What now for direct support to farmers in Northern Ireland post Brexit?
A key issue within Northern Ireland since the UK’s decision to leave the EU in June 2016 is exactly how this decision will affect local farming?
How could the Brexit vote affect farming and food in Northern Ireland?
The agri-food sector is a significant one for the economy and employment in Northern Ireland. For a number of reasons, the implications of the vote to leave the EU are difficult to gauge at this
A new mandate, a new Environment
Local government underwent significant structural change in 2015 with the number of councils reducing from 26 to 11, and the transfer of many functions from central to local government. This has brought changes to the
What goods does Northern Ireland export, how much are they worth and where do they go?
This blog posts uses the most recent annual data from the HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Regional Trade Statistics [Download: Excel file] to provide an overview of NI’s current position with regard to trade in
From an economic to an industrial strategy
Following on from a recent blog post on ‘a revised strategy for Northern Ireland’s Economy’, this post looks at the Department for the Economy’s draft Industrial Strategy and highlights some of the key similarities and
World Trade Organisation and the implications for Northern Ireland trade
During a House of Commons debate on Article 50 in February 2017, Brexit Minister, David Jones, confirmed that if the UK failed to secure a deal with the EU during negotiations, it would fall back
The Northern Ireland Assembly and the School Curriculum
The Assembly Education Service engaged with more than 80,000 young people during the last mandate. The aim of this work is to inform young people about the work of the Assembly and encourage them to
Economic impact of cuts to the Higher Education sector
Education and training are key factors in economic progress, acting as a means of raising productivity. Whilst other factors can result in short-run economic improvements, education and training are critical to embedding long-term growth. As
An equal start? Overcoming early disadvantage
How can we ensure that children’s early years lay firm foundations for the future? During the first five years of life children develop at a rapid rate, and their experiences during this period profoundly influence
General election 2017: A detailed look at the result in Northern Ireland
The Westminster general election of 8 June 2017 resulted in a ‘hung parliament’, with the Conservatives as the largest party but without an overall majority. The result was: Conservative (318), Labour (262), SNP (35), Liberal
Transferred votes in the March 2017 Assembly Election
Transferred votes are an extremely important part of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. In the 2017 Assembly Election, only 18 MLAs had a sufficient number of first preference votes to meet the quota and
The representation of women in public life: where does Northern Ireland stand (now)?
In the context of International Women’s Day and following the election to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 2 March, we have updated a previous article on the representation of women in public life.
Carers in Northern Ireland – Some key statistics
The perceived underfunding of social care was a significant political issue in the recent general election. It is easy to forget, however, that the ‘formal’ care sector of nursing and residential homes, plus allied services,
Carers in Northern Ireland: Where are we with legislation and policy to support them?
In advance of Carers Week, this is the first of two articles examing the contribution made by carers to supporting the formal care system. We look at the issues they face in undertaking the caring role for
‘Free’ sugar…but can we afford it?
Evidence shows that many of us are consuming too much of a certain type of sugar known as ‘free sugar’. This article asks what the implications of this might be for our health, how much
How can the Department for Infrastructure fund delivery of its infrastructure pipeline?
Northern Ireland’s infrastructure development was neglected for decades. There are now plans in place to rectify this but how this will be funded remains uncertain.
Fatal and serious road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland
It is difficult to grasp the full extent of what is portrayed by road traffic collision statistics. Each statistic represents a human being and, in the case of those killed or seriously injured, is an
Managing Flood risk in Northern Ireland: Are we prepared?
Prolonged heavy rainfall over the winter of 2015 has shown how devastating flooding can be to homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. With predictions that localised flooding will become an ever more common occurrence, how prepared
How much change can we expect to current environmental requirements post Brexit?
As the Prime Minister prepares to trigger Article 50, this blog post looks at the potential consequences for environmental standards here in Northern Ireland.
World Trade Organisation and the implications for Northern Ireland trade
During a House of Commons debate on Article 50 in February 2017, Brexit Minister, David Jones, confirmed that if the UK failed to secure a deal with the EU during negotiations, it would fall back
What now for direct support to farmers in Northern Ireland post Brexit?
A key issue within Northern Ireland since the UK’s decision to leave the EU in June 2016 is exactly how this decision will affect local farming?