Kenneth Harper

Book review – “Running from Office” By Eoghan Murphy…

Kenneth Harper on November 23, 2024, 11:00 am

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This is a quite different political autobiography. Most focus on the achievements of the office holder (often exaggerating their personal involvement and positioning them at the centre of significant political events). This book tells of ambition and failure culminating in bursting into tears in Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s office. Eoghan Murphy was the controversial Fine Gael housing minister in the 2016 to 2020 government. This was the government supported through a confidence and supply agreement by Fianna Fáil. He had been …

Book review – “The Gates of Gaza” by Amir Tibon…

Kenneth Harper on November 12, 2024, 8:14 am

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The catastrophic toll of death and destruction in Gaza, has somewhat overshadowed the events of 7th October 2023 that set them in motion. This book is an account of that day from a journalist of the left Israeli paper Haaretz who lived in the Kibbutz of Nahal Oz and who sheltered with his family in the safe room of their house for 10 hrs until rescued by his father and a contingent of IDF soldiers. It’s a harrowing, claustrophobic account …

Is deprivation in the North fueling racism?

Kenneth Harper on March 7, 2023, 7:00 am

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Some depressing news for those who want to see a more diverse and integrated society. A study commissioned by the RoI’s Shared Island Initiative and carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute, (ESRI) was published on 6th March. The conclusion is that Northern Ireland is less welcoming to migrants than the South even though there are fewer of them. Why? Well there is a direct correlation between a positive view of the future, and attitudes to immigration, and …

“Signs of concern about support for unification in the South”…

Kenneth Harper on February 20, 2023, 7:00 am

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For some time, it has been a “given” that the people in the Irish Republic will vote for unification. Polling in support of that prospect is regularly around 60 to 65%. The prospect of a Sinn Féin led coalition government in the South from early 2025, has had nationalists excited that real momentum for change can come – giving teeth if you like, to the shared island department of the office of An Taoiseach. However, there are increasing signs of …

Boundary change review for Ireland now underway…

Kenneth Harper on February 13, 2023, 11:55 am

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brown and black mountains under blue sky during daytime

On 9th February 2023, the new Electoral Commission for Ireland (An Coimisiún Toghcháin) was established to make reports and recommendations in relation to constituency boundaries arising from the 2022 provisional census results, and the requirements of Article 16.2.2 of the Irish Constitution. The Commission’s first two actions were to publish: “ a statement setting out the relevant provisions of the Constitution in relation to Dáil constituencies to which the commission is required to have regard in preparing its report”, and …

An unprecedented 3 years in UK politics and where is the gravitas?

Kenneth Harper on January 13, 2023, 7:17 am

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photo of black metal framed glass street post near gray concrete building during daytime

We tend to look at national government in the context of it’s usually 4 to 5 year terms of government between general elections. The first Blair administration,1997 to 2001, ushered in devolution, the minimum wage and repeal of Tory anti trade union laws. Our memory of later Blair administrations is tainted by war. John Major will be remembered for the National Lottery, though some credit him with starting NI devolution – by bringing in the SDLP under John Hume. Cameron …

The Irish Constitution – referenda coming up…

Kenneth Harper on January 7, 2023, 7:00 am

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There are a number of amendments to the written Constitution of Ireland currently being proposed, some of which will impact the North. This OP examines 4. It is possible that all 4 could be put to the electorate on a single ballot to take place within the lifetime of the current Dáil. Probably the keenest interest in the North would be on extending the franchise for election of the President of Ireland to the Irish diaspora. The current coalition seems …

“Sinn Fein’s path to government in the South is fraught with difficulty”

Kenneth Harper on December 10, 2022, 7:00 am

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There is a feeling of inevitability in social media, political commentary and even amongst many in the Dáil who fear losing their seats, that Sinn Fein will become the lead Party of Government in the next General Election in the Republic, which must be held on or before March 2025. The problem for Sinn Fein is the numbers. There are currently 160 Teachta Dála in the 33rd Dáil. The total number varies with each election as it’s range is set …

Productivity in NI is 40% lower than the Republic

Kenneth Harper on November 29, 2022, 10:37 am

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man holding smartphone looking at productivity wall decor

The Irish Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) was commissioned by the Shared Ireland Initiative in the Department of the Taoiseach, to report on relative productivity between the North and the South. Previous ESRI reports have looked at comparisons on health and education delivery and cross-border trade. Historically, most reports circulating in NI tend to compare NI with GB for obvious reasons and this report on productivity is thought to be the first to attempt an island-wide analysis. The results …

Are we creeping towards a harder border?

Kenneth Harper on November 17, 2022, 7:59 am

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The Nationality and Borders Act achieved Royal Assent in April 2022. A period of consultation is under way on the implications for immigration tribunals etc. The mainstream GB media focus has been on issues like detention in Rwanda whilst asylum applications are considered, but of interest here is the controversial requirement for non British and Irish citizens to need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter Northern Ireland from the Republic. In this OP I explore why …

Economic crisis – a tale of two Irelands?

Kenneth Harper on November 8, 2022, 8:05 am

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Few will doubt we are entering a storm. Prof Nouriel Roubini of New York talks of interconnecting “megathreats” that may combine to make life difficult. From cold war to real war, debt and climate crisis – even a potential collapse of the eurozone fueled by Italian debt. He’s labeled Dr Doom by the Alt-right but he has a good track record at forecasting. My question is this. Will both jurisdictions on this island come through the crisis in the same …