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Politics in NI: Was redevelopment of the A5 stopped by the Climate Change Act?
1 June 2026
CLAIM: Despite Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald suggesting unionism had a hand in stopping redevelopment of the A5 Western Transport Corridor, the project was halted by the Climate Change Act – and all unionist parties support amending the Act.
Rating
ACCURATE
On 26 April in a post on social media, newspaper columnist Newton Emerson said: This claim that redevelopment of the A5 was stopped by the
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Peace
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WhatsApp Information in NI: Will the Orange Order help you purchase a home?
21 May 2026
CLAIM: People looking to buy homes in the near future could get support to do so from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Rating
INACCURATE
In recent weeks, messages have been circulating on social media making claims that the Orange Order, and one lodge in the Castlecaulfield area in particular,
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Green energy in NI #1: The Renewables boom, and what came after
18 May 2026
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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.
Rating
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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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.
Rating
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 evidence
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Health
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Mental health in NI: Does mental ill health cost us £3.4bn per year?
1 April 2026
CLAIM: Poor mental health costs Northern Ireland £3.4bn every year. Mental health receives around 7% of the health budget – a lower proportion than elsewhere in the UK and Ireland. Around 80% of the actions in the current mental health strategy are paused because of a lack of funding.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a 16 February debate in the Assembly around mental health data, Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn claimed: “Mental ill health costs our society £3.4
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Europe
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Economy in NI: Has regional inequality doubled since 1998?
26 February 2026
CLAIM: In 1998, Belfast’s Gross Value Added (GVA) was 42% while according to the most recent statistics its GVA is now 80% – meaning regional inequality has doubled in that time.
Rating
INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a 26 January Assembly debate about economic trends on the island of Ireland, SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin claimed: “Regional inequality has doubled here since
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NI trade:will new EU customs fees apply to NI?
18 February 2026
CLAIM: EU customs regulations allowing imports of goods valued under €150 for no fee are to be abolished, with a €3 flat fee to apply from 1 July this year. Northern Ireland is within the EU customs zone and this fee will apply to packages arriving here from outside the EU. Furthermore, an extra handling fee of €2 is also set to be added – and will also apply locally.
Rating
MIXED
In a Member’s Statement delivered to the NI Assembly on 19 January, UUP MLA Steve Aiken said: “Members may not be aware of European Commission
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Economy
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Topics
Social care in NI: Do the majority of independent employers pay the real living wage?
10 February 2026
CLAIM: Within the independent social care sector in Northern Ireland, 70% of employers pay their workers the real Living Wage.
Rating
INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a meeting of the NI Assembly Health Committee on 20 November 2025, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, in response to a question about the real
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Economy
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Housing in NI: Have rents in Belfast gone up 50% in half a decade?
2 February 2026
CLAIM: Private rents in Belfast have risen by half in the past five years.
Rating
ACCURATE
In a 12 December article published in the Financial Times, Queen’s University Belfast Economics Professor Richard Ramsey claimed that rents in Belfast had: “Gone up
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Economy in NI: Has NI trade with both Great Britain and Ireland increased substantially in recent years?
26 January 2026
CLAIM: In 2023, exports from NI to GB rose 12.4% year-on-year, while imports rose 16.2%. In 2001, cross-border trade with Ireland was worth £1.9bn. By 2015, it held a “similar” value but by 2022 it was worth over £7bn
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a debate in the Assembly on 8 December, Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy claimed: “The Windsor framework has protected our unique dual market access.
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Economy
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Employment in NI: Do over 18,000 people regularly cross the border for work?
17 December 2025
CLAIM: Over 18,000 workers in total cross the border, in either direction, on a regular basis. This number has increased by over 4,000 in the past decade.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On 24 November, the Assembly debated a motion noting the latest Joint Census publication covering all of Ireland. The motion was tabled by Sinn Féin