Policy:Broadcast plans
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010Two station closures and a halt to regional news websites are the main results from the BBC’s strategic review. Peter Cheney looks at what lies ahead for the Beeb. The BBC’s reach within the UK cannot be denied. Ninety-eight per cent of adults click, listen or watch it each week. A third of the population goes to the website each month. Where its quality is good, particularly in news and natural history, its reputation extends worldwide. However, critics claim that the BBC has overstretched itself by going into magazine publishing and extra digital channels. Free access to BBC News...[full story]
Westminister 2010:Final planning
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010agendaNi looks at the agreed planning reform proposals. Extra powers for new councils and a new hierarchy to categorise developments are the main elements in the planning reforms, finalised by the Executive after a long wait. The plans, which met with no major Assembly opposition, are now due to be written up in law but time is again tight. A consultation on the proposed reforms to the planning system opened in July 2009 and in January this year Environment Minister Edwin Poots presented the final proposals to the Executive. The reforms were passed by the Executive on 25 February and...[full story]
Politics:An opportune visit
Monday, April 5th, 2010The annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Washington conveniently came on the back of the devolution of policing and justice thus giving the province’s leaders a bargaining mechanism to entice prospective US investors. Meadhbh Monahan reports. “Everyone who is anyone” in the Northern Ireland political and economic scene received a warm welcome at the White House on St Patrick’s Day, despite President Barack Obama’s preoccupation with getting his health reform bill passed by Congress. During a hectic week in the President’s calendar, Obama took time to meet the First...[full story]
Policing & justice:Back to normal
Monday, April 5th, 2010As Stormont prepares to control law and order, as was originally intended, agendaNi analyses justice devolution and the surrounding dispute. One of the early intelligence reports about Northern Ireland’s Troubles reportedly noted that both communities had long memories and short tempers. Both attitudes were clearly in evidence as the Assembly voted through its formal request for justice powers on 9 March. Historians, with long memories, will no doubt recall a precedent. Justice powers were not automatically granted to the first Northern Ireland Parliament, when it was formed in 1921;...[full story]
Assembly committee:Health Checks
Monday, April 5th, 2010Jim Wells updates Peter Cheney on the Health Committee’s role, one which the Chair thinks puts it above its Assembly counterparts. “We are the most important committee” is Jim Wells’ contention as he talks through the Health Committee’s work to date. For evidence for that claim, in his view, readers need not look further than the main daily stories in the news. “There’s not a day goes by that there isn’t a story in the media on a health-related issue. Frequently, it’s the headlines and it’s inevitable that as Northern Ireland becomes a more and more normal society,...[full story]
Corporate agenda:Budget predictions
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010Ahead of the spring Budget and the general election, which is expected in May, four major business organisations in Northern Ireland were asked these two pertinent questions. If you were Alistair Darling, what single initiative would you implement in the Budget as a major economic stimulus for Northern Ireland? FSB What is needed urgently is an incentive that will make it possible for small businesses to recruit new staff, innovate and grow. This could all be achieved by cutting employers’ national insurance and in turn would provide the entire economy with a much needed boost. Mr...[full story]
Health:Nearing good health
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010After coping with outbreaks of C.difficile in 2008, the Northern Ireland Health Service is getting better, but there is still some way to go. With an increasingly ageing population and the cost of chronic illness accounting for an increasing share of spending, the Public Accounts Committee says that it is time the Health Service made “significant progress” in prevention and promotion. The committee advocates a more “invest to- save” culture, with the aim of “investing in return for savings and/or reform”. However, taking a more individualist approach, the report states that...[full story]
