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
Northern Ireland trade in goods, 2018
This blog post provides an overview of Northern Ireland’s (NI) current position with regard to trade in goods and updates our previous blog on NI’s trade in goods in 2017. It uses the most recent
Regional devolution for Northern Ireland: What’s the big deal?
On 26 March 2019, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (NI) signed an agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) Government, the NI Civil Service and six of the 11 NI district councils. This gave
Northern Ireland trade in goods, 2017
Please note: we have posted a new version of this blog article using the most recent HMRC annual trade data, see here. This blog post uses the most recent annual data from the HM Revenue
We don’t need no education!
The finances of Northern Ireland’s schools have been in the spotlight for some time. For example, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster is currently holding an Inquiry into Education funding. In June 2018, Northern
How is Northern Ireland performing in science, technology, engineering and maths?
This week sees people across Northern Ireland getting interested and involved in science through the Northern Ireland Science Festival. We thought we would join the celebration of all things scientific by taking a look
Are composite classes bad for children?
In 2016 the former Minister for Education, Peter Weir MLA, spoke of wanting to address composite classes, whereby a single teacher is responsible for two or more years of students at the same time. The
Who runs Northern Ireland? Taking stock of gender and power in Northern Ireland
The late feminist writer Kate Millet observed society in the late 1960s and concluded that almost all positions of power were occupied by men, a state of affairs she referred to as ‘patriarchy’ – the
EU exit regulations and Northern Ireland
A high profile consequence of the continuing failure to establish an Executive and fully functioning Assembly was the legislative passage this week of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill 2018. A
A brief overview of the Northern Ireland Assembly Library
This week is Libraries Week so we thought we would provide an insight into the Northern Ireland Assembly Library, its work and the collection that it manages. The Assembly Library The Library, like the Assembly
Who regulates health and social care services in Northern Ireland?
This article provides a broad introduction to the complex landscape of formal regulation of health care in Northern Ireland (NI). It also includes reference to some related and supporting bodies. It highlights a range of
Suicide statistics and strategy in Northern Ireland
By Lesley-Ann Black & Keara McKay Suicide is a major public health issue which devastates families and communities. The circumstances that may lead a person to take their own life are complex and unique. Ascertaining
Carers in Northern Ireland: Some key statistics
This article is a revised and updated version of a post originally published in June 2017. The perceived underfunding of social care was a significant political issue in the 2017 general election. It is easy
Grit Expectations: How and when are our roads and footpaths salted during the winter season?
By Des McKibbin & Keara McKay As temperatures plummetted towards the end of November 2017, forecasters began to predict the coldest December in seven years. Meteorologists are suggesting winter 2017/18 could be colder than normal
Is road safety worse in the border region?
Death and serious injury from road traffic collisions (RTCs) are tragic events bringing untold pain and suffering on families. At the same time, through better understanding of what causes them and targeting appropriate action, they
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.
A comparison of the planning systems in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
This blog article examines the similarities and differences between the planning systems north and south of the border on the island of Ireland. It is based on a more detailed research paper prepared jointly by
EU exit regulations and Northern Ireland
A high profile consequence of the continuing failure to establish an Executive and fully functioning Assembly was the legislative passage this week of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill 2018. A
Brexit and Northern Ireland: Reading List #13 – approaching the endgame?
The Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) has just published a thirteenth version of Brexit and Northern Ireland: A Reading List. These have been produced for over a year now and they are a key