Road traffic collisions
19th May 2026
This dashboard uses the Police Service of Northern Ireland statistics on injury road traffic collisions, presenting them in an interactive format that is intended to
Latest Articles
Browse all the articles published on the Research Matters blog, with the most recent articles appearing at the top.
Delivering care differently: Implementing the Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbeing
1st May 2026
Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care system is balancing the demands of today alongside the reforms needed for tomorrow. As waiting times in Northern Ireland
Introducing a new tool to study road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland
30th April 2026
Road safety is an area of critical importance to policy makers. In Northern Ireland, road traffic collisions remain a leading cause of preventable death and
Public investment in arts and cultural services
20th April 2026
Following on from the discussion in our last blog post – Defining arts and culture in Northern Ireland – Members may wish to consider the
Investment and engagement in arts and cultural services
20th April 2026
This dashboard provides a summary of analyses for different publicly available data sources about investment and engagement in arts and cultural services. (Scroll down to
Defining arts and culture in Northern Ireland
17th April 2026
With a new arts policy expected in Spring 2026, under the Department for Communities’ Heritage, Culture and Creativity Framework, this blog article – the first
Northern Ireland’s marine and freshwater fish stocks: An overview of current health and management
15th April 2026
This article provides an overview of the health of Northern Ireland’s marine and freshwater fish stocks, summarising the key information from recent assessments and outlining
Progress on implementing the Climate Change Act
16th March 2026
This article provides an overview of progress in implementing the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, summarising the statutory targets, governance structures, and planning requirements
Equal access to justice: Barriers facing victims of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland
13th March 2026
Content notice: This blog contains details on domestic violence and abuse, which some readers may find distressing. International Women’s Day 2026 8 March marked International
A heavy burden: How childhood obesity is shaped by age, place and inequality
12th March 2026
Childhood obesity is rising globally but the UK shows a different pattern Globally, rates of childhood overweight and obesity have increased sharply since 1990. Over
Human Rights Frameworks: What difference do they make?
28th January 2026
Last December marked Universal Human Rights Month, with International Human Rights Day celebrated on 10 December. This date marks the day when the Universal Declaration
Living longer, but not healthier: Why Northern Ireland’s health gap matters for policy
26th January 2026
People in Northern Ireland can now expect to live into their late seventies and early eighties, yet only to around age 60 in good health.
Intergovernmental relations: What is Northern Ireland’s role?
16th December 2025
What are intergovernmental relations? In the UK, intergovernmental relations describe the engagement between the UK Government and devolved governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Digital spaces, real harm: Tackling online violence against women and girls
9th December 2025
Content notice: This blog article contains references to online harassment, abuse and violence targeting women and girls that some readers may find distressing. High-profile cases
What’s the Shared Island funding initiative for arts and cultural heritage?
9th December 2025
Introduction Last month, the Irish Government announced new allocations to the Shared Island fund. The Shared Island funding initiative is not a single programme but
Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: A brief overview
24th November 2025
The Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill (‘the Bill’) is currently being considered by the Assembly. This blog
The cost of caring: Gender inequalities and the risks of poverty faced by unpaid carers in Northern Ireland
20th November 2025
Carers Rights Day, observed on 20 November, is intended to raise awareness about the rights of the UK’s 5.8 million unpaid carers and the support
Scrutinising technology for sign language access in Northern Ireland
6th October 2025
The Northern Ireland Assembly is currently progressing with the Committee Stage of the Sign Language Bill (Northern Ireland) 2025. Technology has been positioned as one
A silent epidemic: loneliness among older people and building social connections
3rd October 2025
1 October marked the United Nations International Day of Older People. The intention of the day is to raise awareness of the challenges faced by
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025: what it means for Northern Ireland
30th September 2025
Having been granted Royal Assent on 21 July 2025, the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 moved from debate into law, opening a new phase
EU forced labour regulations: an addition to the Windsor Framework?
26th September 2025
Context In September 2025 the Council of the European Union published a Decision to seek to add the new EU regulation on forced labour to
Unpacking the 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review for Northern Ireland
16th July 2025
The 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) was the first undertaken by a Labour Government since 2007, and was delivered amidst significant global challenges. In her
Living longer, living better? Men’s health in Northern Ireland
23rd June 2025
As part of Men’s Health Awareness Month, this video takes a look at men’s health in Northern Ireland. If you’re not able to access the
UKRI PhD Policy Internships in the Northern Ireland Assembly: Nurturing an applied research culture
11th June 2025
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Policy Internships Scheme offers UKRI-funded doctoral students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in policy and law-making environments
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Northern Ireland: PIP Recipients by Parliamentary Constituency
9th June 2025
The interactive map highlights the locations (spatial areas) in each of the 18 constituencies where the impact of proposed changes to PIP are likely to be most pronounced.
Educational underachievement in Northern Ireland
23rd May 2025
This blog article provides an overview of educational underachievement in Northern Ireland. It defines underachievement, examines the attainment gap between pupils entitled to free school
The future of UK-EU data flows: adequacy extension under review
9th May 2025
The European Commission (the Commission) has proposed extending two ‘adequacy’ decisions that facilitate the free flow of personal data between the EU and the UK.
Reimagining career services using Artificial Intelligence
28th April 2025
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming career guidance and is reshaping how students, professionals and employers navigate an increasingly complex job market. In Northern Ireland, this
Chancellor’s Spring Statement 2025 and subsequent developments: What do they mean for Northern Ireland’s public finances and economy?
11th April 2025
“A changing world” and “a generational challenge” – that is how the Chancellor described the global political and economic landscape when delivering her Spring Statement
Spring Statement 2025 – Understanding the relevance of Spring Statement 2025 for Northern Ireland
11th April 2025
It seems ages since the Chancellor delivered her Spring Statement on 26 March 2025. And now the Chancellor has significantly more factors to address in