists who were behind the violence and hate in Belfast City Centre on Saturday have destroyed people’s livelihoods and left our Muslim neighbours terrified. They do not represent us, or the huge majority of people in Belfast, across Northern Ireland and beyond. We offer our support and respect and stand firmly with the Muslim community across Belfast and beyond, and all others impacted by racist hate on our streets.

Since July 2020, families of 96,000 children eligible for free school meals have received £27 per child each fortnight during school holidays. These families are those who are forced to struggle the most as the cost of living surges. It is vital that this payment continues.

With the impending uncertainty of Brexit and following a commitment from the Irish Government to stand up for the rights of citizens in the North, opening a passport office would improve infrastructure, service delivery, investment and confidence. 2017 saw over 82,000 passport applications come from the North alone. The call to open an office is supported by a broad range of community organisations, political parties and media outlets, and would go some way in meeting the growing demand for passport applications and renewals from the Six Counties.

Substance misuse accounted for 3000 deaths in 2021 in Northern Ireland - a 60% increase from the previous 10 years. It is young adults who are at the highest risk of substance misuse related death. A Treatment Centre has been opened in Scotland who have taken a person-centred approach - which has been praised as international best practice. We need to do the same here.

John O'Dowd blaming the British government and "competing work interests" for not being able to pedestrianise a popular street for night-life is as embarrassing as it is ridiculous. On the same day as he announced the decision to put the pedestrianisation of Hill Street on hold, his department started work on repaving the Sydenham by-pass at the cost of £3.8 million.  Why is Minister O'Dowd prioritising roads over people? It's time for him to pedestrianise Hill Street now!