FactCheckNI: Northern Ireland's First Dedicated Non-Profit Fact-Checking Service
Use the search tool below to explore topics that matter to you in Northern Ireland. FactCheckNI is an independent team of fact-checkers committed to examining key public statements related to Northern Ireland. We analyse the best available evidence and publish fact-check articles to enhance the quality of public debate, knowledge and understanding.
Latest fact checks
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Economy
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Education
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Peace
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Topics
Education and jobs in NI: Does Derry/Londonderry have the lowest employment rate in NI?
4 May 2026
CLAIM: Derry/Londonderry has the lowest employment rate and second-lowest proportion of school leavers heading into Higher Education in Northern Ireland.
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ACCURATE/INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION.
In a 21 April article for the Belfast Telegraph, journalist and policy expert Paul Gosling claimed that: “Derry has Northern Ireland’s lowest employment rate alongside
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Health
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Topics
Health in NI: Do ambulances respond to less than 20% of suspected heart attacks within the target time?
30 April 2026
CLAIM: Fewer than one in five suspected heart attack and stroke patients in Northern Ireland get an ambulance in target time, compared to almost half across the border. Just 18.5% of Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) Category 2 calls were responded to within the service’s 18-minute target, whereas 45% of equivalent RED calls in the Republic were responded to within 19 minutes during 2025.
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IT'S COMPLICATED
In a Written Question to the Health Minister answered on 28 March, SDLP MLA Justin McNulty asked the minister: “For his assessment of the figures
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Economy
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Environment
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Farming in NI: Are beef cattle numbers at their lowest level for 55 years?
22 April 2026
CLAIM: The total number of beef cattle has fallen by 21% in the past decade. The drop since 2018 has been especially sharp. Current beef cattle numbers are lower than any year since 1970.
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ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
During a 23 March debate on agricultural support payments in relation to Areas with Natural Constraints (ANCs), Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer claimed: “The evidenceChoose from over 300 fact checks on the topics that matter most to you
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Fact Check Search Engine
We have published over 300 fact check articles on topics relating to life in Northern Ireland since 2016. This is a free resource that anyone can use 24 hours a day.
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We design and deliver bespoke training sessions in fact checking and critical thinking skills to groups, organisations and communities across NI
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Fact Check Toolkit
We've created a simple guide that's perfect for anyone wanting to learn how to tell the difference between fact, fiction, and “fake news.” We encourage everyone to think critically, and in this article, we share tips on how you can check the information you come across, especially online.
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FactCheckNI is Northern Ireland’s first and only dedicated fact checking service, operating with the following commitments