Politics

Irish passport office in the North would help reduce backlogs

SINN Féin has renewed its call for an Irish passport office to be set up in the North to deal with a significant rise in passport applications. The call comes after the latest figures showed that over 120,000 applications for Irish passports came from people living in Northern Ireland last year. Speaking in the Assembly on Monday, Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew said it was time for a passport office to be established in the North which would reduce backlogs in the application process. “The Department of Foreign Affairs has published figures showing that more than 120,000 passport applications were received from the North last year. That large volume of applications is not a new phenomenon, nor should it surprise anyone in the House,” said the Fermanagh-South Tyrone MLA.

Inaugural speech of President Catherine Connolly

A THAOISIGH, A Phríomhbhreithimh, Airí, Baill Chomhairle an Stáit, Baill an Oireachtais, Ambasadóirí, Ceannairí Eaglaise, agus dhaoine uaisle ar fad, chomh maith le an Chéad Aire an Tuaiscirt, Michelle O’Neill, agus ceannairí eile ó gach cairn den Tuaisceart.

Givan survives no confidence vote despite majority of MLAs backing motion

THE North's Education Minister has survived a vote of no confidence at Stormont following his controversial trip to Israel.

AISLING REILLY MLA: Unity conversation has 'shifted from dreaming to planning'

THE latest instalment of Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland took pace at the Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast, where the focus was firmly on what cultural and language rights should look like in a united Ireland.

UNISON members abandon meeting at ICC after objection to slide on Palestine

UNISON has abandoned its annual regional council meeting at the ICC Belfast this morning after what the union says was opposition to a slide on Palestine.

Taskforce must be set up to tackle 'unacceptable' levels of crime in Belfast city centre

SINN Féin are calling for a multi-agency taskforce to be established to address "unacceptable" levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in Belfast city centre.

Young people invited to attend Belfast Youth Assembly to discuss a new Ireland

WEST Belfast MLA Aisling Reilly is inviting young people from across the city to attend the ‘Belfast Youth Assembly’ which is taking place this week.

Hundreds line the length of the Falls in support of Gaza just hours before ceasefire announcement

HUNDREDS of people lined the Falls Road yesterday evening to mark the second anniversary of the Gaza genocide.

THE IRELAND PODCAST: Alastair Campbell - Good Friday Agreement

The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, brought peace to Northern Ireland after decades of conflict by establishing a power-sharing government and ensuring that any constitutional change would happen only by consent. Alastair Campbell, then Tony Blair’s Director of Communications and Strategy, played a key role in the negotiations, helping to shape the messaging, diplomacy, and relationships that made the agreement possible. He shared his reflections and behind-the-scenes stories with The Ireland Podcast when I visited him at his home in London on Thursday, 25 September 2025.

Irish unity debate to take place in Belfast during Oireachtas na Samhna

A DISCUSSION on the future of Ireland and the growing debate around a new Ireland will take place during Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast later this month.

Protest to mark second anniversary of Gaza genocide will stretch the length of the Falls Road

CAMPAIGNING group Mothers Against Genocide are calling on the community to join them in a protest against the continuing slaughter in Gaza that is set to take over the entire length of the Falls Road.

SF proposals would drive down cost of school uniforms for families

WEST Belfast MLA Pat Sheehan has re-submitted proposals to the School Uniforms Bill, which he says will drive down costs for families.

People Before Profit sponsor Palestine solidarity bus to Dublin demonstration

WEST Belfast People Before Profit reps are set to mark two years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza by raising vital funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and mobilising people for an upcoming national demonstration in Dublin.

Sinn Féin to support Catherine Connolly in race to become President

SINN Féin will support Catherine Connolly in the race for the Presidency, party leader Mary Lou McDonald announced this afternoon.

Councillors call on Justice Minister Naomi Long to do more to tackle East Belfast racist mobs

TWO East Belfast councillors have compared the racist attack on the occupants of a car at Connswater Retail Park on Monday night to an attempted lynching – and they've called on Justice Minister Naomi Long to do more to tackle the growing issue of vigilante racism. Three men were surrounded by a crowd of men who attacked the vehicle, shaking it violently and shouting racial abuse at those inside. Those who attacked the car where videoed kicking the vehicle and banging the windows while shouting racist insults at the occupants. At one point one man was seen throwing an object into the open driver’s door. The driver eventually managed drive the car away from the scene. Police have been criticised for not intervening during the terrifying incident. Monday’s attack is just the latest racist incident in East Belfast where in recent weeks gangs of men have been harassing and intimidating people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Brian Smyth is a Green Party Councillor for Lisnasharragh, which encompasses areas of both the East and South of the city. He traces the increasing racist incidents in East Belfast to last year’s racial violence in parts of the North, which he says has "gone unchecked". “There’s been a complete failure of the Stormont Executive, but in particular the Justice Minister," he said. "She has taken five years to implement hate law and hate crime laws. But also there’s been nothing done to challenge the disinformation and the lies from these groups and it’s allowed to go unchecked and I think there’s been a massive failure here from Stormont to deal with this and it has built and it has built and you now have ethnic minorities in inner East Belfast who are terrified and who are frightened for their life.

Belfast gets the crumbs off the table with Euro 2028 draw

Gaelic Games: St Gall's set up All-Belfast final after victory over Creggan

Soccer: Depleted Cliftonville welcome Swifts to Solitude

Soccer: Joe 'the goal' breaks 300 goals as Reds advance to last eight

Community Gardening: Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is here, time to get planting

PLATING UP: A chilli lime and coriander seasoned Basa fillet on a bed of baby beets

EYE ON THE PAST: November 1984 – Direct Rule plan for Belfast

Police treat UVF graffiti at Alliance office as a 'hate crime'

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