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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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Health

Homelessness in Northern Ireland: do one in 33 local people not have a home of their own?

18 December 2024

CLAIM: 58,238 people in Northern Ireland are homeless, while a further 25,000 people are estimated to be homeless but not included in official data. This means over one in 33 people here are homeless. Over the past five years, spending on temporary accommodation has risen to £34.5m per year – an increase of 495% – and this spending includes money to house over 5,106 children.

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ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

During a debate on homelessness in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the 2nd of December 2024, Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson: “When you take the

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Law

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Peace

Stormont: Has half the legislation planned for Northern Ireland this year failed to appear?

12 December 2024

CLAIM: The Executive will not deliver on the legislative programme for 2024 that was presented to the Assembly. Barely half of the 18 Bills scheduled will appear

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ACCURATE

In a statement in the Assembly made on 2 December, Leader of the Opposition and SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole claimed: “[T]he Executive will not deliver

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Education

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Health

Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland: has there been a 50% increase in children with statements in half a decade?

28 November 2024

CLAIM: There has been a 50% rise in the number of children with a statement of SEN and a 25% increase in the number of pupils in special schools over the past five years.

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ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION.

In an Assembly debate about Special Educational Needs (SEN) that took place on 19 November, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan said:  “There has been a
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