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.
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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.
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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.
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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%.
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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 latestChoose from over 300 fact checks on the topics that matter most to you
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