Dispute resolution under the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol
23rd March 2021
The Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol is part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and was designed to deal with the effect of the UK’s exit from the EU
Latest Articles
Browse all the articles published on the Research Matters blog, with the most recent articles appearing at the top.
How is Brexit changing things for our artists?
18th March 2021
This article examines some of the potential implications for artists in Northern Ireland (NI) following the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) exit from the European Union
Decarbonising road transport – The challenge is set
12th March 2021
When the UK Government became the world’s first major economy to legislate for a ‘net zero’ target for carbon emissions by 2050, it acknowledged it
How has Arts Council NI COVID-19 emergency funding been distributed to arts organisations?
9th March 2021
By James Bamford, Karen McCallion & Thomas Procter The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) has the role of distributing arts funding for the Department
Northern Ireland Gender Pay Gap: a 2021 update
8th March 2021
By Michael Scholes & Aidan Stennett To highlight International Women’s Day, the following article updates our previous blog article examining the Gender Pay Gap in
Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake
4th March 2021
As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, this article considers the causes and consequences of misinformation
COVID-19: Vaccines and other potential treatments
18th December 2020
This article considers a number of recent medical developments in relation to COVID-19 and the implications of the new vaccine for Northern Ireland. Coronaviruses are
Foodbank distribution in Northern Ireland
11th December 2020
Foodbanks are an increasingly useful resource for many in Northern Ireland. They provide a valuable service to communities and are continually helping to feed those
A snapshot of COVID-19 funding (updated)
10th December 2020
This visualisation provides a series of interactive graphs compiled by the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe), which offer a snapshot of government funding allocated
How has COVID-19 Emergency Funding for the arts and culture Sectors in Northern Ireland been distributed?
25th November 2020
By James Bamford & Karen McCallion This visualisation provides a snapshot of emergency funding provided to the arts and culture sectors in Northern Ireland. This
Every child deserves a real chance in life: A renewed government focus on solving educational underachievement in Northern Ireland?
12th October 2020
Young people have faced unprecedented changes to their childhoods and futures due to COVID-19. A significant part of this disruption has been to their education.
Northern Ireland economy: Autumn 2020 update
8th October 2020
As Northern Ireland (NI) emerges from the widespread COVID-19 public health crisis into a phase of more localised outbreaks and disruption, there have been numerous
A snapshot of COVID-19 funding
30th September 2020
This visualisation provides a series of interactive graphs compiled by the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe), which offer a snapshot of government funding allocated
Can surveys be supplemented and improved by social media based research? A case study of the Young Life & Times Survey
28th September 2020
Sample opinion surveys are a well-established way to measure public opinion on contemporary affairs. However, the exponential growth of social media in the 21st century
Autumn Statement and NI Budget 2021-22. NI public finances update no.2 (Autumn 2020)
22nd September 2020
This blog article is the second of two providing updates on NI’s public finances: Update no.1 looks back to a number of recent developments. This
Poundhog Day: The UK Chancellor’s Summer Statement. NI public finances update no.1 (Summer 2020)
22nd September 2020
The summer months are often quiet times for NI public finances. But, like so much else about 2020, this summer has been a little different.
Is it possible to socially distance on our beaches?
15th July 2020
With many international travel restrictions still in place, more people than ever will be opting for ‘staycations’ in Northern Ireland. This article provides the results
COVID-19 and school shutdowns: Examining the after-effects
6th July 2020
In an effort to minimise the spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2 (which causes the disease COVID-19), schools in Northern Ireland closed their doors to normal
‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Social distancing and face coverings to minimise the spread of the virus
1st July 2020
Context The RaISe research paper ‘Exit’ from COVID-19 ‘lockdown’: Health-related issues (20 May 2020) contained sections on transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and two of
Fiscal ball gazing: How could the COVID-19 crisis affect NI’s public finances?
22nd June 2020
Governments around the world have undertaken very significant, and hugely costly, actions attempting to prop up businesses and employment through the course of the pandemic.
The impact of COVID-19 on Northern Ireland
18th June 2020
By Keara McKay & Thomas Procter Our new visualisation based on figures and analysis published in the public domain by Ulster Bank, Danske Bank, NISRA,
‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Use of testing and contact tracing
5th June 2020
The Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) has published a number of papers on testing for Sars-CoV-2 tracking and contact tracing, including ‘Testing for Sars-CoV-2
How can our culture sector ever recover from COVID-19?
29th May 2020
This article examines some of the risks which COVID-19 has posed to the culture and heritage sectors in Northern Ireland, and assesses whether the support
Ten reasons to be cautious about using R to support decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic
19th May 2020
The risk is that a complicated number is released without context into a world that doesn’t know how to think about it. The ‘R
COVID-19 and Brexit: A reading list (updated)
19th May 2020
Brexit and the negotiations during the current transition period may have slipped from the top of the news agenda, but commentators are already beginning to
COVID-19 and planning measures
18th May 2020
This article explores the temporary planning measures introduced as a response to COVID-19 across the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI). Some of these measures
COVID-19: How is testing and contact tracing being used in Northern Ireland and beyond?
7th May 2020
Dr Janice Thompson and Sinéad McMurray This article is based on information extracted from the RaISe briefing paper: Testing for Sars-CoV-2 in the UK;
How will COVID-19 change our travel behaviour?
7th May 2020
Transport policy has traditionally focused on changing the way people travel i.e. moving them from cars to public transport to ease congestion and improve the
COVID-19 and farming – A bitter harvest?
5th May 2020
2020 was already set to be a challenging year for farmers across the UK. Having finally reached an agreed Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, the UK is set to formally leave the EU at the end of the current transitional period in December 2020. As a result of this decision, the UK and each of the devolved administrations were facing major changes in terms of how they would be supporting farmers outside the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework. There were concerns amongst some local stakeholders around the impacts that such moves would have on the nature and viability of agriculture here.
Loneliness: What is it and what can be done about it?
22nd April 2020
Although loneliness and social isolation are often reported synonymously, they are in fact distinct concepts. A person who is isolated may not necessarily be lonely,