“No politician in their right senses would have produced a government with 12 departments, as was done here”, said the then First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson, announcing last.. read more

Northern Ireland’s new deal The most significant aspect of the latest Northern Ireland deal is that it marks a move away from what has been termed the ‘mandatory coalition’, in.. read more

Northern Ireland is in crisis with a resignation that is not a resignation by First Minister Peter Robinson. He has ‘stepped down’ temporarily, with finance minister Arlene Foster deputising while.. read more

Northern Ireland’s 26 district councils have agreed their domestic and non-domestic rates for 2010/11, with variations in the increases imposed ranging from zero to more than 8%.  Dungannon & South.. read more

  Crisis creates opportunities. But whether those opportunities are used for good or bad ends depends on who holds the power – and also on the perspective of what actually.. read more

If there is such a thing as a ‘normal’ finance minister, then Sammy Wilson is definitely not it. Informal, politically incorrect and with an approachability that is decidedly unusual, Northern.. read more

  Public spending cuts of 8.5%, involving “initial reductions” of 17,300 jobs, have been proposed to the Irish Government to help get its public finances under control. The measures are.. read more

The irony of a New Labour government nationalising the commanding heights (commanding depths, actually) of the economy is almost beyond satire. Yet every household in the UK now has £3,000.. read more

One of Northern Ireland’s most controversial politicians is to become its finance minister.  Environment minister Sammy Wilson outraged environmental campaigners by denying any link between climate change and human activities. .. read more

  Health bodies in Northern Ireland face spending pressures that risk pushing them into deficit, warns the Northern Ireland Comptroller and Auditor General, John Dowdall, in his annual report on.. read more

New Labour has made great play of its shiny new schools, hospitals and transport projects. But, reports Paul Gosling, this great building programme is about to come to a grinding.. read more

Northern Ireland’s Child Support Agency has a gross debt of £82.6m, the annual report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office reveals.  Of this, £35.7m is collectable, believes the NIAO.   .. read more