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Explainer
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Peace
The NI Protocol: what power do local MLAs have?
16 May 2022

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
Economy
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Health
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Law
Is there 90% compliance with wearing face coverings in retail settings in Northern Ireland?
5 October 2020
CLAIM: At a Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting, the PSNI's Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said that there was 90% compliance with people wearing face coverings in retail settings.
Rating
UNSUBSTANTIATED
Constable Alan Todd has clarified that this figure was an estimate. This claim is unsubstantiated. On 10 August 2020, the use of face coverings in