Conversations with key players in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement negotiations open a new series of podcasts from the peace and reconciliation charity, the Holywell Trust. Suitably, the new series is called the Holywell Trust Conversations, reflecting a more in-depth discussion of topics that are continuing to affect Northern Ireland, and especially the North West – […]
Young adults and teenagers are frustrated at the divisions in our society, making Northern Ireland a less attractive place in which to live. Over 40% of those surveyed by think-tank Pivotal are planning to move away. Yet, while this stark finding grabbed the headlines last week, the number one change called for by young people
Why improved careers advice could make NI a better place Read More »
Every day, it seems, new and harsh cuts to our public services are announced by those civil servants forced to run Northern Ireland’s departments because there is no functioning government. Cuts, so far, have included schemes that support toddlers from deprived families, schooling for children with special needs and student places on nursing and allied
Radical reform to NI revenue-raising is needed but I doubt we’ll get it Read More »
The Windsor Framework should be wonderful news for Northern Ireland’s economy. But even if the DUP and wider unionism do endorse it, this is only the beginning of a necessary new journey if it is to lead to greater prosperity and more jobs. As we approach the 25 year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement,
Windsor Framework has potential to lead NI to greater prosperity Read More »
Sir Michael Lyons’ review of Invest NI is both brutal and excellent. This is an organisation, his report suggests, that has weak strategic leadership, poor internal and external relationships and fails to achieve the necessary influence on partner organisations. “Profound changes are needed in the organisation that requires reform and repurposing….. there is considerable room
It is often referred to as the ‘productivity puzzle’, yet there are some obvious reasons why NI underperforms against competitors when it comes to economic performance and output per person. The whole of the UK, in fact, has underperformed in terms of productivity in the period of recovery since the Great Recession of 2008/9. Brexit
Austerity in 2010 was a cause of subsequent weak economic output, according to some leading economists. “The UK’s underperformance arguably owes rather more to austerity and George Osborne than to Brexit and David Cameron,” wrote London School of Economics professor Jonathan Portes a few days ago. Portes, a former government economist, pointed out that the
Dame Pauline Green was the guest of honour at an event celebrating the 40th birthday of CASE – Leicester’s Co-operative And Social Enterprise development agency. At its formation in 1982, the agency was called Leicester Co-operative Development Agency. The celebration took place in the premises of one of Leicester’s oldest trading co-ops, Soft Touch Arts
Whether you are a unionist, republican, or neither, there is near universal recognition that Queen Elizabeth helped bind the United Kingdom. The challenge for King Charles will be to achieve a similar role. If he doesn’t – and it will be tough for a man often regarded as remote – the prospects for Irish reunification
Credit union membership and lending has increased significantly in response to the cost of living of crisis. This growth in lending is despite a rationalisation process that has seen the closure of weaker unions, leading to a fall in their total number. According to Bank of England statistics published in August, the number of adult
Credit unions provide support in cost of living crisis Read More »
Second edition of the book ‘A New Ireland – A New Union, A New Society’ is downloadable here free of charge. Hard copies of the book can be bought from Little Acorns Bookstore in Derry, Hannas bookshop in Dublin or via Amazon. Click on this link to download as a PDF: A New Ireland – A New
The media are at a crossroads, with fears over the future of some of Northern Ireland’s best known newspapers. Existing trends favouring social media over print newspapers have been accelerated by the Covid-19 crisis, with additional financial pressures from a collapse in advertising revenues. This is an appropriate moment to reflect on the future