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WhatsApp Rumours in NI: Was a woman was approached in Limavady by a group of “foreign nationals” who gave her a business card which resulted in her losing consciousness?
3 June 2026
CLAIM: A woman was approached in Limavady by a group of “foreign nationals” who gave her a business card which resulted in her losing consciousness.
Rating
INACCURATE
A recent viral WhatsApp message has been in circulation claiming that a woman was approached by three men (described as being “foreign nationals”) in a
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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 Articles
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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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Explainer
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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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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.
Rating
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.
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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Gambling in NI: Are 3% of adults addicted to gambling?
15 April 2026
CLAIM: In Northern Ireland, around 3% of all adults meet the threshold for gambling addiction while 14% of people who gamble say they have bet more than they can afford to lose.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
During a 16 March debate on the criminal justice system, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan claimed that: “Around 3% of adults meet the threshold for
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Health
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Health in NI: Do 40% of women wrongly believe cervical smear tests for ovarian cancer?
7 April 2026
CLAIM: 40% of women mistakenly believe cervical screening tests for ovarian cancer.
Rating
ACCURATE
During a 16 March debate on a women’s health strategy, DUP MLA Diane Forsythe claimed that: “Target Ovarian Cancer reports that 40% of women mistakenly
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Economy
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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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Government in NI: Have only ten laws been passed at Stormont since it resumed after the last collapse?
27 March 2026
CLAIM: Since its re-establishment in February 2024, the Northern Ireland Executive and other Assembly institutions have only passed ten laws. This includes a direction by the Executive to delegate decisions on remuneration, leading to a 27% pay rise for MLAs.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a social media post made on 20 February, the Green Party of Northern Ireland (GPNI) stated that, since its resumption following the last collapse,
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Health in NI: Are deaths due to alcohol at the highest levels on record?
19 March 2026
CLAIM: There were 397 alcohol-specific deaths in NI in 2024, the highest number on record and an increase of 80% on ten years ago. The death rate in the most-deprived communities is almost four times higher than in the least-deprived areas. 60% of alcohol-related hospital admissions come from just 3% of the population. In Scotland, minimum unit pricing for alcohol cut the number of deaths wholly attributable to alcohol by 13%.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a Member’s Statement to the Assembly about minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol, UUP MLA Alan Chambers claimed: “On 11 February 2026, the latest