An estimated 20,000 young people in Northern Ireland are not in education, employment or training (NEET), according to the latest quarterly figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency. Data for October to December 2025 shows a decrease of 3,000 from the previous quarter, though officials caution that this […]
A 59-year-old Ballymena gym owner has been fined £1,000 after pleading guilty to possessing unlicensed weight-loss medicines intended for sale. Daniel O’Neill, who runs DISQ Gym at Ross Court, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on 25 February 2026 following an investigation by the Department of Health’s Medicines Regulatory Group (MRG).
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced that construction firm Northstone will deliver the construction phase of a £2 million Environmental Improvement Scheme across the rural towns of Rathfriland, Gilford and Markethill. The project, funded through the Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme, will see work begin in Rathfriland this March
Every school in Northern Ireland now has a life-saving defibrillator on site, the Education Minister has confirmed, completing a fifteen-month rollout that equips all campuses—from nurseries to post-primaries—with emergency cardiac equipment. Announced on 25 February 2026, the completion of this rollout fulfils a commitment made in November 2024, when a
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has launched a five-year plan to safeguard Northern Ireland’s marine environment, setting out how the region will manage its network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) through to 2030. Unveiled on 25 February 2026 at Castle Espie Wetland Centre on the shores of Strangford Lough, the Marine
Finance Minister John O’Dowd has visited a new 24-bed aparthotel in Derry, highlighting how a £3.3 million loan from the Northern Ireland Investment Fund (NIIF) is helping transform a site vacant since the early 1980s into a tourism hub expected to support 30 new jobs. The project, developed by the
The Department for Communities has announced the completion of a £139,580 wayfinding project in Lisburn City Centre, with 18 new pedestrian signs now installed to guide visitors through key streets including Bow Street, Bridge Street and Castle Street. Jointly funded by the Department and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, the
New movement restrictions targeting so-called “trojan” cattle will come into force across Northern Ireland from 1 March 2026, as the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) intensifies efforts to eradicate Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). The measures will prohibit the movement of breeding-age females in herds where the disease
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced £2.5 million in additional emergency funding to repair Northern Ireland’s weather-battered roads, pushing total investment since December 2025 past the £40 million mark. The funding comes as the Department for Infrastructure struggles to address a surge in potholes and surface defects following severe winter
The Department of Education has launched a public Call for Evidence on revising Northern Ireland’s Religious Education (RE) Core Syllabus, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that found the current Christian-focused curriculum unlawful. The online survey, which closes on 20 March 2026, invites parents, teachers, faith groups, and young people
