The Department of Health’s Core Grant scheme highlights a stark disconnect between government priorities and community needs.

Only 25 of 259 applicants secured £1.8m for 2025/26, a drastic cut from £3.6m pre-2024. This reduction reflects the government’s limited value on wellbeing services provided by the community and voluntary sector.

Green Party NI Councillor Lauren Kendall described the situation as “exploitative,” noting the government relies heavily on voluntary groups yet slashes their funding. “This is an abusive relationship, taking advantage of goodwill in a mental health and homelessness crisis,” she stated.

The lack of support for essential services is particularly concerning given the sector’s role in alleviating state pressures. The Green Party NI demands immediate funding restoration to properly resource community providers.

ENDS

Green Party Councillors Lauren Kendall and Barry McKee have achieved a significant victory for animal welfare at the Ards & North Down Environment Committee. Their motion, of "Kindness over cruelty", challenges Northern Ireland's current ban on rehoming XL Bully type dogs, which has led to the destruction of healthy, non-aggressive animals.

The approved motion recognises the paramount importance of community safety while arguing that the blanket ban on rehoming XL Bullies is unnecessarily cruel. It calls on the DAERA Minister to revise the legislation, allowing registered animal charities and shelters to rehome these dogs following professional behavioural assessments.

Councillor Kendall emphasised the need for evidence-based policy: "Expert organisations like the USPCA and Dogs Trust agree that dog breeds aren't inherently dangerous. Every day, shelters assess dogs for rehoming based on behaviour, not breed. We're simply asking for XL Bullies to be given the same chance, with proper vetting and safety measures in place."

Councillor McKee highlighted the human cost of the current legislation: "The case of Max in Lisburn & Castlereagh shows how flawed this system is. Without public outcry, a misidentified dog would have been needlessly destroyed. We're wasting time and resources fighting these battles when better legislation could prevent them entirely."

The Green Party's motion offers a balanced approach, prioritising both public safety and animal welfare. By advocating for professional assessments and responsible ownership practices, it aims to prevent the needless euthanasia of dogs that could bring joy to suitable owners.

As the Council prepares to write to the DAERA Minister, the Green Party Northern Ireland reaffirms its commitment to evidence-based policy-making that protects both communities and animals. This motion represents a crucial step towards more humane and effective dog control measures in Northern Ireland, ensuring that no dog is destroyed simply because of its breed.

ENDS

Green Party Cllr for Holywood and Clandeboye Lauren Kendall reacted to the news the Alliance Party DAERA minister has announced an effective ban on the XL bully breed.

Cllr Kendall said "The Alliance Party minister seems to be engaging in media slight of hand this afternoon, making an announcement about an effective ban on XL bullies whilst not wanting to say it out loud."

"An XL bully ban does nothing to address the wider problems with unregulated breeding in Northern Ireland, nor the cruel conditions whereby dogs are bred and sold for profit without a care for animal welfare."   

"The Dangerous Dogs Act has done nothing to reduce dog-related incidents and attacks, and I have serious concerns that this ill-thought-out proposal will only serve to put more pressure on stretched council resources and animal welfare charities, who are at breaking point."

"The Green Party is calling for an evidence-based approach to reducing dog attacks and better regulation of dog breeding, including clear measures to ensure the end of puppy farms." 

"Most dog owners in Northern Ireland are dog lovers, a revised Act which includes improved specific regulations on dog control, particularly in public spaces, and greater regulation of dog breeding establishments and sales, will not impact the majority of dog owners but would begin to tackle the problem at source."

"The minister is letting unscrupulous dog breeders off the hook, blaming puppies instead of profiteers, with his nonsensical campaign against the XL bully breed. More bans will not deliver the urgent change needed to animal welfare and breeding in Northern Ireland."

ENDS