sluggerotoole--2020-09-17--#TheReset: Taking to the skies once more

Covid-19 ’ s first shock delivered to the UK aviation industry , and indeed Northern Ireland , came in the form of Flybe ’ s collapse in early March .
Whilst this was the first impact on home soil , it was a stark realisation that Northern Ireland would not emerge unscathed from this pandemic .
Lives would sadly be lost , ‘ normal ’ would become a thing of the past and our economy would bear the brunt of the tremors .
As the pandemic quickly spread and geographical lockdowns became a reality , air travel was paused .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the world and the skies cleared for all but essential travel .
Airlines operating from Belfast City Airport quickly grounded all flights with the exception of one daily flight to London Heathrow operated by Aer Lingus to ensure connectivity for key workers .
Connectivity is crucial for Northern Ireland and even more so in times of crisis as medical professionals and other key workers commuted as they battled Covid-19 on the frontline .
As a result of one daily flight and very few passengers , our throughput was down by 95 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of £1 million each month , it would have been logical to mothball the airport for a period of time .
However , the importance of good air connectivity and the strategic importance of Belfast City Airport has always been recognised by the Northern Ireland Executive and its Ministers .
The Executive was keen to ensure connectivity to London Heathrow for key workers and stepped in with a financial package to maintain the link .
We received excellent support from the relevant Stormont Ministers , and were in regular contact with every political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever way they could .
It was welcomed and highlighted the importance of Government listening and acting .
In May this year , at a time when airlines globally were consolidating fleets and removing capacity we sought to find new airline partners to fill the Flybe void .
This was no small feat , but one effectively achieved at the end of July when Aer Lingus announced the launch of six new routes to be operated by Stobart Air .
This includes Edinburgh and Exeter which are already operational ; Manchester and Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bradford and East Midlands commencing 1st October .
The popular London City route was adopted by British Airways whilst Loganair developed a comprehensive Scottish network flying to Aberdeen , Dundee , Glasgow and Inverness , and Eastern Airways resumed connections to Southampton and Teesside International Airport .
Whilst the route network at Belfast City Airport is restored , the aviation industry is preparing for a challenging winter with forecasts suggesting airports will operate at about 40 % of the capacity seen in 2019 .
With that in mind we are in daily contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to work very closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure these routes are fully supported by all parties .
This is not the first time the aviation sector has been hit by global events , and traditionally it is a resilient industry .
However , a lack of customer confidence remains on the horizon and with large corporations still not returning to the office , the expected recovery of passenger numbers is slower than first expected .
At Belfast City Airport distancing and hygiene measures are in place throughout the terminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can in a public area , and we are seeing passenger numbers slowly but steadily increase .
As this continues , passengers in Northern Ireland are guaranteed choice and value from our three airports which collectively employ thousands and cater to varying demographics .
Belfast City Airport has enjoyed continued investment in our facilities ensuring we have a terminal that caters to the new needs of passengers and one which exceeds their expectations .
Given its location , Belfast City remains the airport of choice for many and is a key selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our location as integral to their decision to come to Northern Ireland .
Our ability to re-establish our route network in such challenging circumstances is testament the strength of and desire for product and offering at Belfast City Airport .
As we move towards this next phase of recovery our aim remains to protect as many jobs as possible by engaging closely with Government to support the routes and help place the region on a firm footing for an economic reset .
This post is part of our # TheReset series in association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get involved in # TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .

Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive, George Best Belfast City Airport
Covid-19’s first shock delivered to the UK aviation industry, and indeed Northern Ireland, came in the form of Flybe’s collapse in early March.
Whilst this was the first impact on home soil, it was a stark realisation that Northern Ireland would not emerge unscathed from this pandemic. Lives would sadly be lost, ‘normal’ would become a thing of the past and our economy would bear the brunt of the tremors.
As the pandemic quickly spread and geographical lockdowns became a reality, air travel was paused. Aircraft were put into storage at airfields across the world and the skies cleared for all but essential travel.
Airlines operating from Belfast City Airport quickly grounded all flights with the exception of one daily flight to London Heathrow operated by Aer Lingus to ensure connectivity for key workers.
Connectivity is crucial for Northern Ireland and even more so in times of crisis as medical professionals and other key workers commuted as they battled Covid-19 on the frontline. As a result of one daily flight and very few passengers, our throughput was down by 95%.
With our fixed operating costs northwards of £1 million each month, it would have been logical to mothball the airport for a period of time.
However, the importance of good air connectivity and the strategic importance of Belfast City Airport has always been recognised by the Northern Ireland Executive and its Ministers.
The Executive was keen to ensure connectivity to London Heathrow for key workers and stepped in with a financial package to maintain the link.
We received excellent support from the relevant Stormont Ministers, and were in regular contact with every political party – all eager to assist in whatever way they could. It was welcomed and highlighted the importance of Government listening and acting.
In May this year, at a time when airlines globally were consolidating fleets and removing capacity we sought to find new airline partners to fill the Flybe void.
This was no small feat, but one effectively achieved at the end of July when Aer Lingus announced the launch of six new routes to be operated by Stobart Air.
This includes Edinburgh and Exeter which are already operational; Manchester and Birmingham launched on 14th September; and Leeds Bradford and East Midlands commencing 1st October.
The popular London City route was adopted by British Airways whilst Loganair developed a comprehensive Scottish network flying to Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Inverness, and Eastern Airways resumed connections to Southampton and Teesside International Airport.
Whilst the route network at Belfast City Airport is restored, the aviation industry is preparing for a challenging winter with forecasts suggesting airports will operate at about 40% of the capacity seen in 2019.
With that in mind we are in daily contact with each of our airline partners and continue to work very closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure these routes are fully supported by all parties.
This is not the first time the aviation sector has been hit by global events, and traditionally it is a resilient industry. However, a lack of customer confidence remains on the horizon and with large corporations still not returning to the office, the expected recovery of passenger numbers is slower than first expected.
At Belfast City Airport distancing and hygiene measures are in place throughout the terminal to ensure passengers feel as safe as they can in a public area, and we are seeing passenger numbers slowly but steadily increase.
As this continues, passengers in Northern Ireland are guaranteed choice and value from our three airports which collectively employ thousands and cater to varying demographics.
Belfast City Airport has enjoyed continued investment in our facilities ensuring we have a terminal that caters to the new needs of passengers and one which exceeds their expectations.
Given its location, Belfast City remains the airport of choice for many and is a key selling point for international investors who often cite our location as integral to their decision to come to Northern Ireland.
Our ability to re-establish our route network in such challenging circumstances is testament the strength of and desire for product and offering at Belfast City Airport.
As we move towards this next phase of recovery our aim remains to protect as many jobs as possible by engaging closely with Government to support the routes and help place the region on a firm footing for an economic reset.
This post is part of our #TheReset series in association with Ulster Bank
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-17--The tension between Politics and the Law…

In modern society there is a tension between democracy and the law which has always existed throughout history .
Democracy at its most absolute is tyrannical , brutish and often short lived because of the mass hysteria which can engulf otherwise rational people when they act as a group .
Psychologists called this ‘ groupthink ’ in the 20th century , ever since we found this flaw we quickly discovered that it had actually given us our most valuable skill putting us at the top of the food chain .
This skill is our ability to socialise , which allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn work together with a common purpose of survival .
In the age of mass socialisation with technologies such as the telephone then radio , then television and now the internet the double edged sword of our evolutionary advantage has become even clearer .
While entire societies have been lifted out of conflict and poverty by the use and abuse of these technologies we have also seen lives ripped apart by them and once great nations fall under mass hysteria .
They are in essence completely valueless , attributing value judgements to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when these elements of human socialisation are used to breakdown institutions of law which are driven completely by values .
Absolute democracy ( or populism ) can not guarantee the rights of minorities as only recognition of the majority suffices in any pure form of a democratic polity .
The legal system itself needs to be apart from the pressures of democratic governance to avoid this .
It can only do this by adopting a layer of elitist cynicism at worst or by engaging with society at large at best in a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country has long lived under the notion of ‘ separation of powers , ’ however even a casual observer will note the absurdity of this notion .
The highest court in the land can not ( even with great difficulty ) strike down primary statute .
There is no ground norm which we can point to as a protection of our demos – like a written constitution or bill of rights .
All of these are incredibly uncommon , in the fog of our internal political debate it is important to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Ireland our assembly and executive act mostly with powers devolved to them by the Northern Ireland Act and other legislation ( making their decisions ‘ secondary ’ ) .
This has given our courts great scope for judicial review , along with the many sometimes tedious assembly checks and balances , democratic governance here has been wrapped into a layer of legal accountability which has never featured in Westminster politics .
This is why a human rights litigation culture has also thrived here and is something we should be proud of as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come .
Griffith gave a landmark lecture in 1978 entitled “ The Political Constitution ” where he asserted that the UK lived under a wholly political system of government wherein constitutional norms ( of other states ) where not possible nor necessary due to the balance of competing political blocks .
These blocks were broadly ; Capital and Labour .
These old certainties are now gone .
The ideologies of today don ’ t revolve around these never ending economic debates about value , commodification and distribution .
Dieter Grimm writes : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not every one of them has a constitution .
The term ‘ constitution ’ covers both conditions , but the two are not the same .
The term has two different meanings .
Constitution in the first sense of the word refers to the nature of a country with reference to its political conditions .
Constitution in the second sense refers to a law that concerns itself with the establishment and exercise of political rule .
Consequently , the first definition refers to an empirical or descriptive constitution and the second a normative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitution reflects the political conditions that in fact prevail in a specific region at a given time .
In the normative sense , constitution establishes the rules by which political rule should be exercised under law .
So where does this leave us in a post Brexit world ?
That never ending tension of the law , standing as a pillar on the hill versus the people , crowded in emotion looking up at it hungry for changing it or smashing it down if necessary .
How should the tightrope be walked upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept in tact ?
Photo by Ezequiel_Octaviano is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

In modern society there is a tension between democracy and the law which has always existed throughout history. Democracy at its most absolute is tyrannical, brutish and often short lived because of the mass hysteria which can engulf otherwise rational people when they act as a group.
Psychologists called this ‘groupthink’ in the 20th century, ever since we found this flaw we quickly discovered that it had actually given us our most valuable skill putting us at the top of the food chain. This skill is our ability to socialise, which allows us to more effectively organise and in turn work together with a common purpose of survival.
In the age of mass socialisation with technologies such as the telephone then radio, then television and now the internet the double edged sword of our evolutionary advantage has become even clearer. While entire societies have been lifted out of conflict and poverty by the use and abuse of these technologies we have also seen lives ripped apart by them and once great nations fall under mass hysteria. They are in essence completely valueless, attributing value judgements to them alone feels pointless.
Democracy is threatened when these elements of human socialisation are used to breakdown institutions of law which are driven completely by values. Absolute democracy (or populism) cannot guarantee the rights of minorities as only recognition of the majority suffices in any pure form of a democratic polity. The legal system itself needs to be apart from the pressures of democratic governance to avoid this. It can only do this by adopting a layer of elitist cynicism at worst or by engaging with society at large at best in a more constructive fashion.
The legal system in this country has long lived under the notion of ‘separation of powers,’ however even a casual observer will note the absurdity of this notion. The highest court in the land cannot (even with great difficulty) strike down primary statute. There is no ground norm which we can point to as a protection of our demos – like a written constitution or bill of rights. All of these are incredibly uncommon, in the fog of our internal political debate it is important to remember this in a global context.
In Northern Ireland our assembly and executive act mostly with powers devolved to them by the Northern Ireland Act and other legislation (making their decisions ‘secondary’). This has given our courts great scope for judicial review, along with the many sometimes tedious assembly checks and balances, democratic governance here has been wrapped into a layer of legal accountability which has never featured in Westminster politics. This is why a human rights litigation culture has also thrived here and is something we should be proud of as a mark of how far our society has come.
Griffith gave a landmark lecture in 1978 entitled “The Political Constitution” where he asserted that the UK lived under a wholly political system of government wherein constitutional norms (of other states) where not possible nor necessary due to the balance of competing political blocks. These blocks were broadly; Capital and Labour. These old certainties are now gone. The ideologies of today don’t revolve around these never ending economic debates about value, commodification and distribution. Dieter Grimm writes:
Every political unit is constituted, but not every one of them has a constitution. The term ‘constitution’ covers both conditions, but the two are not the same. The term has two different meanings. Constitution in the first sense of the word refers to the nature of a country with reference to its political conditions. Constitution in the second sense refers to a law that concerns itself with the establishment and exercise of political rule. Consequently, the first definition refers to an empirical or descriptive constitution and the second a normative and prescriptive concept. Used empirically, constitution reflects the political conditions that in fact prevail in a specific region at a given time. In the normative sense, constitution establishes the rules by which political rule should be exercised under law.
So where does this leave us in a post Brexit world? That never ending tension of the law, standing as a pillar on the hill versus the people, crowded in emotion looking up at it hungry for changing it or smashing it down if necessary. How should the tightrope be walked upon, with our thin veneer of civility kept in tact?
Photo by Ezequiel_Octaviano is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-16--With the opening of a new 575 space car park in Belfast City Centre can we remove 575 on street car

With the opening of a new 575 space car park in Belfast City Centre can we remove 575 on street car parking spaces and replace them with bike lanes?

2020 has not been a good year for the McCausland family .
Firstly they own Value Cabs , which has been hit hard by COVID , then they open up a new car park just as the city has record low levels of commuters .
I am sure all of you working from home really miss having to pay £20 a day to park in Belfast .
Still , they have been in business over 100 years so I imagine this too shall pass for them .
Social media has not shown a lot of love for their new car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ architectural gem .
Putting aesthetics aside , Jonathan over at NI Greenways makes a good point : I am a driver and a cyclist so I am not completely anticar .
But I think it ’ s obvious to me anyway that before COVID the traffic in Belfast was mental .
We need to give people more options to walk and cycle in safety .
By removing on-street parking spots it could free up space for more cycle lanes .
The department of Infrastructure would lose revenue from the removal of parking bays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking charges into other areas plagued by commuter cars such as the area around Queen ’ s and Townsend St .
Anywhere commuters park should have meters .
It is very hard to motivate people out of their cars if they are getting free parking .
I know parking is not an issue now we having tumbleweed rolling through the city centre , but we should be using the opportunity of the quieter roads to rejig the network .
Belfast City Centre will only succeed if they concentrate on making it an attractive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reducing cars is the number one priority in making it a people-centred city .
Photo by Aayush Srivastava is licensed under CC0

2020 has not been a good year for the McCausland family. Firstly they own Value Cabs, which has been hit hard by COVID, then they open up a new car park just as the city has record low levels of commuters. I am sure all of you working from home really miss having to pay £20 a day to park in Belfast. Still, they have been in business over 100 years so I imagine this too shall pass for them.
Social media has not shown a lot of love for their new car park as it is not exactly an architectural gem. Putting aesthetics aside, Jonathan over at NI Greenways makes a good point:
New 575 space multi storey car park opens within Belfast's inner ring. So where do we lose 575 spaces (on street, council site) so as not to be actively encouraging more driving in our contested city? https://t.co/6JqdHoFSgD — NI Greenways (@nigreenways) September 16, 2020
I am a driver and a cyclist so I am not completely anticar. But I think it’s obvious to me anyway that before COVID the traffic in Belfast was mental. We need to give people more options to walk and cycle in safety. By removing on-street parking spots it could free up space for more cycle lanes.
The department of Infrastructure would lose revenue from the removal of parking bays but I think they should expand on-street parking charges into other areas plagued by commuter cars such as the area around Queen’s and Townsend St. Anywhere commuters park should have meters. It is very hard to motivate people out of their cars if they are getting free parking.
I know parking is not an issue now we having tumbleweed rolling through the city centre, but we should be using the opportunity of the quieter roads to rejig the network.
Belfast City Centre will only succeed if they concentrate on making it an attractive place to visit and spend time. Reducing cars is the number one priority in making it a people-centred city.
Photo by Aayush Srivastava is licensed under CC0


sluggerotoole--2020-09-16--#TheReset: What does Jürgen Klopp have to do with democratic renewal? #CargoOfBricks #Podcast

Do we need a re-set in political culture ?
We often tie ourselves in knots thinking that Northern Ireland is an exception to the rest of the world , but this week ’ s guest on # CargoOfBricks Richard Wilson ’ s experience is much broader and he thinks politicians are falling far short of current needs .
In it we cover… • How our Victorian ideas of how representative democracy actually works are being quickly outrun by a connected electorate which is losing its patience with politicians who don ’ t know how to listen .
Accordingly , trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and right is falling .
• At the core , politicians need humility in order to balance the top-down flow of information and data from experts and simultaneously engage communities from the bottom up in order to resist the temptation to be falsely definitive at a time when no one has the right answers to hand .
• Engagement is not about technology , but how you use it .
Communities are more stable than politics representatives need a long , not a short game .
New platforms afford opportunities for using enabling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ordinary people in a digestible way .
In the flow of the conversation , Richard , a life long fan of Liverpool FC who grew up in that part of north Wales that abuts onto Cheshire and the greater Merseyside area offers Jürgen Klopp as an example of a style of leadership which he refuses to put in a situation where he has to have an answer .
The first step is to set a clear goal ( with Klopp that means winning whatever game his team is facing next and serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how public debate can take you very quickly into positions which are unhelpful to the achievement of what long term of objective you ’ ve set yourself .
Skilled politicians often refuse to be put in a role where they are expected to have answers to complex questions we don ’ t have .
With a clear focus on the first step , and maintaining engagement modern representatives can maintain vital confidence and prevent their communities from dropping into fear .
The quality of relationship politicians seeks must shift from parent-child ( or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adult-adult , in order to provide a human bridge between top-down resources and expertise to trade more equitably with a clearer understanding of the bottom-up will of the people .
If you would like to get involved in # TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .
In the meantime , you can catch up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you get your quality podcasts .

Do we need a re-set in political culture? We often tie ourselves in knots thinking that Northern Ireland is an exception to the rest of the world, but this week’s guest on #CargoOfBricks Richard Wilson’s experience is much broader and he thinks politicians are falling far short of current needs.
Powered by RedCircle
In it we cover…
How our Victorian ideas of how representative democracy actually works are being quickly outrun by a connected electorate which is losing its patience with politicians who don’t know how to listen. Accordingly, trust across political identities and ideologies of left and right is falling.
At the core, politicians need humility in order to balance the top-down flow of information and data from experts and simultaneously engage communities from the bottom up in order to resist the temptation to be falsely definitive at a time when no one has the right answers to hand.
Engagement is not about technology, but how you use it. Communities are more stable than politics representatives need a long, not a short game. New platforms afford opportunities for using enabling language and open questions to bring issues to ordinary people in a digestible way.
In the flow of the conversation, Richard, a life long fan of Liverpool FC who grew up in that part of north Wales that abuts onto Cheshire and the greater Merseyside area offers Jürgen Klopp as an example of a style of leadership which he refuses to put in a situation where he has to have an answer.
The first step is to set a clear goal (with Klopp that means winning whatever game his team is facing next and serve that without falling into the trap of how public debate can take you very quickly into positions which are unhelpful to the achievement of what long term of objective you’ve set yourself.
Skilled politicians often refuse to be put in a role where they are expected to have answers to complex questions we don’t have. With a clear focus on the first step, and maintaining engagement modern representatives can maintain vital confidence and prevent their communities from dropping into fear.
The quality of relationship politicians seeks must shift from parent-child (or even on some occasions, child-child) to adult-adult, in order to provide a human bridge between top-down resources and expertise to trade more equitably with a clearer understanding of the bottom-up will of the people.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.
In the meantime, you can catch up on Cargo of Bricks and In Conversation and subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your quality podcasts.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-18--#SluggerTV – The role of the Third Sector #TheReset

Slugger TV has ventured back into a studio for the first time in six months .
We were delighted that our first venture outside of Zoom was for the first of a series of broadcasts for # TheReset series that Slugger is hosting in partnership with Ulster Bank .
The third sector was the bedrock of our response to the pandemic .
Remember all of those charities who stepped up while revenues were falling and did extraordinary things to help the most vulnerable in our society ?
In this episode , we hear about the resilience of this sector , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Kindness Kits and new ways of working .
Joined by guests Gráinne Walsh , director of Stratagem NI , and Jacinta Linden , who sits on the board of CO3 and is chief executive of SPACE NI , we examined how this sector can help provide a reset for the local economy and our society in the years ahead and what is needed from local policy-makers to help make it all happen .
This episode was recorded in Belfast ’ s Accidental Theatre and was edited by Alan Meban .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events throughout September and October .

Slugger TV has ventured back into a studio for the first time in six months. We were delighted that our first venture outside of Zoom was for the first of a series of broadcasts for #TheReset series that Slugger is hosting in partnership with Ulster Bank.
The third sector was the bedrock of our response to the pandemic. Remember all of those charities who stepped up while revenues were falling and did extraordinary things to help the most vulnerable in our society? In this episode, we hear about the resilience of this sector, from making headlines for innovative ideas such as Kindness Kits and new ways of working.
Joined by guests Gráinne Walsh, director of Stratagem NI, and Jacinta Linden, who sits on the board of CO3 and is chief executive of SPACE NI, we examined how this sector can help provide a reset for the local economy and our society in the years ahead and what is needed from local policy-makers to help make it all happen.
This episode was recorded in Belfast’s Accidental Theatre and was edited by Alan Meban.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events throughout September and October.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-18--Mallon’s decision on the interconnector ought to be the thin edge of a positive #Reset wedge

Interesting development earlier this week as Nichola Mallon approved the new North-South interconnector from Tyrone to Meath , not least because of the cacophony of noise arising not just from rivals but even from within her own party .
The first application was lodged on 15th December 2009 .
It has faced a Judicial Review which knocked it back on a technicality .
Eleven years later there ’ s been a decision .
Mallon ’ s colleague Justin McNulty fears it may kill his party in Armagh .
But burying it in the ground likely means it won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just a green light for the start of the line , not the whole thing .
A mere starting pistol can not deliver the full goods until the line in the south , which is being volubly opposed by individual Fianna Fáil TDs , regardless of what their own government ’ s shared island unit may say , gets the nod .
Sinn Féin is not opposing the line per se , but their Ard Fheis has endorsed a position which means they want it all buried two meters underground .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it restricts the ability to run spurs to the west to ( and from ) counties like Longford , Sligo , and Mayo .
It ’ s clearly much easier to pay lips service to the idea of a shared island than to take the sort of political risks Ms Mallon has in order to give it some material reality .
But , whilst some believe that the deficit in energy security may be slightly exaggerated , that ’ s largely a reflection of present limited ambitions .
We know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greenhouse gas emissions , the starting point for which is an increased capacity to generate and distribute renewable energy sources like wind , tidal , and solar .
It ’ s even key to exploiting NI ’ s hydrogen ready gas distribution system to the maximum .
Our unremittingly inward gaze has led to poorly joined-up thinking .
If the eleven-year lag is an indictment of north-southery , the reduced supply through the interconnector across the Sea of Moyle ( Sruth na Maoile in Irish and Scots Gaelic ) speaks volumes about poorly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago it was thought to be at about 300 MW .
As with the north-south interconnector , the problem lies outside Northern Ireland with deficits in the Scottish grid .
To take full advantage of the 500 MW capacity of the interconnector , it requires… You could , if you were to chose to , see this in terms of the two parties which have dominated the NI Executive as a weakness in their ability to turn aspirations into material improvement for the people of Northern Ireland .
But it ’ s more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the future benefits available .
Despite Mallon ’ s decision , it ’ s far from over .
When both the DUP and Sinn Féin ( under whom this ball first began rolling under the then Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy ) leaped on the minister for not announcing the decision in the Assembly , even though planning decisions never are .
The Department of Infrastructure presser highlights that 6,000 letters of objection to the original proposal and 3,500 objections have been since the submission of the consolidated Environmental Statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than unionists .
Pollster Ben Page of Ipsos Mori often refers to this kind of compartmentalised response as cognitive polyphasia .
In respect of people wanting a united Ireland but unwilling to sacrifice their indvidual rights to make it happen the words of St Augustine come to mind… “ Lord , make me chaste – but not yet !
” Although it may often feel like it , most Northern Ireland folks do not live in the same bubble as the standoff politics of the dominant duopoly .
If there is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paradoxes need turning on their heads .
The Belfast Agreement embodies a totality of relationships , not just NI .
The polyphasia is partly a result of politicians and governments not anteing up the full picture of what ’ s needed in order to make the sort of progress that voters are often desperate to see for their children and grandchildren .
What ’ s needed in the sort of adult to adult conversation Richard referenced yesterday : Future Anglo Irish ( and even Scottish ) relations ( arguably at their worst point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be improved by tighter cooperation on bringing Northern Ireland society , its economy and its climate closer both to the rest of the island , and mainland UK .
This is a contradirection to the new politics of anger , which as Profs Collier and Kay say in their new book , “ thrives on grievances some well founded , others imagined or manufactured ; its resentments and triumphalism are tearing societies apart ” , even those they purport to want to pull together .
One ‘ brave ’ decision does not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s a start .
It may even force others to examine their consciences .
To turn Northern Ireland from a political liability into a political asset we need to use all our external relationships to improve the lives of future generations .
If you would like to get involved in # TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by anncapictures is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Interesting development earlier this week as Nichola Mallon approved the new North-South interconnector from Tyrone to Meath, not least because of the cacophony of noise arising not just from rivals but even from within her own party.
The BBC reports…
The approval is for the building of a single circuit 400kV electricity line consisting of 102 towers over 34.1kms in length from Moy in County Tyrone to Crossreagh in County Armagh.
The first application was lodged on 15th December 2009. It has faced a Judicial Review which knocked it back on a technicality. Eleven years later there’s been a decision. Mallon’s colleague Justin McNulty fears it may kill his party in Armagh. But burying it in the ground likely means it won’t happen at all.
Remember, this is just a green light for the start of the line, not the whole thing. A mere starting pistol cannot deliver the full goods until the line in the south, which is being volubly opposed by individual Fianna Fáil TDs, regardless of what their own government’s shared island unit may say, gets the nod.
Sinn Féin is not opposing the line per se, but their Ard Fheis has endorsed a position which means they want it all buried two meters underground. Not only would this escalate the implementation price, but it restricts the ability to run spurs to the west to (and from) counties like Longford, Sligo, and Mayo.
It’s clearly much easier to pay lips service to the idea of a shared island than to take the sort of political risks Ms Mallon has in order to give it some material reality. But, whilst some believe that the deficit in energy security may be slightly exaggerated, that’s largely a reflection of present limited ambitions.
We know what we can do to meet targets over greenhouse gas emissions, the starting point for which is an increased capacity to generate and distribute renewable energy sources like wind, tidal, and solar. It’s even key to exploiting NI’s hydrogen ready gas distribution system to the maximum.
Our unremittingly inward gaze has led to poorly joined-up thinking. If the eleven-year lag is an indictment of north-southery, the reduced supply through the interconnector across the Sea of Moyle (Sruth na Maoile in Irish and Scots Gaelic) speaks volumes about poorly resourced relations east-west.
A recent House of Commons report noted…
..restrictions placed on the Moyle Interconnector in Scotland, reducing the capacity of the interconnector to 300 MW, and scheduled to reduce further to 80 MW in October 2017. ( This restriction has limited the ability of Northern Ireland to export surplus wind generation to the GB market, increasing costs for users in the Single Electricity Market.
About a year ago it was thought to be at about 300 MW. As with the north-south interconnector, the problem lies outside Northern Ireland with deficits in the Scottish grid. To take full advantage of the 500 MW capacity of the interconnector, it requires…
…UK-driven investment in the Scottish grid and policy decisions from Ofgem, National Grid and the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. This again highlights the need for more joined-up thinking and a collaborative approach between the UK Government and the NI Executive on electricity policy.
You could, if you were to chose to, see this in terms of the two parties which have dominated the NI Executive as a weakness in their ability to turn aspirations into material improvement for the people of Northern Ireland. But it’s more useful to examine the issue in terms of the future benefits available.
Despite Mallon’s decision, it’s far from over. When both the DUP and Sinn Féin (under whom this ball first began rolling under the then Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy) leaped on the minister for not announcing the decision in the Assembly, even though planning decisions never are.
The Department of Infrastructure presser highlights that 6,000 letters of objection to the original proposal and 3,500 objections have been since the submission of the consolidated Environmental Statement. Paradoxically these objections arise largely from nationalists rather than unionists.
Pollster Ben Page of Ipsos Mori often refers to this kind of compartmentalised response as cognitive polyphasia. In respect of people wanting a united Ireland but unwilling to sacrifice their indvidual rights to make it happen the words of St Augustine come to mind… “Lord, make me chaste – but not yet!”
Although it may often feel like it, most Northern Ireland folks do not live in the same bubble as the standoff politics of the dominant duopoly. If there is to be a better future, these paralysing paradoxes need turning on their heads. The Belfast Agreement embodies a totality of relationships, not just NI.
The polyphasia is partly a result of politicians and governments not anteing up the full picture of what’s needed in order to make the sort of progress that voters are often desperate to see for their children and grandchildren. What’s needed in the sort of adult to adult conversation Richard referenced yesterday:
Powered by RedCircle
Future Anglo Irish (and even Scottish) relations (arguably at their worst point since the Thatcher/Haughey era) can only be improved by tighter cooperation on bringing Northern Ireland society, its economy and its climate closer both to the rest of the island, and mainland UK.
This is a contradirection to the new politics of anger, which as Profs Collier and Kay say in their new book, “thrives on grievances some well founded, others imagined or manufactured; its resentments and triumphalism are tearing societies apart”, even those they purport to want to pull together.
One ‘brave’ decision does not a summer of future investment make. But, it’s a start. It may even force others to examine their consciences. To turn Northern Ireland from a political liability into a political asset we need to use all our external relationships to improve the lives of future generations.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset with Ulster Bank either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.
Photo by anncapictures is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-19--Van the Man, or how expressive individualism is pulling us away from our obligations to each other

So Van Morrison has brought out some new tunes which include “ criticism ” of the government ’ s Covid policy .
I ’ m as much a fan as the next Ulsterman , but it seemed a good moment to reflect on the way expressive individualism is pulling us away from our obligations to each other .
Even Henry Ford understood the immense value that lies in others , “ if there is any one secret of success , it lies in the ability to get the other person ’ s point of view and see things from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from your own ” .
But our dependence on social media often blinds us in this regard .
It should be noted that artists who are considerably less well off than Van are really suffering financially ( as outlined by Ali ) so I think our politicians ought to can the outrage over this poor effort at political agitprop albeit a blatant attempt to use made-up facts to suit his personal views .
The deeper point here is that these are merely the latest expressions of a class of individualism which can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( sadly deluded ) idea that ‘ there is no such thing as society ’ , just an aggregated number of individuals that the market magics into wealth creation .
The social and economic crises that Covid has provoked challenges the ugly stridency of that notion to its core .
Nothing of any value comes down purely to the gifts of an individual ( something Van himself , as a phenomenal ensemble performer , surely knows ) , nor will solving what is surely part of a long crisis .
As Richard Ramsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview ( audio here ) on the launch of # TheReset project , “ If our elderly are on the frontline of the health emergency , our young people are on the frontline of the economic emergency.
” Our unique capacity for mutuality , may have been buried under what Paul Collier and John Kay refer to in their new book as expressive and possive indivdualism , but the covid crisis has shown it remains a pretty healthy as a social response to the breakdown of the current economic model .
“ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ is a vast web of cooperative activity sustained by mutual kindness and obligations ” .
If you think that ’ s too woolly or sentimental have a look at the Dabbawalla lunch delivery system in India .
When everything else crashes , it is most of what we are left with .
“ You never change things by fighting the existing reality .
To change something , build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
” ― R. Buckminster Fuller Photo by zhugher is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

So Van Morrison has brought out some new tunes which include “criticism” of the government’s Covid policy. I’m as much a fan as the next Ulsterman, but it seemed a good moment to reflect on the way expressive individualism is pulling us away from our obligations to each other.
Even Henry Ford understood the immense value that lies in others, “if there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own”. But our dependence on social media often blinds us in this regard.
It should be noted that artists who are considerably less well off than Van are really suffering financially (as outlined by Ali) so I think our politicians ought to can the outrage over this poor effort at political agitprop albeit a blatant attempt to use made-up facts to suit his personal views.
The deeper point here is that these are merely the latest expressions of a class of individualism which can be linked back to Margaret Thatcher’s (sadly deluded) idea that ‘there is no such thing as society’, just an aggregated number of individuals that the market magics into wealth creation.
The social and economic crises that Covid has provoked challenges the ugly stridency of that notion to its core. Nothing of any value comes down purely to the gifts of an individual (something Van himself, as a phenomenal ensemble performer, surely knows), nor will solving what is surely part of a long crisis.
As Richard Ramsey says in our Cargo of Bricks podcast interview (audio here) on the launch of #TheReset project, “If our elderly are on the frontline of the health emergency, our young people are on the frontline of the economic emergency.”
Our unique capacity for mutuality, may have been buried under what Paul Collier and John Kay refer to in their new book as expressive and possive indivdualism, but the covid crisis has shown it remains a pretty healthy as a social response to the breakdown of the current economic model.
“A healthy society”, they write, “is a vast web of cooperative activity sustained by mutual kindness and obligations”. If you think that’s too woolly or sentimental have a look at the Dabbawalla lunch delivery system in India. When everything else crashes, it is most of what we are left with.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
― R. Buckminster Fuller
Photo by zhugher is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-20--Paula Bradshaw admits to dressing up as Mr T – I pity the fool (and other politicians)…

Years ago I was at a Halloween party in Dublin and there was a guy there in an amazing outfit .
He was dressed in full Nazi Desert Warfare uniform complete with a decommissioned WW2 Luger pistol .
I got chatting with him and asked him where he hired the outfit ?
He looked a bit sheepish then admitted it was his own .
He was a history nerd and he had collected bits and pieces over the years on eBay .
One of the more curious things about WW2 reenactments is that dramatically more people like to dress up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you will .
I was thinking about the Halloween incident when I saw Paula Bradshaw ’ s tweet last night .
I imagine my reaction to the tweet was the same as most people – I laughed .
In fact , it was one of the best laughs I have had in months – it still makes me smile writing this .
To be honest I am not sure why she drew attention to it .
I have checked Twitter , Facebook and Reddit and I can ’ t find the photos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a disappointment compared to our imagination .
While the episode is pretty funny there is a deeper issue at stake here .
It chimes into our modern obsession of cancel culture and social media mobs descending on people for the most minor infractions or perceived slight .
The modern politician must be an automaton with no emotions or desires .
They should have the banalest careers possible , preferably no career and instead have worked ‘ for the party.
’ This is a serious issue as it further discourages people from getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exaggeration to say it is a major threat to democracy .
Why would any sensible person subject themselves to the potential of Nolan on one side and the Twitter mob on the other ?
I never thought I would say this , but my advice to politicians would be to be more like a certain representative for North Antrim , tell them all to f*ck off .
Politicians dramatically overestimate the importance of social media .
Social media is not your constituency .
I would go one further and advise politicians not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your sanity and get off it .
Ignore the mob , they will soon move on to their next victim .
The only thing you should concern yourself with is your constituents , not the anonymous trolls on Twitter .

Years ago I was at a Halloween party in Dublin and there was a guy there in an amazing outfit. He was dressed in full Nazi Desert Warfare uniform complete with a decommissioned WW2 Luger pistol. I got chatting with him and asked him where he hired the outfit? He looked a bit sheepish then admitted it was his own. He was a history nerd and he had collected bits and pieces over the years on eBay. One of the more curious things about WW2 reenactments is that dramatically more people like to dress up as the Nazis – make of that what you will.
I was thinking about the Halloween incident when I saw Paula Bradshaw’s tweet last night.
I imagine my reaction to the tweet was the same as most people – I laughed. In fact, it was one of the best laughs I have had in months – it still makes me smile writing this.
To be honest I am not sure why she drew attention to it. I have checked Twitter, Facebook and Reddit and I can’t find the photos anywhere. I imagine the reality will be a disappointment compared to our imagination.
While the episode is pretty funny there is a deeper issue at stake here. It chimes into our modern obsession of cancel culture and social media mobs descending on people for the most minor infractions or perceived slight.
The modern politician must be an automaton with no emotions or desires. They should have the banalest careers possible, preferably no career and instead have worked ‘for the party.’
This is a serious issue as it further discourages people from getting involved in politics – it is no exaggeration to say it is a major threat to democracy. Why would any sensible person subject themselves to the potential of Nolan on one side and the Twitter mob on the other?
I never thought I would say this, but my advice to politicians would be to be more like a certain representative for North Antrim, tell them all to f*ck off. Politicians dramatically overestimate the importance of social media. Social media is not your constituency. I would go one further and advise politicians not to do social media at all. Save your sanity and get off it.
Ignore the mob, they will soon move on to their next victim. The only thing you should concern yourself with is your constituents, not the anonymous trolls on Twitter.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-20--#TheReset Podcast – Steve Bradley on the future of Derry…

Steve Bradley is a regeneration consultant , you can follow him on Twitter .
Steve is a very popular writer on Slugger with some of his posts getting over 40k readers , you can view an archive of his posts here .
In this podcast , we discuss the future of Derry and the Northwest .
In particular , we discuss : • The future of Ulster University in Derry or lack thereof • The potential for an independent University • How Covid-19 will affect Derry , in particular , fewer people having to commute to Belfast for work • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green city by reducing car travel in the city • How Derry will need to rely on more bottom-up redevelopment Let me know what you think of the chat in the comments .
You can subscribe to Slugger Podcasts on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts or Spotify This post is part of our # TheReset series in association with Ulster Bank If you would like to get involved in # TheReset , either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .
“ gc365day243 ” by leppre is licensed under CC BY

Steve Bradley is a regeneration consultant, you can follow him on Twitter. Steve is a very popular writer on Slugger with some of his posts getting over 40k readers, you can view an archive of his posts here.
In this podcast, we discuss the future of Derry and the Northwest. In particular, we discuss:
The future of Ulster University in Derry or lack thereof
The potential for an independent University
How Covid-19 will affect Derry, in particular, fewer people having to commute to Belfast for work
The potential for Derry to become a green city by reducing car travel in the city
How Derry will need to rely on more bottom-up redevelopment
Powered by RedCircle
Let me know what you think of the chat in the comments.
You can subscribe to Slugger Podcasts on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts or Spotify
This post is part of our #TheReset series in association with Ulster Bank
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] or [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.
“gc365day243” by leppre is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-09-21--Irish government’s Covid 19 framework represents an important shift of pace…

It ’ s interesting how the framing of the Covid crisis is beginning to subtly change .
There seems to be a realisation that this is going to be long war , not a short campaign .
The news of two new Covid deaths in Northern Ireland is carried by most major titles ...
Both victims were aged between 60-79 .
One of the deaths took place in the Newry , Mourne and Down council area , and the other was in Armagh City , Banbridge and Craigavon .
A further 125 people tested positive for coronavirus in the 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DoH .
The total number of cases now stands at 9,466 , which includes 1,014 identified in the last seven days .
In mainland UK there are concerns in both Scotland and England that the testing regime will not have the capacity to deal with a new , second surge of the disease .
As the summer comes to an end , there are huge concerns about rising infection rates across Europe .
There are concerns too as to how well we have learned the lessons over what is needed to protect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health services capable of maintaining vital cancer services , and help with other life-threatening conditions .
But there are ways we are likely to be better prepared .
Most countries now have had time to stockpile PPE , hand santiser , and other mundane items that suddenly became essential ( and scarce ) early last Spring .
On top of that , Italians no longer hug , the French no longer kiss and we don ’ t shake hands .
Most of us can wash our hands ( and I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a debate on face masks amongst some , most of us now have one and have just about drilled ourselves to make sure we have it before head out to the shops .
The hysterical guessing about who is ahead of whom has abated .
The key is now going to be how to change pace to accommodate to the longevity of the community infection stage of the diseases , whilst allowing the economy to recover .
That ’ s going to be fraught with issues and problems , not least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so often in conflict .
Micheál Martin shipped a lot of criticism because on the day he announced his government ’ s medium-term ( six to nine months ) National Framework for living with Covid 19 , Dublin was told it would go to a partial lockdown .
Unfortunate timing , and a brave decision to screw it up by putting comms second to public health .
The opposition attacked the plan but in fact , it largely amounted to a criticism of the timing of the launch , so that pretty much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media began to recover its wits again and the Taoiseach made his address to the nation , and the voluble opposition has quietly rowed in behind him .
With a framework , perhaps out will go the amateur epidemiology , the random use of R numbers , the “ we ’ re all doomed ” and “ let ’ s get back to work ” brigades .
In his interview with Brendan O ’ Connor on Saturday , he emphasised the importance of resilience , flexibility , and willingness to change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re highly desirable .
As we ’ re told from an early age , nature abhors a vacuum and so do we .
Frameworks particularly matter in the present , fast-moving world in that they provide a clear space through which an emergent strategy can grow .
As Richard Wilson noted in last week ’ s Cargo Of Bricks complexity ( facing the consequences of a novel virus , and then the consequences of the consequences is complex ) can only be tackled one stage at a time and by asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and support for the population as people can afford .
In the Sunday Business Post , the former DG of the HSE Tony O ’ Brien makes a point in his criticism of Martin by saying that “ Fianna Fáil simply doesn ’ t get how news consumption has changed since it last left office ” , arguing this is because the party has “ always been pre-occupied with information control ” .
There may be something in this , but I think he may be missing how the massive quantity of news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and politicians but not necessarily the public itself which buying and listening to much less of it than in those previous times .
The Irish government ’ s shift is almost akin to the weekend ’ s time trial in the Tour de France in which most canny riders swapped their speed bikes for a road bike as they headed up towards the ski station at La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges Mountains .
There had to be a change of pace .
On Friday night , he put an end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a change of pace here too .
As with Tadej Pogačar and his team that takes time , preparation , teamwork , and reconnaissance .
And then it is a matter of seeing who has the legs over the whole race , not just one day .
Martin ’ s rating is low even by recent low levels of trust in government .
And he has a lot of tough decisions to make for a population which will not relish putting its life on hold for another six months .
Having a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar over time through its repetition ought to help , but it is how he innovates policy that will make the difference .
He faces one hell of a hill climb… let ’ s hope if only for his sake , he has the legs for it .

It’s interesting how the framing of the Covid crisis is beginning to subtly change. There seems to be a realisation that this is going to be long war, not a short campaign. The news of two new Covid deaths in Northern Ireland is carried by most major titles...
Both victims were aged between 60-79. One of the deaths took place in the Newry, Mourne and Down council area, and the other was in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. A further 125 people tested positive for coronavirus in the 24 hours until Monday, according to the DoH. The total number of cases now stands at 9,466, which includes 1,014 identified in the last seven days.
In mainland UK there are concerns in both Scotland and England that the testing regime will not have the capacity to deal with a new, second surge of the disease. As the summer comes to an end, there are huge concerns about rising infection rates across Europe.
There are concerns too as to how well we have learned the lessons over what is needed to protect the most vulnerable, can we maintain two-track health services capable of maintaining vital cancer services, and help with other life-threatening conditions.
But there are ways we are likely to be better prepared. Most countries now have had time to stockpile PPE, hand santiser, and other mundane items that suddenly became essential (and scarce) early last Spring. On top of that, Italians no longer hug, the French no longer kiss and we don’t shake hands.
Most of us can wash our hands (and I’m not being facetious), and although there’s a debate on face masks amongst some, most of us now have one and have just about drilled ourselves to make sure we have it before head out to the shops. The hysterical guessing about who is ahead of whom has abated.
The key is now going to be how to change pace to accommodate to the longevity of the community infection stage of the diseases, whilst allowing the economy to recover. That’s going to be fraught with issues and problems, not least because economic and public health needs are so often in conflict.
Micheál Martin shipped a lot of criticism because on the day he announced his government’s medium-term (six to nine months) National Framework for living with Covid 19, Dublin was told it would go to a partial lockdown. Unfortunate timing, and a brave decision to screw it up by putting comms second to public health.
The opposition attacked the plan but in fact, it largely amounted to a criticism of the timing of the launch, so that pretty much by the end of the week as the media began to recover its wits again and the Taoiseach made his address to the nation, and the voluble opposition has quietly rowed in behind him.
With a framework, perhaps out will go the amateur epidemiology, the random use of R numbers, the “we’re all doomed” and “let’s get back to work” brigades. In his interview with Brendan O’Connor on Saturday, he emphasised the importance of resilience, flexibility, and willingness to change.
All things that are not only possible they’re highly desirable. As we’re told from an early age, nature abhors a vacuum and so do we. Frameworks particularly matter in the present, fast-moving world in that they provide a clear space through which an emergent strategy can grow.
As Richard Wilson noted in last week’s Cargo Of Bricks complexity (facing the consequences of a novel virus, and then the consequences of the consequences is complex) can only be tackled one stage at a time and by asking all along the way as much help and support for the population as people can afford.
In the Sunday Business Post, the former DG of the HSE Tony O’Brien makes a point in his criticism of Martin by saying that “Fianna Fáil simply doesn’t get how news consumption has changed since it last left office”, arguing this is because the party has “always been pre-occupied with information control”.
There may be something in this, but I think he may be missing how the massive quantity of news consumption has become an obsession for journalists and politicians but not necessarily the public itself which buying and listening to much less of it than in those previous times.
The Irish government’s shift is almost akin to the weekend’s time trial in the Tour de France in which most canny riders swapped their speed bikes for a road bike as they headed up towards the ski station at La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges Mountains. There had to be a change of pace.
On Friday night, he put an end to the chatter…
There has to be a change of pace here too. As with Tadej Pogačar and his team that takes time, preparation, teamwork, and reconnaissance. And then it is a matter of seeing who has the legs over the whole race, not just one day. Martin’s rating is low even by recent low levels of trust in government.
And he has a lot of tough decisions to make for a population which will not relish putting its life on hold for another six months. Having a plan and a system that will become more familiar over time through its repetition ought to help, but it is how he innovates policy that will make the difference.
He faces one hell of a hill climb… let’s hope if only for his sake, he has the legs for it.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-21--While COVID-19 may have cut Executive and local government budgets, it has clarified their purpose –

While COVID-19 may have cut Executive and local government budgets, it has clarified their purpose – to improve the wellbeing of people across Northern Ireland…

Lauren Pennycook is a Senior Policy and Development Officer at the Carnegie UK Trust .
You can follow her on Twitter .
In the space of five short years , the landscape in Northern Ireland has transformed .
New powers have been conferred to local government ; the draft Programme for Government sought to deliver public services differently ; and the Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed .
New structures were formed and new sectors stepped up in an attempt to , in part , fill the political and policy vacuum left behind at the regional level .
With 2020 came a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return of the Northern Ireland Assembly ; and a global pandemic – which have meant far from a return to business as usual .
The commitment to put wellbeing at the centre of public services in the draft Programme for Government 2016-2021 and to , for the first time , work to outcomes – to nuance over numbers of inputs or outputs , to contribution of the Executive alongside that of a number of other sectors and stakeholders – set the Executive on a trajectory to designing public services which were strategic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on collective wellbeing is never more needed , as the Executive plans for the recovery , it can not return to 2016 when it merely hoped that a new way of designing public services would deliver new ways of working .
Why ?
Because things have moved on , in Northern Ireland , across the UK , and internationally .
Because we have much to learn from the COVID-19 crisis .
How were the ‘ barriers ’ to co-operation overcome so quickly ?
How were resources – financial and human – discovered and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer had to seek permission , or forgiveness , to collaborate effectively ?
How , at the onset , were politics , organisational priorities , and single budget lines , parked so efficiently for a common purpose ?
And , perhaps most crucial of all , how do we hold on to these ways of working , to deliver public services in a non-emergency situation ?
And so we look to 2021 , not just to the end of a calendar year which has been so challenging for so many .
But also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – to the new Programme for Government and the review of Community Planning .
To opportunities to renew , refine and re-set .
Because while COVID-19 may have cut Executive and local government budgets , it has clarified their purpose – to improve the wellbeing of people across Northern Ireland .
This purpose should be reflected in the content of the new Programme for Government and in the review of Northern Ireland ’ s 11 Community Plans .
We should see issues which were confirmed during the crisis as key to our wellbeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not necessarily measured , or treasured before .
Issues such as access to good quality greenspace ; citizens being given permission to take control in their communities ; and high quality digital public services .
The purpose should be reflected in the ways of working at both tiers of government , to capture the change in culture , skill sets and mind sets we have seen during the pandemic – working in partnership across sectors and with communities .
With 2021 comes the opportunity to go beyond merely hoping we can secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this way of including citizens in the design , and delivery , of services .
The opportunity to use all tools at the Executive ’ s disposal – legislation ; the Partnership Panel ; data and evidence ; the Joint Forum – to effectively reverse the traditional policy cycle , and put practice , from the pandemic , into policy .
The opportunity for two milestones , at two different tiers of government , to coalesce around one purpose .
And so because the pandemic has touched every part of our lives – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our communities ; our environment ; and the relationship we hold with our governments , the Executive should double down on its 2016 commitment to improve collective wellbeing .
And because the global pandemic has a local legacy , Community Planning Partnerships should reaffirm their commitment to community wellbeing in the review .
Both levels of government , their statutory partners and unusual friends , should learn , embed , extend , and , ultimately , re-set for their original purpose – to improve citizens ’ wellbeing .
This post is part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ulster Bank If you would like to get involved in # TheReset , either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] or [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .
“ Portmuck ” by Philip McErlean is licensed under CC BY-ND

Lauren Pennycook is a Senior Policy and Development Officer at the Carnegie UK Trust. You can follow her on Twitter.
In the space of five short years, the landscape in Northern Ireland has transformed. New powers have been conferred to local government; the draft Programme for Government sought to deliver public services differently; and the Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed. New structures were formed and new sectors stepped up in an attempt to, in part, fill the political and policy vacuum left behind at the regional level. With 2020 came a New Decade, New Approach; the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly; and a global pandemic – which have meant far from a return to business as usual.
The commitment to put wellbeing at the centre of public services in the draft Programme for Government 2016-2021 and to, for the first time, work to outcomes – to nuance over numbers of inputs or outputs, to contribution of the Executive alongside that of a number of other sectors and stakeholders – set the Executive on a trajectory to designing public services which were strategic and citizen-centred. And yet while a focus on collective wellbeing is never more needed, as the Executive plans for the recovery, it cannot return to 2016 when it merely hoped that a new way of designing public services would deliver new ways of working.
Why? Because things have moved on, in Northern Ireland, across the UK, and internationally. Because we have much to learn from the COVID-19 crisis. How were the ‘barriers’ to co-operation overcome so quickly? How were resources – financial and human – discovered and redirected at such speed? Who no longer had to seek permission, or forgiveness, to collaborate effectively? How, at the onset, were politics, organisational priorities, and single budget lines, parked so efficiently for a common purpose? And, perhaps most crucial of all, how do we hold on to these ways of working, to deliver public services in a non-emergency situation?
And so we look to 2021, not just to the end of a calendar year which has been so challenging for so many. But also to the opportunities which were set pre-pandemic – to the new Programme for Government and the review of Community Planning. To opportunities to renew, refine and re-set. Because while COVID-19 may have cut Executive and local government budgets, it has clarified their purpose – to improve the wellbeing of people across Northern Ireland.
This purpose should be reflected in the content of the new Programme for Government and in the review of Northern Ireland’s 11 Community Plans. We should see issues which were confirmed during the crisis as key to our wellbeing, that, while not new, were not necessarily measured, or treasured before. Issues such as access to good quality greenspace; citizens being given permission to take control in their communities; and high quality digital public services. The purpose should be reflected in the ways of working at both tiers of government, to capture the change in culture, skill sets and mind sets we have seen during the pandemic – working in partnership across sectors and with communities.
With 2021 comes the opportunity to go beyond merely hoping we can secure this leadership, this partnership working, this way of including citizens in the design, and delivery, of services. The opportunity to use all tools at the Executive’s disposal – legislation; the Partnership Panel; data and evidence; the Joint Forum – to effectively reverse the traditional policy cycle, and put practice, from the pandemic, into policy. The opportunity for two milestones, at two different tiers of government, to coalesce around one purpose.
And so because the pandemic has touched every part of our lives – our economy; the social connections in our communities; our environment; and the relationship we hold with our governments, the Executive should double down on its 2016 commitment to improve collective wellbeing. And because the global pandemic has a local legacy, Community Planning Partnerships should reaffirm their commitment to community wellbeing in the review. Both levels of government, their statutory partners and unusual friends, should learn, embed, extend, and, ultimately, re-set for their original purpose – to improve citizens’ wellbeing.
This post is part of our #TheReset series in association with Ulster Bank
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] or [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.
“Portmuck” by Philip McErlean is licensed under CC BY-ND


sluggerotoole--2020-09-22--Just when you think things can’t get any stranger, Robin Swann writes for Rolling Stone…

“ You can take all the tea in China Put in a big brown bag for me .
Sail round the seven oceans , Drop it smack dab into the deep blue sea.
” Van Morrison , Tupelo Honey Following the announcement on Monday 21 September of new NI wide restrictions on both indoor and outdoor social gatherings , I was talking with a friend .
A friend who was somewhere between despondent , cynical & despairing .
Superficial positivity , however well-intentioned , really is not my thing .
Remember the 1990s New Age “ Practice an Act of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my default setting was “ Practice an Act of Deliberate Weirdness ” .
Whatever… but to cheer-up my friend I suggested they just hang in there .
and even suggested , “ who knows , tomorrow something astonishing might happen ” I make no claims for prescience .
I was an economist by profession .
And as JK Galbraith put it “ economic forecasters exist to make astrologers look good ” But something astonishing has occurred .
Robin Swann , the Health Minister for Norn Ironland has written an op-ed piece for Rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trash and rubbishes the recent statements and tunes of Van the Man .
Yeah , I know I know , Rolling Stone is very mainstream , about as cutting edge Barry Manilow , but still … .
Robin Swann writing in Rolling Stone .
” … In an op-ed for Rolling Stone , Swann vacillates between disappointment , bemusement and anger at the new cause of one of Northern Ireland ’ s most celebrated singers .
( full link below ) “ His words will give great comfort to the conspiracy theorists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hat brigade who crusade against masks and vaccines and think this is all a huge global plot to remove freedoms.
” Though I rarely have anything complimentary to say about our local political class , in this instance Robin , you have made my day… .
maybe even lit a delicate flame to help me through the dark and weird days and months to come .
Who knows , maybe even some local politicians will issue apologies for attending Vans celebratory Cyprus Avenue gig .

“You can take all the tea in China
Put in a big brown bag for me.
Sail round the seven oceans,
Drop it smack dab into the deep blue sea.”
Van Morrison, Tupelo Honey
Splat !!!!
Following the announcement on Monday 21 September of new NI wide restrictions on both indoor and outdoor social gatherings, I was talking with a friend. A friend who was somewhere between despondent, cynical & despairing.
Superficial positivity, however well-intentioned, really is not my thing. Remember the 1990s New Age “Practice an Act of Random Kindness”? Yeah right, my default setting was “Practice an Act of Deliberate Weirdness”.
Whatever… but to cheer-up my friend I suggested they just hang in there. and even suggested, “who knows, tomorrow something astonishing might happen”
I make no claims for prescience. I was an economist by profession. And as JK Galbraith put it “economic forecasters exist to make astrologers look good”
But something astonishing has occurred. Robin Swann, the Health Minister for Norn Ironland has written an op-ed piece for Rolling Stone. Specifically, he takes to trash and rubbishes the recent statements and tunes of Van the Man. Yeah, I know I know, Rolling Stone is very mainstream, about as cutting edge Barry Manilow, but still …. Robin Swann writing in Rolling Stone.
” … In an op-ed for Rolling Stone, Swann vacillates between disappointment, bemusement and anger at the new cause of one of Northern Ireland’s most celebrated singers. (full link below) “His words will give great comfort to the conspiracy theorists,” writes Swann. “The tinfoil hat brigade who crusade against masks and vaccines and think this is all a huge global plot to remove freedoms.”
Though I rarely have anything complimentary to say about our local political class, in this instance Robin, you have made my day…. maybe even lit a delicate flame to help me through the dark and weird days and months to come.
Who knows, maybe even some local politicians will issue apologies for attending Vans celebratory Cyprus Avenue gig.
We live in interesting times.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-22--Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill make televised address over COVID-19

The First and Deputy First Minister have made a televised address following Boris Johnson .
There was nothing new announced from yesterday , it was a restatement of the message they have been giving for the past 24 hours .
The new thing was how the form of communication .
Looking back through the records ( Slugger readers will correct me if I am wrong ) this is the first time in nearly 52 years that this has happened .
A leader ( s ) of a devolved administration here giving a direct address to the public on BBC Northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister , Terence O ’ Neill speaking about the response to the growing civil rights movement and the protests .
They may not have wanted it , but Michelle and Arlene face choices and consequences are equal to those faced by O ’ Neill in December 1968 .
Forces that you don ’ t totally control and making a punt that you can appeal to the better nature of the public to follow you .
We are a COVID weary society , but then again so are our politicians .
Many of whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dealing with constituency queries and for the Executive the exciting pieces of work around investment and economic development .
Now they face a recession , mounting pressure from a weary public and the respective lobby groups who are asking for consideration for their members livelihoods .
It is a fine balancing act .
When the two leaders come together , they do so effectively .
This relationship will be hugely consequential for us all .
You can either feel anxious after a statement or feel reassured .
Oddly , despite feeling fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I feel like this will end at some point and we will come through it .
It just a question of when , not if .
None of this is easy .
I don ’ t envy any political leader making hard decisions like this , particularly when you don ’ t control all of the factors that involves this virus .
On Talkback today , William Crawley spoke about how he had just reset his expectations about this year and reconciled himself to what we can do in the present circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many ways and one thing , I am mindful of is that the boat I am sitting in is much bigger than many in our society .
There are many worried about their jobs , businesses , loved ones and futures , It is important to look after yourself during this pandemic and going back to todays Talkback there is an excellent segment on that very topic for how you can look after yourself .
( 49 mins in ) .
Watch the address , follow the guidance , do your best and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end one day

The First and Deputy First Minister have made a televised address following Boris Johnson.
There was nothing new announced from yesterday, it was a restatement of the message they have been giving for the past 24 hours. The new thing was how the form of communication. Looking back through the records (Slugger readers will correct me if I am wrong) this is the first time in nearly 52 years that this has happened. A leader(s) of a devolved administration here giving a direct address to the public on BBC Northern Ireland. The last was then Prime Minister, Terence O’Neill speaking about the response to the growing civil rights movement and the protests.
They may not have wanted it, but Michelle and Arlene face choices and consequences are equal to those faced by O’Neill in December 1968. Forces that you don’t totally control and making a punt that you can appeal to the better nature of the public to follow you. We are a COVID weary society, but then again so are our politicians. Many of whom would be quite happy to get back to dealing with constituency queries and for the Executive the exciting pieces of work around investment and economic development. Now they face a recession, mounting pressure from a weary public and the respective lobby groups who are asking for consideration for their members livelihoods.
It is a fine balancing act. When the two leaders come together, they do so effectively. This relationship will be hugely consequential for us all. You can either feel anxious after a statement or feel reassured. Oddly, despite feeling fed up and frustrated about aspects of this, I feel like this will end at some point and we will come through it. It just a question of when, not if.
None of this is easy. I don’t envy any political leader making hard decisions like this, particularly when you don’t control all of the factors that involves this virus. On Talkback today, William Crawley spoke about how he had just reset his expectations about this year and reconciled himself to what we can do in the present circumstances. We have all done this in many ways and one thing, I am mindful of is that the boat I am sitting in is much bigger than many in our society. There are many worried about their jobs, businesses, loved ones and futures, It is important to look after yourself during this pandemic and going back to todays Talkback there is an excellent segment on that very topic for how you can look after yourself. (49 mins in).
Watch the address, follow the guidance, do your best and look after yourself. This is going to end one day


sluggerotoole--2020-09-22--What are Labour for?

What are Labour for?

They are a party who haven ’ t run official candidates in NI for nearly 60 years .
Yet so much of the past century has been influenced by the once mighty Labour party .
Sir Keir Starmer is proving more popular in technocratic opinion polls , but will his virtual party leader speech made today filter through into positive headlines for the beleaguered centre-left ?
Poly Toynbee has thrown down the gauntlet to her ideological partners , calling on Labour is re-capture a sense of patriotism lost to a narrative dominating Tory party .
The much berated historian David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a victory for patriotism ” as the complexity of Brexit and moving beyond it is boiled down to that most English of arguments ; “ love of one ’ s country.
” Toynbee seems to have hit a soft spot in Tory ranks : With possibly the greatest liberal jurist of the 20th century passing away in the US this week it appears as though cultural warfare is about to be kicked up a notch .
Caselaw argued ( as an advocate ) and set ( as a judge ) by Ruth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality of life in the US and been the intellectual fuel to socially liberal flames across the English speaking world .
Again Toynbee touches on a topic here which labour could capitalise on , its united social liberalism As the US supreme court swings right , might we see threats not only to the Human Rights Act but also the Abortion Act of 1967 or to the very principles of social security on which the Labour party was founded ?
The UK doesn ’ t follow the American lead on all of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rutger Bregman admitted when interviewed on US TV , these big cultural debates in America are hugely influential in Europe .
In Scotland , the ground zero for the future of the union , the Labour party are a mere third at Holyrood .
The Newsnight policy editor conducted an interview with the little known leader there – Richard Leonard .
Instead of building up his party as a force in its once natural electoral territory he is facing an internal leadership challenge .
If Labour continue to collapse in Scotland then unionism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a ‘ Tory only ” force .
The Lib Dems still have a presence in Scotland but we shan ’ t talk about Jo Swinson ’ s seat and with it the hubris of her electoral strategy .
Now almost forgotten to posterity it was actually Gordon Brown who was much credited for restoring balance to the Scottish independence debate back in 2014 .
The old Cameronite strategy dubbed “ project fear ” scrapped the pro-union campaign across the line but failed miserably on the 2016 referendum which was of arguably even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entity .
So the question for Labour is simple , yet the solution is hard .
Continue to foster this path of “ patriotism ” which uses English nationalist rhetoric to achieve socially progressive ends or really throw themselves into the centre of the debate over the future of the union .
Past Labour leaders were enough to pacify and even persuade ‘ soft nationalist ’ voters away from constitutional change , has Starmer got what it takes to do the same ?
“ Keir Starmer QC , Director of Public Prosecutions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chatham House , London is licensed under CC BY

They are a party who haven’t run official candidates in NI for nearly 60 years. Yet so much of the past century has been influenced by the once mighty Labour party. Sir Keir Starmer is proving more popular in technocratic opinion polls, but will his virtual party leader speech made today filter through into positive headlines for the beleaguered centre-left?
Poly Toynbee has thrown down the gauntlet to her ideological partners, calling on Labour is re-capture a sense of patriotism lost to a narrative dominating Tory party. The much berated historian David Starkey called the Tory victory in December “a victory for patriotism” as the complexity of Brexit and moving beyond it is boiled down to that most English of arguments; “love of one’s country.”
Toynbee seems to have hit a soft spot in Tory ranks:
Johnson needs to keep Brexit alive as it’s all that binds his party together. Ideologically, Tories are split between austerians who regard Rishi Sunak’s furlough scheme as socialism, and pragmatists who back it as electoral necessity. Those who whooped with glee at breaking an international treaty are a separate tribe to those who were profoundly shocked at this un-Conservative disrespect for law and order.
With possibly the greatest liberal jurist of the 20th century passing away in the US this week it appears as though cultural warfare is about to be kicked up a notch. Caselaw argued (as an advocate) and set (as a judge) by Ruth Bader Ginsberg have been profound for the quality of life in the US and been the intellectual fuel to socially liberal flames across the English speaking world. Again Toynbee touches on a topic here which labour could capitalise on, its united social liberalism
..And the pandemic reopened another old [Tory] rift: between libertarians who see Covid emergency law as draconian dictatorship, and old conservatives who would regulate to save lives. Unanchored and vacillating, Johnson can’t appease all wings of his fractious, fragmenting party.
As the US supreme court swings right, might we see threats not only to the Human Rights Act but also the Abortion Act of 1967 or to the very principles of social security on which the Labour party was founded? The UK doesn’t follow the American lead on all of these issues, but as the Dutch historian Rutger Bregman admitted when interviewed on US TV, these big cultural debates in America are hugely influential in Europe.
In Scotland, the ground zero for the future of the union, the Labour party are a mere third at Holyrood. The Newsnight policy editor conducted an interview with the little known leader there – Richard Leonard. Instead of building up his party as a force in its once natural electoral territory he is facing an internal leadership challenge. If Labour continue to collapse in Scotland then unionism as a concept will be quickly seen as a ‘Tory only” force. The Lib Dems still have a presence in Scotland but we shan’t talk about Jo Swinson’s seat and with it the hubris of her electoral strategy.
Now almost forgotten to posterity it was actually Gordon Brown who was much credited for restoring balance to the Scottish independence debate back in 2014. The old Cameronite strategy dubbed “project fear” scrapped the pro-union campaign across the line but failed miserably on the 2016 referendum which was of arguably even greater significance to the union as an entity.
So the question for Labour is simple, yet the solution is hard. Continue to foster this path of “patriotism” which uses English nationalist rhetoric to achieve socially progressive ends or really throw themselves into the centre of the debate over the future of the union. Past Labour leaders were enough to pacify and even persuade ‘soft nationalist’ voters away from constitutional change, has Starmer got what it takes to do the same?
“Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service, UK” by Chatham House, London is licensed under CC BY