Stephen McNally

Road deaths – An acceptable level of violence?

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Between 1969 and 2001 3,532 people died during the troubles. During the same period 7291 died on the roads. The Troubles are a constant reminder of the suffering caused by violence and a context for understanding the tragic consequences of …

Slugger Team

Conor Murphy elected to Seanad

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Conor Murphy resigned as Economy Minister and from Stormont yesterday following his election to Seanad Éireann. As the BBC reports… “He secured one of the 60 seats available with the support of Sinn Féin TDs (members of the Irish parliament) …

Eugene Reid

The Belfast Private Hospital Approval Raises Big Questions About Public Sector Failures…

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News that Belfast City Council has approved a planning application for a private hospital comes at a time when delays continue to plague two critical public health projects: the Belfast Maternity Hospital and the Children’s Hospital. This stark juxtaposition highlights …

Mick Fealty

Micheál Martin’s hard track through the harsh and unforgiving Alps of Irish politics…

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So last Thursday Micheál Martin (a day later than scheduled because of some stormy weather in the Dáil) the man who many pundits once predicted would be the first Fianna Fáil leader never to become Taoiseach became Taoiseach for a …

Brian O’Neill

Open Sunday – discuss what you like…

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday.

Brian O’Neill

Open sunday – politics free zone…

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday.

Soapbox

Doctor Paisley and Mister Clerk. Episode 8 – The Unravelling part 2 – Time to Go?

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Doctor Paisley and Mister Clerk In celebration of the recent 25th anniversary of the devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly, Paul Moore – former Clerk to the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee – has been sharing his recollections from the …

Chambré Public Affairs

Weekly Bulletin. What you need to know this week.

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Executive Ministers brief Assembly on response to Storm Éowyn On Monday (27 January) the First Minister and deputy First Ministers made a lengthy statement in the Assembly regarding the Executive’s response to Storm Éowyn. First Minister Michelle O’Neil MLA told MLAs that there had …

Slugger Team

Latest controversy for Education Minister as school receives £710,000 in funding despite not applying for it

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Once again it seems we are facing a new controversy in the Education sector. The Belfast Telegraph reports that… “The Department of Education is facing calls for full transparency after £710,000 was awarded to a school in Londonderry following a …

Brian Pope

The DUP can solve the Housebuilding Crisis by supporting Water Charges…

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This week’s Infrastructure debate in the Assembly was described to me as truly depressing. It was yet another lost opportunity to try and solve the growing wastewater crisis which is engulfing both the housebuilding and the construction sectors. The Infrastructure …

Arnold Carton

Israel – a Modern-Day Sparta?

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Were you taught about the Spartans in school history? Sparta was a small Greek state in 500BCE, situated in the south of Greece, roughly 130 miles west of Athens. The Spartans valued the security of the state and military strength …