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How is the NI Protocol affecting the local cost of living?
21 June 2022
Several claims have been made about devastating effects of the Protocol on the cost of living in NI. Claims such as the Protocol “is adding

Europe

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Explainer

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Law

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Peace

The NI Protocol: what power do local MLAs have?
16 May 2022
The NI Protocol means that Northern Ireland remains in the EU’s single market for goods – unlike England, Scotland and Wales. It was agreed by

Europe

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Law

Is the UK ranked 14th in Europe for the number of asylum seekers it processes and accepts?
30 March 2022

Is the UK ranked 14th in Europe for the number of asylum seekers it processes and accepts?

Rating

INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

Figures for 2020 show that the UK was 20th among Euro nations for asylum applications received per head of population, and 19th for applications granted.

Explainer

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Law

Changes in the Highway Code in Northern Ireland
1 February 2022

Social media and national newspapers have been highlighting upcoming changes to The Highway Code, inferring that the changes apply right across the United Kingdom.

Facebook Groups like the Ulster Roadwatch Community, newspapers like The Impartial Reporter, and the BBC News website have been sharing information inferring that the changes

Health

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Law

Is Northern Ireland the only part of Europe without climate change legislation?
24 November 2021

CLAIM: Northern Ireland is the only part of Europe that does not have climate change legislation.

Rating

ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

The Northern Ireland Assembly has not yet passed its own legislation, unlike the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. However, there is UK climate-related legislation

Europe

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Law

Is the Court of Justice of the EU the supreme court for all Protocol issues?
22 October 2021

CLAIM: The Court of Justice of the European Union is the supreme court for all Northern Ireland Protocol issues.

Rating

INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

The Court of Justice of the European Union is the ultimate arbiter on certain Articles of the Protocol, and has an indirect role in interpreting

Economy

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Europe

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Law

Does the Northern Ireland protocol require certain aspects of EU law to apply in Northern Ireland and can this only happen if they are incorporated into Northern Ireland law?
23 September 2021

CLAIM: The Northern Ireland Protocol requires certain aspects of EU law to apply in Northern Ireland but this can only happen if they are incorporated into Northern Ireland law.

Rating

INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

Certain aspects of EU law do still apply in Northern Ireland as a result of the Protocol, but these do not have to be incorporated

Law

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Peace

A British Army veteran who served in NI during the Troubles is 54x more likely to be prosecuted?
21 July 2021

CLAIM: A British Army veteran who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles is 54 times more likely than a Republican or Loyalist paramilitary to be prosecuted for alleged offences pre-dating the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

Rating

INACCURATE

This claim is not accurate. Prosecutions to date suggest that ex-British Army personnel have been the subject of cases five times more than Republican and

Law

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Peace

Do the DOJ and NIO joint fund an £8 million a year programme to engage directly with paramilitary organisations?
9 June 2021

CLAIM: The DOJ and NIO joint fund an £8 million a year Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime that funds engagement directly with paramilitary organisations, such as the UVF, UFF, RHC, and UDA.

Rating

INACCURATE

The cross-department Executive Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime receives funds from the Northern Ireland Executive, and is not jointly funded by the

Law

Was Belfast the sixth highest in murder rate for a European city in 2010?
4 February 2021

CLAIM: The murder rate in Belfast was sixth highest in a list of cities in Europe (according to 2010 data).

Rating

INACCURATE

Available data shows other cities with higher homicide rates. Data for some other cities was not and is not published. By any reasonable definition, homicide

Health

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Law

Is the PSNI rolling out a Snapchat scheme to monitor social mitigation compliance?
5 November 2020

CLAIM: The PSNI are to pilot a Snapchat social media platform initiative to monitor social mitigation compliance in Northern Ireland.

Rating

INACCURATE

The PSNI have no plans to introduce any monitoring scheme on any social media platform. Complaints about social mitigation compliance can be registered on the

Economy

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Health

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Law

Are Northern Ireland retailers covering up non-essential items from sale?
3 November 2020

CLAIM: Social media posts are circulating showing supermarket shelves that have been covered over or taped off to prevent customers purchasing certain items. Reference is made to this happening in Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Rating

INACCURATE

At the time of writing, Wales is the only part of the UK that has restricted the sale of non-essential items in supermarkets. There is