agendaNi issue 116 December/January 2023/2024 by bmf business services

...informing Northern Ireland’s decision-makers

Delivering a decarbonised gas network Evolve’s David Butler DAERA’s Director of Green

Head of the Northern

Chief Digital

Growth and Climate

Ireland Civil Service

Information Officer

Action Kevin Hegarty on

Jayne Brady discusses

Dan West outlines

the delivery of Northern

the economic

milestone progress

Ireland’s first carbon

opportunities of a net

on the digitalisation

budgets

zero Northern Ireland

of health and social

issue116 8 Issue

care

Health andCarbon care services Environment, waste, and water• •ICT Public affairs Tax •• Special Reports: Health

Dec/Jan Aug/Sep 2023/24 11 £2.95 €4.95 / £2.95

Annual Northern Ireland Economic Conference 2023

Host local authority

Antrim and

Newtownabbey BOROUGH COUNCIL

An agendaNi event

Wednesday 6 December ● Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick The Northern Ireland Economic Conference, now in its 28th year, is Northern Ireland’s premier economic analysis event and is unique in being the only forum that takes a high-level look at the performance of, and prospects for the local economy. It is firmly established as the annual autumn summit for Northern Ireland’s economic community, including policy makers and business leaders.

Speakers include: Paul Grocott, Deputy Secretary, Economic Strategy

Lisa Wilson, Senior Economist

Group, Department for the Economy

Nevin Economic Research Institute

Richard Baker, Chief Executive

Frank O’Donnell, Public Sector Lead

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

Microsoft Ireland

Chris Giles

Richard Rodgers, Deputy Secretary, Head of Energy

Economics Editor

Department for the Economy

Financial Times John Campbell, Economics and Business Editor BBC Northern Ireland

Helen Johnston, Senior Social Policy Analyst National Economic and Social Council

Janez Kren, Postdoctoral Research Fellow The Economic and Social Research Institute

Gareth Hetherington, Director Ulster University Economic Policy Centre

David Jordan, Lecturer in Economics, Queen’s Business School and Research Associate

Sandra McNally, Professor of Economics, University

The Productivity Institute

of Surrey, and Director, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics

Key issues to be examined by the expert speakers include: a UK and global economic outlook

a Closing skills gaps in the local economy

a Medium term economic outlook for Northern Ireland

a The cost of living crisis: Addressing the challenges

a Addressing the productivity gap

a Promoting innovation in the economy

a Impact of inflation on growing the economy

a The economic opportunity of net zero carbon technologies

a Implementing the 10X Economy strategy

a Tackling economic inactivity

W: www.nieconomic.agendani.com

E: registration@agendani.com

agendaNi Issue 116 Dec/Jan 2023/24 Digital

Events

Print Editorial

A different environment…

David Whelan, Editor david.whelan@agendani.com

As the impact of the political stalemate at Stormont culminates in

Fiona McCarthy fiona.mccarthy@agendani.com

a squeeze on public finances affecting all sectors, not least a health service that has long been on its knees, the need for transformative change has never been so necessary. This decision-making inertia is not new for the region, and the lasting impacts are evident. For this reason, the enactment of the Climate Change Act in June 2022 was hugely significant. As well as setting statutory targets, which it is worth noting were ambitiously stretched as a result of a Private Member’s Bill and

Ciarán Galway ciaran.galway@agendani.com Odrán Waldron odran.waldron@agendani.com Joshua Murray joshua.murray@agendani.com Circulation and Marketing Lynda Millar lynda.millar@agendani.com

pressure from some of the smaller parties, the Act established the

Events

legally binding requirement to publish Northern Ireland’s first three

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carbon budgets by the end of 2023. Advertising

Even in the absence of political decision-making, each economic sector will be forced to acknowledge its emission ceiling, not just by

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2050, but in consecutive five-year cycles from now until then.

Design

It is unfortunate that the absence of an Executive has and will

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continue to delay Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan, but the publication of carbon budgets at the very least will force a

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significant change in the region’s relationship with carbon and

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create some opportunities in addressing the greatest crisis of our

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lifetimes. Transformation, despite political stalemate, is a thread which runs

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throughout this edition. Evolve Director David Butler features in the

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cover story, discussing the significant progress in decarbonising the region’s gas network. Equally, alongside a detailed report on the challenges of addressing the environmental crisis, the Department of Health’s Dan West outlines major milestones in the digitalisation of health and social care. Within our public affairs analysis, we look at what the big two

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parties are saying at their annual conferences. David Whelan Editor

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Digital

Events

contents

Cover story 04 08 39

Matters arising

Quoteworthy

Issues

Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady on the economic opportunities of net zero

PSNI appoints new Chief Constable Jon Boutcher

Cover story: Evolve Director David Butler on delivering a decarbonised gas network

Invest NI ‘reform and repurposing’

Student mobility on the island of Ireland

Environment, waste, and water 40

DAERA Director of Green Growth and Climate Action Kevin Hegarty

European Commission’s Patrick Child outlines European environment priorities

Alliance MLA John Blair discusses the need for an independent EPA

Clare Pillman discusses managing Wales’ natural resources

Sustainable water: Progress and challenges

IEEP’s Antoine Oger outlines progress of the European Green Deal’s implementation

94 69

106

Health and care services 70 74 80 84 90 92 94

Department of Health’s Dan West on digitalising the health service Winter preparedness The state of the health estate Benchmarking Northern Ireland’s healthcare performance Transforming the social care model Underinvestment and waiting list growth SDLP MLA Mark Durkan on addressing mental ill health

Public affairs 97 98 100 104 105 106 108

New Shadow Secretary of State Hilary Benn MP DUP conference analysis Sinn Féin ard fheis report Electronic voting and the Northern Ireland Assembly Trade Union Desk: John O’Farrell Political platform: Alliance’s Sian Mulholland MLA Back page: UCL’s Alan Renwick and Conor J Kelly: Northern Ireland needs care and attention

matters arising

ECONOMY

Stormont on course for £450 million overspend Based on the assumption that there are no pay rises for public sector employees, Stormont is on course for an overspend of £450 million in the 2023/24 financial year, according to the most senior civil servant in the Department of Finance. Neil Gibson, the Department’s Permanent Secretary, has warned that if a pay rise is implemented on the same scale as other parts of the United Kingdom, that this deficit will rise to over £1 billion. In the 2022/23 financial year, Stormont overspent £300 million, money which has been subsidised by the British Government. However, this must be repaid using any future in-year funds

allocated to Northern Ireland by the British Government through the Barnett formula. Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris MP has told the UK Parliament that he has granted “flexibility” on the repayment of last year’s overspend. “I am committing any future in-year Barnett consequentials for 2023/24 to repaying the reserve claim. Should this not amount to £297 million, I will work with HM Treasury to reallocate funding from previously announced Northern Ireland funding packages, with the residual to be repaid in 2024/25,” HeatonHarris said in April 2023.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Invest NI appoints new Chief Executive Kieran Donoghue, a senior figure at IDA Ireland, the Republic’s foreign direct investment agency, will assume the role of Chief Executive of Invest NI in 2024. Donoghue will take over from Interim Chief Executive Mel Chittock, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Kevin Holland in December 2021. He faces the task of rebuilding confidence in Invest NI, after a review earlier in 2023, led by Michael Lyons, found “profound divisions” at the top of the organisation. A graduate of University College Cork, he also studied at the University of Toronto and Boston College before becoming an advisor for Forfás, the Irish Government’s advisory body for economic development.

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He has spent the last 21 years working for IDA Ireland, serving the past nine years as the organisation’s global head of strategy, public policy, and international financial services. Donoghue said: “I am delighted to take up this very important role. I look forward to working with the staff of Invest NI, the board, the business community and our many stakeholders, as we pivot Invest NI to deliver the recently launched action plan in response to the Independent Review of Invest NI.” In addition to the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Invest NI is also due to appoint a new chair by 30 November 2023.

matters arising

H E A LT H

Suicide prevention strategy extended Protect Life 2, a long-term strategy for reducing suicides and the incidence of self-harm with action delivered across a range of government departments, agencies, and sectors, has been extended until the end of 2027, despite failing to deliver its targets. Originally set as a long-term strategy to 2024, Protect Life 2 aimed to reduce the suicide rate in Northern Ireland by 10 per cent in five years and target improvement of prevention services in areas where the suicide and self-harm rates are highest. The most recent statistics available for deaths by suicide in Northern Ireland, released by NISRA in November 2022, show that there were 237 suicide deaths registered in Northern Ireland in 2021. This is the highest number since 2015 and represents

an increase of 18 (8.2 per cent) from the 219 suicide deaths registered in 2020. The extended strategy makes use of targeted intervention such as training for health and social care staff and people working in the community, self-harm referral from emergency departments, self-harm case management, improving risk management within mental health services, screening in health and substance misuse services, and supporting recovery in those who have made suicide attempts. The Department of Health has stated that a review focusing on an action plan for the strategy will be undertaken during winter 2023/24.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

NISRA: Reporting to be suspended or reduced In response to increasing financial pressure and the need for savings across Executive departments, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) is to reduce its statistical output. NISRA’s budget has been scaled back by around 20 per cent for the current financial year following Chris Heaton-Harris’s budget which has introduced real terms spending reduction to all but two Stormont departments.

The report by NISRA also states that the quarterly economic output report, the NI Composite Economic Index (NICEI), will be reduced from 19 pages to around five pages. Similar changes will be made in the quarterly statistical publications for manufacturing, services, construction, and employment. Furthermore, a separate retail sales report will be suspended and the details folded into the general services report.

One of the consequences is that NISRA has reallocated staff to focus on revenue earning work such as contracts with the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).

agenda matters

matters arising

ECONOMY

10-year plan to ‘increase value of tourism’ The Department for the Economy (DfE) has launched a public consultation on a draft Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland which outlines a 10-year plan to grow the tourism sector to over one and a half times its pre-covid value. The DfE states that the draft strategy sets out a vision that “seeks to establish Northern Ireland as a year-round world class destination which is renowned for its authentic experiences, landscape, heritage and culture and which benefits communities, the economy and the environment, with sustainability at its core”. Pre-Covid, the tourism sector was an economic flagship for Northern Ireland, having achieved growth of 46 per cent in just six years and reaching £1 billion in revenue.

A recovery action plan published in May 2021 set out ambitions for a full recovery by the end of 2024 and the new decade-long draft strategy is now aiming to increase the value of tourism to the Northern Ireland economy by between 50 and 75 per cent compared to 2019. The strategy is part of the wider auspices of the 10X Economic Strategy, the stated objective of which is to “help position the region internationally” as an attractive place to visit, making visitors to Northern Ireland welcome whilst at the same time helping to make the lives better of all our citizens. The public consultation is open until 12 January 2024.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Tánaiste aims to ‘build reconciliation’ At the Fianna Fáil ard fheis on 4 November 2023, Tánaiste and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, said that “one of the great challenges for this generation remains building a lasting peace and reconciliation on our island”.

a united Ireland remains an objective of Fianna Fáil, he has since denied that the Shared Island Initiative was a “Trojan Horse” for reunification, pointing out: “Many of these projects were committed to by both governments 10, 15, 25 years ago.”

Outlining his belief that the Shared Island Initiative, a series of infrastructure investments by the Irish Government in Northern Ireland, “represents the first time in our history that sustained work is being done”, the Fianna Fáil leader said that, under the initiative’s three strands of dialogue, research and investment, it is “deepening understanding on our island and showing what we can achieve by engagement and cooperation”.

However, Martin has rejected a proposal by Northern Ireland Junior Minister Steve Baker MP for a ‘supermajority’ vote being a prerequisite for a united Ireland, saying that it is “not right” for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement to be changed. “You cannot rewrite agreements on the hoof. These are very fundamental constitutional agreements that were endorsed by the people of the island.”

Although the Tánaiste stated in his ard fheis speech that

agenda matters

“They are an assertion of primacy by certain groups – primarily Islamists – of the kind we are more used to seeing in Northern Ireland.” Suella Braverman MP on pro-Palestine protests in London, speaking before she was sacked as Home Secretary.

“Of course it would be better if there were a government up and running.” United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, who led a trade delegation visiting Northern Ireland.

“Would anyone here really want a 50 per cent plus one united Ireland result in Northern Ireland…? Northern Ireland Junior Minister Steve Baker MP stating his preference for a ‘supermajority’ vote being required in a unity referendum.

“Unfortunately it feels like the PSNI is operating at the moment in something of a goldfish bowl.” New PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. agenda quoteworthy

issues agenda

Back to the future: The opportunities of a net zero Northern Ireland Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady says that alongside the economic opportunity, the societal and environmental necessity for achieving a net zero future for Northern Ireland is of “paramount importance”. Highlighting the parallels of heavy flooding across certain counties, just days after Northern Ireland played host to what has been described as the most influential business delegation ever to visit from the US, Brady states: “The climate crisis and the net zero opportunities are real and here today.” The Head of the Civil Service acknowledges the scale of the challenge which exists. The Climate Change Act mandated a 48 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (from the 1990 baseline), meaning that emission reduction in the next seven years will need to be equivalent to or greater than what has been achieved in the past 33 years. The Act also mandated the introduction of Northern Ireland’s first three carbon budgets by the end of December 2023. With draft budgets currently open to public consultation. Brady says: “It will be no surprise to hear that we are not on track to deliver the carbon

agenda issues

issues agenda

budget reductions for 2023. However, we must find ways to accelerate our progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a fundamental part of which is accelerating the delivery of the vision in the energy strategy.” The Head of the Civil Service says that the complexity and scale of the task cannot be understated but adds: “The prize for achieving net zero is massive. The opportunities arising from solving energy decarbonisation have the potential to return the region to being a powerhouse of these islands just like it was 100 years ago. “Importantly, the skills that we need to do this are similar to those that we demonstrated back then. Innovation is in our DNA, and it is truly ‘back to the future’.” While addressing the climate crisis is a major pillar of the push for decarbonisation, an equal driving force, according to Brady is the need to move away from Northern Ireland’s dependence on importing energy, specifically fossil fuels. Describing the region as a “hostage to fortune”, Brady says “we need to become a ‘price maker’ for all of the energy that we use here and pay a fair price for the renewable energy that we produce locally”. Brady acknowledges that the transition away from fossil fuels will be disruptive and describes the economic impact of the transition on consumers as a legitimate concern. “We must find ways to support affected communities and industry during this transition to renewable energy – it must be a just transition, leaving no one behind,” she says.

“Without a just transition, vulnerable and marginalised people and communities may experience a downside in the net zero pathway rather than benefit in the upside of a more vibrant economy, higher value jobs, more affordable energy, and the eradication of fuel poverty. “Behavioural change is notoriously difficult, and we must find ways to incentivise and facilitate these changes on a massive scale. We need both the carrot and the stick.” On the economic potential of net zero, Brady believes that “public, private, and academic collaboration” is the key to unlocking the region’s great potential, while also increasing the health and prosperity of society. “The responsibility for us all is to find the ways to collectively overcome the political, economic, and environmental challenges to progress our energy future. This requires new thinking about how we do business and how we promote our excellent resources and local talent. “At present, we have a competitive edge in many key areas, and we must continue to build on that to stay ahead of the competition.” Developing solutions to meet decarbonisation target presents a massive economic opportunity, but one that needs acted on urgently, the Head of NICS says. Stressing that the opportunity is one that will not wait, and which will not return again, she concludes: “Twenty-five years on from the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the coming years must all be about seizing the opportunity to make everyone here healthier and more prosperous.”

agenda issues

issues agenda

Jon Boutcher named as new PSNI Chief Constable Credit: Bedfordshire Police.

Following a series of crises for policing in Northern Ireland, Jon Boutcher now finds himself with the unenviable task of restoring confidence as he assumes the role of Chief Constable of the PSNI. Boutcher had already been serving as Interim Chief Constable following the resignation of his predecessor, Simon Byrne, becoming the PSNI’s sixth Chief Constable and fourth English officer to land the post. The 58-year-old has over 35 years’ experience in policing, and was an unsuccessful applicant to the role of Chief Constable in 2019. He had also previously applied to lead the Metropolitan Police after the resignation of Cressida Dick in 2022 but he was unsuccessful in that process. His most senior role to date was Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police. A force with less than 20 per cent of officers and budget of the PSNI. He held the role from 2015 to 2019.

budget of £800 million, however the prospect of reducing neighbourhood policing numbers and detectives looms for Boutcher as he takes this new office. Unless the money can be found, which looks unlikely with no Stormont return in the near future, then there will be an inevitable need to shrink the size of the PSNI. At first glance, this may not even be an unsatisfactory prospect for many members of the public. Public confidence in the PSNI has been beset by significant data breaches, botched investigations into officer conduct, pandemic restriction implementation, and the significant public outcry at how the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe, officially classified

Boutcher also notably led the Operation Kenova team, which conducted a series of independent historical investigations which cast doubt upon which competing British intelligence cohort ran the agent known as Stakeknife.

as an accident, was investigated.

In 2005, he was the lead detective in the investigation into the 7/7 bombings which killed 52 people on London’s transport system.

government is in place in Northern Ireland, the

Boutcher faces an uphill task to restore confidence to a policing organisation which is facing a spending gap of £52 million, in response to which he has pledged that he will be “lobbying at every level to make sure the PSNI gets the funding it deserves”.

With no Minister of Justice in place due to the

Currently, the PSNI has around 7,000 officers and a

done in accordance with rules and guidelines”.

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Boutcher was selected over the only other applicant for the role, Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton. In normal circumstances, when a devolved Policing Board’s selection would be sent to the devolved Justice Minister for final approval.

ongoing power sharing impasse, Heaton-Harris assumed responsibility for signing off on the appointment. He had no influence on the choice but had to be “satisfied that the process was fair and

issues agenda

Simon Byrne was forced to resign as PSNI Chief Constable following a series of crises within the police service.

Series of crises

Political reaction

Boutcher takes over an organisation which has come under intense scrutiny for a number of failings, with both public confidence and staff morale low.

Boutcher’s appointment has been broadly welcomed by Northern Ireland’s political parties:

Under the ill-fated leadership of his predecessor Simon Byrne, the PSNI was responsible for a number of data breaches, including one which compromised more than 10,000 of the PSNI’s staff in an error made during a response to a freedom of information request. In December 2020, Byrne issued an apology over the PSNI’s “unfair and discriminatory” actions in Derry on 6 June 2020, after more than 70 fines were issued for breaches of lockdown rules over a Black Lives Matter protest. This was in contrast with a Protect our Veterans rally in Belfast the following week in which no fixed penalty notices were issued. Byrne also caused controversy six months into his leadership when he posed for a Christmas Day photo in front of the PSNI station in Crossmaglen with police officers holding assault rifles. He faced criticism for being “insensitive to the local community” and later issued an apology. Byrne was further thwarted by a ruling in August 2022 in which a High Court found that two PSNI officers had been “unlawfully disciplined” following an arrest made on suspicion of disorderly behaviour at a commemoration in February 2021 of the February 1992 Sean Graham bookmakers attack. The man arrested was later released without charge. The court stated that disciplinary action had been undertaken to allay any threat of Sinn Féin withdrawing its support for the PSNI. Byrne fended off calls to resign initially and publicly, but later privately resigned.

Michelle O’Neill MLA, Sinn Féin, posting on X: “Wishing Jon Boutcher well on his appointment as new Chief Constable. Huge job of work ahead to rebuild trust and confidence in the police with public and PSNI officers.” Jeffrey Donaldson MP, DUP: “Now that there is much-needed continuity within the PSNI senior command, it is essential that we see a renewed commitment on the part of the Government to provide policing with the additional resource it needs to tackle the serious challenges facing our communities head on.” John Blair MLA, Alliance Party: “I congratulate John Boutcher on his appointment to Chief Constable and wish him every success in the position. There is no doubt it is a challenging role but one I hope he is able to make a success of. Amongst the most pressing issues facing the PSNI are an extremely stretched budget and workforce, as well as increasing community confidence again following a series of high profile incidents.” In a statement, Boutcher, who will receive an annual salary of £220,000, said: “This position carries great responsibility and is a huge privilege. I look forward to leading the dedicated officers of this exceptional organisation. “There is much to do and I am fully committed to delivering an outstanding policing service to address the issues which matter most to our communities. The officers and staff of the police service do an extraordinary job and will have my full support.”

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cover story

Delivering a decarbonised gas network Following the first direct to grid injection of biomethane into a gas network anywhere on the island of Ireland, Director of Evolve, David Butler, talks to David Whelan about the expansion of the west’s gas grid and the pathway to decarbonisation. Describing the rebrand of SGN Natural Gas to Evolve as “the next logical” step, Director David Butler explains that the new name is designed to better encapsulate the organisation’s steady progress from an expanding gas distribution company, to one with ambitions for a fully renewable network before the end of the decade. Evolve, the newest of Northern Ireland’s three gas distribution companies, recently delivered the injection of biomethane, a 100 per cent renewable energy fuel source, to the County Tyrone town of Dungannon, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards net zero for Northern Ireland’s gas infrastructure. Butler believes that Evolve’s “tangible and demonstrable” injection and connection of biomethane to homes in the Dungannon area will not only serve as a springboard for the further expansion and decarbonisation of its own network in the west of Northern Ireland, but the beginning of a transformative journey for the whole gas industry.

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Gas to the west Butler served as SGN Natural Gas’ Head of Engineering when construction of the network commenced in November 2015. Live gas reached the gates of Strabane in February 2017, allowing LacPatrick Dairies Ltd to become the first connected commercial customer. The network expansion continued into the suburbs of Strabane, with the first domestic customer being connected in August 2017. Growing a network in the remainder of the west presented significant challenges, including laying over 250km of mains pipeline and crossing over 50 rivers. All of these challenges were successfully overcome by mid-2019, enabling the company to bring gas to the doors of almost 27,000 customers in the towns of Coalisland, Cookstown, Derrylin, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Magherafelt, and Omagh. Additional obstacles were presented in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war from 2022. However, such hurdles

have not stopped the company from successfully connecting 4,000 customers to date, creating a clear pathway for a transformative target of 40,000 customers to be delivered by 2040, something that Butler describes as a source of pride. “The Gas to the West project was created to address a recognised regional imbalance, which existed through the creation of the Phoenix Energy network in the east and then the more centrally located Firmus Energy licence area. Historically, the west of Northern Ireland, with its relative rurality and dispersed demographics, has been underinvested. As a result, fuel poverty, which is a challenge across the whole of Northern Ireland, is demonstrably worse in the west. “The establishment and expansion of Evolve’s gas network, supported by the Northern Ireland Executive, is a major success story for households and businesses in the west. Gas not only provides an instantaneous means to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by upwards of 40 per cent, but also moves away from the upfront costs associated

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“Our focus is on offering people a safe and clean fuel to heat their homes, while reducing their carbon footprint.”

with the use of oil or solid fuels,” he says. “In addition to these environmental benefits, the development of our network provides businesses in the west with competitive opportunities in a global context, while also being able to create employment in areas where, typically, people were leaving every morning to travel to work elsewhere. “Ultimately, the largest and most significant benefit of the network goes beyond the immediate gains. It paves the

way for complete decarbonisation of heating in the long term, aligning perfectly with our vision of a fully renewable network. Our commitment to working sustainably, prioritising people’s wellbeing, fostering continuous innovation, and educating all stakeholders underpins our role as leaders in this transformative endeavour.”

Renewable Butler readily acknowledges that while natural gas is significantly less carbon-

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intensive than burning oil, its status as a fossil fuel means that it cannot be a fuel of the future. The strategy being led by Butler aligns with that of Northern Ireland Executive, with its Energy Strategy detailing the prominent role of gas in the pathway to net zero, thereby enabling consumers to spend less of the region’s carbon budget on an incremental basis, with little to no change to current infrastructure, and ultimately providing a pathway to net zero for decarbonised heat. In October 2022, Northern Ireland’s five gas network operators launched a joint plan to fully decarbonise the region’s gas network by 2050, emphasising their belief that decarbonising the gas rather than changing the heating system will offer nearly 550,000 homes in Northern Ireland an affordable transition to net zero with minimal disruption.

Biomethane Underpinning the report is research carried out by Queen’s University Belfast, which highlights that Northern Ireland’s large agriculture sector alone has the potential to provide feedstock for biomethane production to meet over 80 per cent of the region’s current gas distribution network demand. Speaking about the significance of the first injection of biomethane into the Evolve network, in collaboration with Granville Eco Park, Butler says: “This groundbreaking milestone underscores the pivotal role of the gas network in decarbonising Northern Ireland. While we, and others, have continuously highlighted the pathway that exists to decarbonisation, having tangible and demonstrable use of biomethane in the grid, with no disruption to the consumer, marks a historic moment in our collective journey.” Currently, around 1,000m3 per hour of biomethane enters the siloed gas network in Dungannon, 24 hoursa-day, seven days-a-week. Importantly, the renewable network is backed up by gas from the transmission pipeline should it be required, providing security of supply. Discussing the ability to scale up biomethane injection, the Director says, “The Queen’s University Belfast research points to the potential of more than 6 TWh of biomethane available from the specific feedstocks of slurry and spare silage. Demand on the total distribution system for Northern Ireland is around 8 TWh, so there is evidence that with enhanced generation, through biomethane from waste, for example, a fully renewable gas system is completely viable.” The Director explains that Northern Ireland’s gas distribution companies will soon, as a collective, launch a request for information and stakeholder engagement with developers, a process he anticipates could generate significant interest while also emphasising the huge potential of biomethane in the Republic of Ireland.

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"Having tangible and demonstrable use of biomethane in the grid, with no disruption to the consumer, marks a historic moment in our collective journey.”

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Support

Education

While Butler is confident that the gas system is capable of being fully renewable, a key to success will be the increase of biomethane produced through anaerobic digestion. The Evolve Director believes that increased generation will require government support.

Butler emphasises that economic advantages to creating indigenous energy are one of the key strands of Evolve’s work on stakeholder engagement. Beyond onshore wind, Northern Ireland imports most of its energy in the form of fossil fuels. Recent price spikes, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have served to emphasise the benefits of indigenous energy generation in relation to cost and security of supply, however, Butler believes more needs to be done.

“To date, there is nowhere in Europe that has successfully launched a biomethane regime that has not had some form of support. We are conscious that supports are challenging in the current political and financial environment here in Northern Ireland, however, we are also adamant that we will not reach net zero if investments are not made,” he says. Explaining what such support might look like, Butler says that a variety of options are available to policymakers but ultimately, any policy must incentivise the creation and injection into the grid, while making it easier for businesses to buy biomethane for heat. “If we want to get to the point where we have large volumes of renewable gas coming onto the system, then some form of subsidy will be required to maximise that generation. Biomethane not only has a huge future role in the heat and transport industries, but it can also be a catalyst for transforming agriculture emissions.” Agriculture is Northern Ireland’s largest greenhouse gas-emitting sector, disproportionately more so than in Britain. Butler highlights that the production of biomethane and ultimately, injection of renewable gas on the grid, represents a viable route to market for agricultural waste. While still in its infancy, discussions have also been ongoing on how enhancing anaerobic digestion at plants across the region could underpin the creation of an indigenous industry. “Currently, we import fertiliser, manufactured through fossil fuels, from other countries but the potential exists to create our own sustainable bio industry, not only reducing the carbon intensity of current farming processes but ensuring that money stays within our local economy and local communities.”

“I believe that we as energy providers have a huge role in helping the consumer understand the lasting benefits transitioning to gas, and subsequently renewable gas, can have. We also have a role in addressing some of the challenges that exist around proven technologies and around future pathways. “However, I also believe that the government has a role as an honest broker in promoting the technologies which are tangible and viable. To ensure a just transition for all, the path to net zero must be affordable and equitable for everyone in Northern Ireland. For example, while electrification will play a huge role in Northern Ireland’s decarbonisation journey, the electrification of heat in its entirety would require wholesale changes to current infrastructure, all at considerable cost to the consumer. “It would also require a system whereby security of supply for periods of low generation would only be guaranteed through high levels of curtailment as the norm.

“Biomethane offers the most practical solution for decarbonising the distribution side of gas networks in the short-tomedium term. Hydrogen, although a longterm option, is still at the research and development stage, requiring completion of the ongoing groundwork to underpin its use. We are in the fortunate position whereby all three of Northern Ireland’s gas distribution networks are very modern and would be in a position to meet that transition, when it is approved.”

Future Concluding on his overall vision for Evolve in the coming years, Butler says that while the company remains relatively new, the new brand will help reinforce its ambition for a renewable gas system for the west. “Our focus is on offering people a safe and clean fuel to heat their homes, while reducing their carbon footprint,” he explains. “We hope to exceed the Utility Regulator target for the number of connected dwellings and businesses set out in our GD23 Price Control to 2028, but also maximise the levels of biomethane injected into the grid and enable our larger customers to access a decarbonised network. “Going back to why this project first began, our aim is to ensure that people and businesses in the west are not disadvantaged to their counterparts in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, or in Europe. We are now in a unique position where biomethane presents an opportunity for our customers to leap ahead in terms of a fully decarbonised journey.”

David Butler David Butler was appointed Director of Evolve (formerly SGN Natural Gas) in October 2020, having previously served as Head of Engineering for over five years. Prior to this, Butler worked for Phoenix Natural Gas as an asset manager for almost 20 years. Butler holds a BEng in chemical engineering and a MSc in engineering computing from Queen’s University Belfast. Born in County Tipperary and living in Dundrod, County Antrim, Butler is an active sportsman who enjoys running, mountain biking, and adventure racing. A member of Mallusk Harriers, he is also a camogie coach at Glenavy GAC, where both of his daughters play.

cover story

issues agenda

Super-parity targeted in public finance squeeze The introduction of prescription charges, water charges, and increasing university tuition fees are all measures being considered in an ostensible attempt to improve the financial outlook for public services in Northern Ireland. In the 2022/23 budget settlement, Northern Ireland received almost £13 billion in its block grant, as per the Barnett formula. However, a further £1.3 billion was awarded through non-Barnett additions, regional rates, and treasury reserve. It is estimated that the region receives around 20 per cent more per head than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK. The launch of the consultation can be interpreted as a thinly masked move by the Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris MP to recover some of his Government’s spending, essentially aligning Northern Ireland with Great Britain on economic spend from central government. If implemented in full, measures suggested in the Department of Finance’s consultation could raise an additional £700 million, however, full implementation is very unlikely. The fiscal sustainability of Northern Ireland public finances has been brought into sharp focus by political instability and sustained high inflation, but challenges have been long-standing, underpinned by a large public sector, relatively low household income levels, and the legacy of the ‘Troubles’. The Department of Finance projects that some £2.3 billion is required to mitigate the impact of inflation on day-to-spending to ensure 2023/24 and 2024/25 services could be delivered as per 2021/22. 16

agenda issues

A strong case has been made in recent years for increasing the fiscal devolution for Northern Ireland, however, any move would require Executive approval. In the meantime, the Secretary of State has directed all department public secretaries to launch public consultations on measures to support budget sustainability by raising additional revenue, with the Department of Finance providing an overarching document set out the financial context for the consultations. The Secretary of State has now directed departments to consult on:

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA): 1. Reducing compensation rate on bovine tuberculosis programme. 2. Increasing College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) tuition fees to the same level as in England.

Department for the Economy (DfE): 1. Increasing university tuition fees and aligning the student loan repayment period to the same level as in England.

issues agenda

Department of Finance Permanent Secretary Neil Gibson speaking at the revenue raising stakeholder event in Belfast.

Department of Finance (DoF): 1. The review of non-domestic rating support schemes, including non-domestic vacant property relief, industrial de-rating, freight transport relief, and the exemption for student halls of residence. 2. The removal of domestic ratings allowances, including the early payment discount, the maximum capital value cap and the landlords’ allowance.

Department of Health (DoH): 1. The introduction of prescription charges. 2. The introduction of domiciliary care charges. 3. The retention of hospital car parking charges.

Department for Infrastructure (DfI): 1. The introduction of domestic water and associated charges (this should also include the removal of non-domestic water allowances and charging for septic tank desludging). 2. The increase of private street fees. Policy divergence between Great Britain in Northern Ireland, often referred to as ‘superparity’ was analysed in 2022 by the Northern Ireland Fiscal Commission, which outlined the associated costs for each department. Superparity refers to areas where Northern Ireland has made policy decisions to diverge from central policy, and therefore forgo certain streams of revenue or spend differently, compared to other parts of the UK.

It is mainly these areas that are set to be targeted in an revenue raising decisions. However, senior economists have said that super-parity is one of the most misrepresented areas of public finances in Northern Ireland, mainly, because it also experiences sub-parity where spending lags the rest of the UK, for example, around childcare provision. Alongside the consultation on aspects of fiscal sustainability, the Department of Finance has also asked for views on the removal of a range of domestic and non-domestic rates relief. The Secretary of State is legally required to set the regional rate for 2024/25 if no Executive is in place by March 2024. Domestic and non-domestic rates raise around £1.37 billion annually, 45 per cent of which is funded by domestic rating, with the regional rating providing approximately 4 per cent of the Executive’s public spending. There are seven proposals to changes to rate reliefs, including the removal of three domestic reliefs, namely, the 4 per cent early payment discount, the maximum capital value cap valued at more than £400,000, and a 10 per cent landlords’ allowance of rates on rented property which is paid in full by the 30 September. Whether or not the measures being consulted on will ever come to pass is debatable, however, undeniable is an evident push by the UK Government to reduce any special financial arrangements for Northern Ireland economy, over other devolved regions. Cynics might point to the move by the Secretary of State as the latest evolution of his attempts to force an end to the Stormont deadlock.

agenda issues

Empowering local government in Northern Ireland

NILGA full members at the AGM held in June 2023 held in Seamus Heaney HomePlace.

Alison Allen, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), outlines the difficult line local government often has to walk between risk management and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity. As a public servant in Northern Ireland for

not matched this genuine sentiment, and

I am always immensely proud of what we do to

impacted delivery.

many years, most recently in local government, deliver for this region. Almost without

exception, I have worked with public servants who are genuinely motivated to do their best for citizens and businesses.

But equally, there have been too many

occasions over the years where actions have

unnecessary bureaucracy has negatively I often ask myself how we got to this point and what if we could really enable an environment

where the passion, creativity, and innovation of our public servants can thrive with an

appropriate but not overburdensome approach to the management of risk.

Early in my tenure in NILGA, I attended a conference with senior representatives from across the public sector in Northern Ireland, and our collective leadership agenda for the future was being discussed. Almost exclusively, those in the room wanted public service delivery to improve and could identify the challenges that needed to be overcome in delivering that change. The discussion started to move towards the checks and balances that need to be in place to manage public money, and very quickly the mood in the room became more deflated with references to the requirements of auditors. Then, out of the blue, a very senior auditor said to the room, “when has my organisation ever told you not to take a risk?” and the room was silent because the answer was “never”. What this senior auditor was communicating was that it was about managing risk and that, somehow, aversion to risk is starting to dominate our thinking. The Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) has been at the forefront in trying to understand these issues and, in June 2023, published A Good Practice Guide for the Public Sector – Innovation and Risk Management. Having surveyed 111 public sector organisations, they cited the following as the main barriers to innovation in the public sector: •

the risk of failure and being held to account;

•

risk appetite to innovate;

•

organisational capacity and capability; and

•

uncertainty and short-termism.

With the main enablers of innovation identified as: •

leadership;

•

organisational culture;

•

organisational capacity and capability; and

•

the willingness to collaborate with others/partnership.

As public servants, I am sure we all recognise those barriers, but if you look at the main enablers, it is glaringly obvious that local government delivers on those day in and day out, with its culture of creativity and innovation. From the emergency Covid-19 response in supporting vulnerable residents with food parcels, and the delivery of

Alison Allen, NILGA Chief Executive showcasing the work of councils in Northern Ireland, alongside colleagues from across the UK, at the recent APSE National Seminar in Belfast.

inaugural community plans, city and growth deals for Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, and mid-south west, to finding solutions to the global problems of climate change, councils have been leading the way. Elected members in local government deliver consistently every day for their communities, despite periods of wider regional political instability in Northern Ireland, with the support of the ‘can do’ attitude of local government officers. The closeness of both elected members and local government officers to the people they serve is unique in public service terms, delivering an intimate understanding of what individuals, families, communities, and businesses need to thrive. Motivated by this unique connection to the people we serve, local government consistently leaves no stone unturned in collaborating and forming partnerships with all sectors to deliver for citizens. The continuing challenges we face as a society are significant, whether that be public service financial pressure, the cost-of-living crisis, post-Brexit delivery, evolving legislative and regulatory requirements, the climate emergency, or rapidly increasing digitisation. It has never been more important to empower councils in Northern Ireland with all of the necessary statutory powers to deliver on their role as custodians of place, and the Northern Ireland Assembly must deliver on the

outstanding legislation and regulations that are crucial to enhancing councils’ service delivery. There is no doubt public service finances are under some of the most significant pressures there have been for some time. The cost-of-living pressures affecting our communities are affecting councils as well. But this means it is even more important to be courageous and challenge ourselves to do more with less. Local governments’ track record of delivery with agility, flexibility, and high levels of accountability, and democratic oversight should be an inspiration to the rest of public service, and if given our place as valued partners, we can provide solutions to some of the challenges we collectively face. As a professional, I value selfawareness and a growth mindset as one of the key attributes in public service. As public sector leaders, we must demonstrate the courage to understand what we know and what we do not know and have the openness to surround ourselves with the best minds from all sectors to co-create the best outcomes for citizens.

T: 028 9079 8972 E: office@nilga.org W: www.NILGA.org X: @NI_LGA

issues agenda

‘Reform and repurposing’ at Invest NI In response to the Independent Review Panel’s finding that “profound and fundamental change” was needed in order to align Invest NI with the aims of the 10X economy, the Department for the Economy (DfE) has published an action plan to resolve the challenges identified. The action plan contains within it 35 strategic actions, all of which are direct responses to the 17 recommendations of the Independent Review Panel, who stated that despite Invest NI having a budget of over £160 million in each of the last five years, the body has “little, if any” bearing on economic of productivity and the organisation is in need of “reform and repurposing”.

Organisational reform and the 10X economy Key to this reform and repurposing will be the response to the recommendations of the review panel with regard to the Invest NI board

agenda issues

issues agenda

and structure, chief among those was the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive Officer. Having pledged to have a new CEO in place by January 2024 at the latest in the action plan, published in early October 2023, Invest NI appointed Kieran Donoghue as its permanent CEO in late October 2023. Among Donoghue’s first tasks will be undertaking a review of Invest NI’s middle-tier structures to “improve efficiency and effectiveness” and to communicate to staff how their roles contribute to delivery of the 10X vision. Serious questions were raised within the review as to how Invest NI supports and aligns with the 10X economy vision currently being pursued by the Department for the Economy. Further reforms at the boardroom level seek to assuage these concerns. No later than April 2024, the board will design and implement a new leadership structure intended to the deliver upon the 10X vision and other priorities. Starting in December 2023, and then occurring annually, the board will also complete a board effectiveness review that evaluates how the board and leadership team are fulfilling their roles. The review panel’s criticism was not focused solely on Invest NI; DfE was also criticised for an apparent lack of communication with Invest NI with regard to strategy, policy, and guidance. To address this, the Department is to provide written guidance to Invest NI no later than September 2024 in order to give the organisation a “clear understanding of its role in delivering” the vision. A new policy oversight and support system will also be established within DfE, including the creation of a new central policy unit that will coordinate policy development across the Department and develop an improved support system for staff with regard to policy development.

The green economy Also identified in the review was that Invest NI has been “slow to recognise the significance of the green economy” and slow to support the delivery of DfE’s Energy Strategy. The review recommended that Invest NI “urgently”

“Invest NI, like all public bodies, must do more with less in the constrained budgetary landscape, and difficult decisions must be taken to ensure this plan is implemented.” Department for the Economy Permanent Secretary Mike Brennan engage with both DfE and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs “to agree on the policy priorities in relation to the green economy” and that Invest NI should “develop a clear and ambitious plan to determine the appropriate financial and human resources required to deliver upon these priorities”. In response, Invest NI will establish a green economy division led by an executive director no later than October 2024 and embed net zero and green economy targets into its business plan, governance, and delivery models. The action plan also states that Invest NI will promote the green economy by “delivering industry leading expertise and targeted investment to generate green jobs and drive cross sectoral growth in emerging green market”.

FDI Addressing the review panel’s criticisms of Invest NI’s approach to FDI and inward investment – where a lack of clarity on how the investment secured subsequently supported the 10X vision and a lack of oversight on the quality of the investment was alleged – Invest NI will develop a “robust” framework to monitor its overseas footprint. Relatedly, DfE will deliver the next phase of trade and investment under the 10X principles, which will seek to align “inward investment policy to those sectors and clusters where we have a proven competitive advantage” and put “front and centre our unique dual market access proposition”.

Subregional economies “Invest NI needs to be more outgoing and a better partner, especially in the context of subregional cooperation,” the review stated, citing a need for a more coordinated, partnership approach at the local level with a focus on employability, skills, and land and premises issues. Further recommendations included that Invest NI regional offices have a more pronounced influence within the agency and that Invest NI should bring forward a strategy for the development of industrial land and property in partnership with other stakeholders. The action plan commits to the publication of said plan no later than September 2024. The DfE, through its Director of PLACE and City Deals, has also pledged to develop a subregional economic plan, which will include subregional targets, again due for publication no later than September 2024.

‘Constrained budgetary landscape’ Commenting upon the launch of the action plan, DfE Permanent Secretary Mike Brennan said: “We have taken the time necessary to get this action plan right, ensuring its implementation will not only be impactful, but is aligned with the 10X triple bottom line of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. “Invest NI, like all public bodies, must do more with less in the constrained budgetary landscape, and difficult decisions must be taken to ensure this plan is implemented.”

agenda issues

Committed to transition Jonathan Martindale, Director of Business Development, Phoenix Energy discusses the publication of the gas industry’s five commitments to decarbonisation. “Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different.” C.S. Lewis.

“2050 targets will not provide the tangible level of accountability that we as a region must now strive for.” Jonathan Martindale, Director of Business Development, Phoenix Energy

As we are now well into the final quarter of another year, it is often the time of the year when businesses and organisations have their sights on end-of-year performance, what still needs to be done to meet annual objectives, what projects need that final push to close out by year-end. We can often be so caught up in the daily and weekly business priorities that measuring progress or momentum across a strategic objective such as the colossal task of regional decarbonisation, which will span over three decades of delivery, can be both difficult and feel rather futile as the progress made versus the final goal can be underwhelming. The terms net zero and 2050 are now intertwined, you cannot see one without the other. Type in 2050 into a Google search and net zero appears and vice versa. There is no doubt that the shift in momentum that the 2050 language has created since first introduced around 2019 has been considerable. The political, business, industry, and consumer conversation has largely shifted from questioning why and if this is the right thing to do, to how and when can it be done most effectively, efficiently, and with the least disruption. Importantly, in a manner that the challenges become economic opportunities that once and for all aligns the three stools of the energy trilemma, affordability, security of supply, and sustainability. Therefore, as we reflect on the four-year period between 2019 and 2023, things do feel different. Mindsets have changed, there

Summary of the five commitments launched by the Northern Ireland gas industry.

is a recognition that change is coming, regional pathways are being shaped, research and development projects are informing future strategy, local companies are emerging as potential international leaders in this space, and local councils are collaborating with industry to shape local areas plans.

resonating with those that are part of the journey.

Furthermore, the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy and two successive action plans, that the Department for the Economy is leading on, are providing the foundations for success. Our world class regional academic institutions have not been found wanting and the leadership that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has provided across the Green Growth Strategy has helped create valuable circularity to this discussion.

We therefore very much welcome the change in dynamic that the June 2022 Climate Change Act has provided triggering the establishment of carbon budgets and the shaping of a Northern Ireland Climate Action Plan. The principle is very simple: How can we very simply deliver progress in this first carbon budget 2023-2027 (which has already begun), meet our 2030 milestone targets, and keep us on track for our long-term goal. Slippage now just means that we will have even more to do in the next two decades of this transition.

It feels, however, that notwithstanding the progress that has been made, we are now entering into a new chapter of the decarbonisation journey. The baton is now transferring from establishing the foundational principles to the implementation of early adopter projects, the ability to meet milestone targets and bite by bite get on with ‘eating into’ our regional ‘elephant’. A key enabler as Northern Ireland enters this new phase will be our ability to meet milestone targets that sit underneath a longer term 2050 vision. 2050 targets will not provide the tangible level of accountability that we as a region must now strive for. It is a nebulous space and one that is not empowering those charged with delivery and suitably

It should be no surprise therefore that the successful delivery of an energy transition, one of the most transformational societal changes in many a generation will need to adopt an increasingly near-term focus.

Five Northern Ireland gas industry commitments In mid-October Phoenix Energy hosted the annual Northern Ireland Renewable Gas Conference, attended by over 250 local delegates from across the sectoral landscape, who heard from leading local, national, and international contributors. At the conference, Phoenix Energy CEO Kailash Chada set the scene by outlining five Northern Ireland gas industry commitments that will be key in making sure the region meets its 2030 targets. The five targets stretch across a number of key industry themes and are ambitious, but we believe to be entirely

deliverable and once achieved will further demonstrate the credentials of the gas industry as being an enabler for change and springboard the industry into the 2030s with positive momentum and the next tranche of carbon emissions abated. The recent launch of the gas network operator’s five commitments was an output of four years of meticulous engagement with industry, academia, policy makers, and energy users to fully understand the local energy landscape. We have left no stone unturned in understanding how the £1 billion gas network asset in Northern Ireland that provides fuel choice to over 550,000 properties in Northern Ireland, provides space heat and hot water to domestic customers, provides high thermal heat output to our commercial and industrial enterprises, and plays a critical role in a resilient decarbonised power system, can most effectively decarbonise the energy we distribute. The key learnings that have come from this period of academic partnerships, market research, engagement with best practice emerging markets and local network modelling have formed the basis on our 2030 commitments. Whilst the key learnings are considerable, there are two that I believe underpin the principles of our five commitments most clearly. Firstly, it has become very clear that whilst decarbonisation is a global challenge, the drivers for success will be via locally shaped regional strategies. 4 We have seen across Europe that

In October 2023, Phoenix Energy hosted the annual NI Renewable Gas Conference, attended by over 250 local delegates, and launched the five commitments of the gas industry.

countries are embedding their own regional DNA into their decarbonisation pathways. Denmark is a great example of a region using its agricultural economy to displace over 40 per cent of its natural gas with biomethane solutions. Spain has become the world’s leader in concentrated solar power and is forging a key role as a long-term exporter of green hydrogen and renewable electricity. We should actively seek out and embrace best practice from other regions however we must not be under the illusion that in due course we can simply wait and apply those solutions in Northern Ireland. If we do so we will simply be left behind, miss the opportunities to attract green investment into the region, become sustainably uncompetitive and stagnate. We need to embrace the rich energy landscape and indigenous resources we are blessed with, to pursue a pathway of best fit in Northern Ireland. These are not in short supply when you consider the modern polyethylene plastic gas network that we have locally, the comparably high amounts of agricultural waste we have per capita that can be used to create biomethane, the high levels of wind generation success currently enjoyed, and the continued potential that exists, coupled with the valorisation of wind curtailment, and the availability of local energy storage facilities.

Whilst it should not require visitors from other regions to remind us just how well placed we are, this is a common observation from visiting industry delegates, who marvel at these features and the enviable scale in which we operate. The second key learning has been that in our regional pursuit of 2030 milestone targets, there is no shortage of no-regret actions that can be progressed today, that can reduce carbon immediately, reduce what needs to be done in the medium term, and critically move at a pace that energy users and consumers are likely to embrace. The reality is that in some areas the leadership and demands of large corporate businesses are overtaking that of policymakers. For example, multinational supermarket chains have set their own 2030 carbon reduction targets which show no lack of ambition. It is not uncommon for over 90 per cent of supermarket chain carbon emissions to come from their supply chain. We as a region therefore urgently need to ensure that our agri-food sector which is part of supermarket supply chains across the UK, Ireland, and Europe has access to green energy solutions and can in turn continue to meet the contractual and procurement requirements that will allow them to be sustainably competitive. We trust that the publication of these

commitments provides a clarity of message from an industry that will be key to the delivery of decarbonisation in Northern Ireland, provides transparency to the work that we are progressing, and an additional layer of accountability to the pathway that we feel so passionate about. The one certainty is that collaborative partnerships across industry, energy system providers, policy makers, and end users will be key to the delivery of an integrated energy system, with a suitably diverse mix of solutions that best serves Northern Ireland energy consumers. In that regard, we are looking forward to working with our established supply chain partners and establishing new partnerships in the coming months. There is no reason why we cannot look back in 2030 and reflect once more on just how much has changed.

To read the commitments in full, visit phoenixenergyni.com/Commitments T: 03454 55 55 55 W: www.phoenixenergyni.com

issues agenda

Apprenticeship gap evident in Northern Ireland Employers in Northern Ireland invest the least in training per employee in the UK, according to new analysis from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The CIPD report, Devolution and evolution in UK skills policy: Finding common ground across the four nations states that the average number of days spent training per trainee (5.8 per cent) and the percentage of establishments that have funded any training for staff over the past 12 months (58 per cent) are also lowest in Northern Ireland. Asserting that there is “considerable scope to expand the system”, the report also finds that Northern Ireland has the lowest rate of apprenticeship participation per thousand people in employment (14 per cent) out of all four UK regions. The research further highlights that while there have been improvements in the last three years, these have failed to make up for the declines over the last decade, investment in training per employee in Northern Ireland has declined by 21 per cent since 2011, UK investment in training per employee now stands at

around half that of the EU average, and, perhaps most worryingly, 58 per cent of Northern Ireland employers provided some sort of training in the last 12 months – a drop from 65 per cent in 2011. This fall in employer investment in training has occurred despite the number of skills shortage vacancies more than doubling in Northern Ireland in recent years, from 5,372 in 2019 to 13,651 in 2022. To address skills shortages and boost employer training, the CIPD has set out a range of recommendations for Northern Ireland’s policymakers.

interventions to boost management capability and increase understanding of skills needs and development opportunities in small firms. The CIPD highlights the importance of refocussing the scope of apprenticeship policy to include a discussion on direct financial incentives, alongside a focus on funding off-the-job training costs. For small business in particular, the CIPD asserts, apprentice hiring incentives can make a difference. Other potentially positive initiatives highlighted by the CIPD include the introduction of fast-track routes to

Among them is the introduction of ringfenced funding for Apprenticeship Levy-payers and putting SkillUP on a permanent footing to provide a broader range of skills development opportunities for employers and employees.

apprenticeship qualifications for adults

Another is the development of

pathways.

with existing workplace skills, and that well-resourced and comprehensive careers services need to be a priority, with a focus on impartial advice on the breadth of vocational and academic

agenda issues

United opposition to Troubles Legacy Act

Credit: National Army Museum.

issues agenda

British troops were deployed to Northern Ireland in August 1969.

The UK Government has passed legislation which will halt the prosecution of British soldiers, police officers, and paramilitary members accused of committing violent crimes and killings during the conflict in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 1998. The legislation gives a conditional amnesty to all those accused of killings during ‘the Troubles’, in what former Prime Minister Boris Johnson described as an attempt to “draw a line under ‘the Troubles’” when he first announced the plan to legislate for the Bill in July 2021. It further stops any new ‘Troubles’-era court cases and inquests being held in the UK. Given Royal Assent in September 2023, Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has managed to unite all of the leaders of major parties in both Northern Ireland and the Republic in opposition. The Act has been described by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris-Heaton Harris MP as “a real opportunity to deliver greater information, accountability and acknowledgement to victims and families, moving away from established mechanisms that have left far too many empty-handed”. However, already 11 challenges have been lodged in the courts in the UK, as well as the looming prospect of a case being brought forward against the UK by the Government of Ireland.

agenda issues

The legislation will lead to the establishment of an Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), rendering the role of the Historical Investigations Unit – established under the aegis of the 2015 Stormont House Agreement – redundant. The Act aims for the new organisation to help families “find out more about the circumstances of how their loved ones were killed or seriously injured”, with the legislation specifying that self-confessed perpetrators who provide a truthful account of their actions to the ICRIR “can be granted immunity from prosecution”. The legislation has been enthusiastically welcomed by British Conservative politicians, with Tory MP Johnny Mercer saying: “The hounding of these special people who stood against terror and violence in Northern Ireland on our behalf was appalling, it was a stain on our nation not just on the veterans’ community.” Among local politicians, the legislation has been met with universal condemnation across unionism and

nationalism, with the DUP arguing that it equates the British Army with paramilitaries, and broad nationalism making the case that the British Government has granted itself the ability to prevent itself from being prosecuted for alleged crimes made in its name. The legislation has also been condemned internationally, with United States Congressman Richard Neal stating that he is “disappointed by the news that the Legacy Bill has passed through Westminster”. Although Secretary of State HeatonHarris has said that he “hopes” to see the Irish Government support the legislation, the Irish Government has said it is continuing to wait for legal advice to inform whether it takes a challenge against the legislation, with Minister Paschal Donohoe TD saying: “I expect we will see that advice soon and then, at that point, the Government will make a decision.”

issues agenda

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar TD:

“I don’t think anyone thought the previous system was working well for anybody so we have tried to put in place a system which is better, which will get people the information they need and the justice they deserve while keeping in compliance with our international obligations.”

“The Irish Government’s position has been very clear on this all along: we think this is a mistake, this is the wrong way to go about dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.”

Political leaders’ reactions

“If the British Government do not withdraw this legislation, the Irish Government should confront this denial of human rights through an interstate case and international action against the British Government.”

Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill MLA

‘‘The Government’s legacy proposals have been rejected by the vast majority of victims and survivors, who suffered the most during ‘the Troubles’ and who still live with the terrible legacy of pain, trauma, and loss.”

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP

agenda issues

New independent board marks new chapter for SONI

SONI Board: (L-R) Charlie Villar, Peter McNaney, Angela Love, Peter Ewing.

In its announcement, Northern Ireland’s grid operator said that the appointment of its new independent board marked a significant and exciting new milestone. To mark the occasion, agendaNi sat down with SONI Managing Director, Alan Campbell, and newly appointed Chair, Peter McNaney.

SONI chair Peter McNaney (left) with Managing Director Alan Campbell.

Castlereagh House, the grid operator’s main office, is located deep within the Castlereagh Hills. It is not a building many of us will routinely notice, but it is crucially important in the successful functioning of life here in Northern Ireland. Only a stone’s throw away from where we meet Alan Campbell and Peter McNaney is SONI’s Control Centre, a room where a team of highly experienced power system engineers manage the electricity grid, every second of every day. SONI is Northern Ireland’s Transmission System Operator (TSO). It ensures power can flow safely, securely, and reliably from where it is generated, by the private companies who own power stations, wind turbines, and solar farms, to where it is needed in homes, farms, and businesses across Northern Ireland. The grid operator recently announced the appointment of a new independent board – the first step in a process to implement a new suite of governance changes that will create greater managerial and operational independence from its parent company, EirGrid plc. The appointments include the familiar face in former Belfast City Council Chief Executive, Peter McNaney, who will chair the new Board, as well as former NIE Networks stalwart Peter Ewing, former senior Scottish Power executive Angela Love, and experienced finance and regulatory executive Charlie Villar. “We are entering a really significant and exciting new phase of our journey here in SONI and it comes at a hugely important time in the energy transition as a whole,” remarks Campbell, who has been SONI Managing Director since 2020 and the former top executive at Coolkeeragh, one of Northern Ireland’s largest power stations. In addition to running the electricity grid in the present, SONI looks ahead to understand and plan for Northern Ireland’s future energy needs. It has the responsibility for upgrading the electricity

grid to facilitate more sources of renewable energy, a crucial task to enable the delivery of Northern Ireland’s 2030 clean energy targets. “Northern Ireland has really ambitious and important clean energy targets, which mean we need 80 per cent of all the electricity we consume to come from renewable sources by 2030. We have the important task of transforming the grid and how it is operated so it can manage more variable forms of renewable energy. The scale of this change and transformation is unprecedented, but we have a great team of highly experienced engineers and a clear plan for how we get there.” SONI recently published an updated version of its Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap – the plan which sets out the reforms needed in the electricity system to reach the 2030 targets. The grid operator is also consulting on its draft 10-year Transmission Development Plan which details the new infrastructure required to meet Northern Ireland’s electricity needs. A lawyer and former Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, Peter McNaney is one of Northern Ireland’s most experienced executives. “From previous experience, I understand the crucial role SONI plays in public life here, and so I relish the opportunity to take on a leadership role in an organisation that has such an important part to play in delivering a cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy future for homes, businesses and farms across Northern Ireland,” explains the new Chair.

Peter McNaney - Chair Peter McNaney has a wealth of experience in senior leadership roles in Northern Ireland gained in both executive and non-executive roles in corporate governance, shaping strategy and effective implementation, leading change and successfully facilitating complex partnerships. He practised as a corporate lawyer for 20 years before serving as Chief Executive of Belfast City Council between 2001 and 2014. During his time in the Council, he led a large-scale change programme that transformed the Council’s financial health and delivery capacity, resulting in the creation of a £400 million City Investment Strategy. As a non-executive, he was chair of the governing body of Belfast Metropolitan College and oversaw the building and move to the Titanic campus. He has also served as a member of the board of Invest NI. He is presently the senior independent director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Northern Ireland Water and recently stood down as Chair of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust after nine years. He is currently a member of the Council of the University of Ulster and is Chair of its Greater Belfast Development Committee which is responsible for oversight of the completion of its new £350 million inner city campus.

Peter Ewing Peter Ewing is an experienced director of finance and electricity regulation, and leader of business change. With over 25 years’ experience, Ewing has been closely involved in the transformation of the electricity industry in Northern Ireland since privatisation. He has overseen multiple price controls, capital investment, IT systems implementation and acquisitions and disposals across the electricity value chain in relation to the transmission and distribution and supply of electricity, transmission system operation, interconnectors and renewable energy projects. He has extensive corporate governance experience gained through board positions and played a key role in delivering corporate strategies. Ewing was previously Director of Finance and Regulation at Northern Ireland Electricity and the Viridian Group, Deputy Managing Director and Director of Regulation and Market Operations at NIE Networks, and a NonExecutive Board Member and Treasurer at Radius Housing. Prior to this, he was Finance Director at Moy Park. A graduate of Manchester University and Queen’s University Belfast, Peter has completed the Advanced Management Programme at the INSEAD Business School. Ewing is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and an alumnus of the Philadelphia-based Eisenhower Fellowships.

Charlie Villar Charlie Villar is an executive with finance, operations, and transformation experience. He has worked on boards, as well as with senior officials, regulators and ministers across electricity, post, telecommunications, broadcast media, and water sectors in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and Europe. In these roles, he has developed a diverse understanding of the regulatory, economic, and commercial drivers across a range of industries, and how to lead organisations through major transformations. Villar is a qualified accountant and has an MA in geography from Oxford University.

Angela Love Angela Love has over 30 years’ experience in the Great Britain/EU gas and electricity markets and brings extensive expertise from across most aspects of the energy system. She started her career at Scottish Power in commercial and financial roles, latterly as UK Strategy and External Affairs Manager for Scottish Power’s non-price regulated businesses – generation, trading, retail, and renewables. Love was a consultant for 13 years, advising clients on market arrangements across gas, electricity and water and developing business strategies. Her past roles include Chair of the Gas Forum, Director of Gas, Communications and European Affairs at the Energy Networks Association and Director of Future Markets and Engagement at Elexon. Whilst at Elexon, Love was responsible for establishing the £90 million Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement Programme and directed it for more than 18 months. She is also Chair of Scottish Power’s Energy Networks Independent Net Zero Advisory Committee and has recently taken up the position of Chair of the Cadent Gas Customer Challenge Group. Love has a passion for consumers, in particular the vulnerable and those affected by fuel poverty, and has devoted a lot of time to customer wellbeing and safety. As such, she was a Trustee of the Gas Safe Charity for nine years and has been a member of Ofgem’s Stakeholder Engagement and Customer Vulnerability Panel for six years. Love is Chair of the GB Smart Energy Code Panel and Board and an independent consultant.

Alan Campbell Alan Campbell is the Managing Director of SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland), Northern Ireland’s Transmission System Operator. After graduating from Queen’s University Belfast with a First-Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering, Campbell commenced his career with AstraZeneca in England. He later joined ESB, where he progressed to manage the 400MW Coolkeeragh Power Station. He joined SONI in July 2017, as Head of Grid Infrastructure Projects and Connections and was appointed Managing Director in June 2021, having undertaken the role on an interim basis from July 2020 and been appointed to the SONI Board in December 2020. With more than 20 years’ experience, Campbell is one of Northern Ireland’s most established energy leaders. He is a trusted adviser to both government and industry, as a widely acknowledged expert in the energy system in Northern Ireland.

“We know Northern Ireland has made significant progress to integrate renewable energy into our electricity system in comparison to elsewhere, and SONI has played an important part in that success. To build on that progress, and with less than seven years to meet Northern Ireland’s ambitious clean energy targets, we are going to have to be innovative and agile in areas such as policy and regulatory reform and openminded about doing things differently. “As a society, we are also going to have to redouble our efforts with local communities to make the case for the new infrastructure we need now to enable everyone to feel the benefits of

cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy in the future,” he adds. Alan Campbell looks forward to the momentum the appointment of SONI’s new Board will provide in driving forward its core mission. “The wealth of experience and expertise that our new board offers comes at an important time for SONI. In addition to acting as strong advocates for our organisation and its people, we are looking forward to working with them and our industry, government, and regulatory partners to find new ways to accelerate our collective mission to decarbonise the electricity system for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland.”

T: +44 (0)28 90794336 E: info@soni.ltd.uk W: www.soni.ltd.uk/

Institutional barriers inhibiting student mobility Student Mobility in Ireland and Northern Ireland, a Shared Island Unit/Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study examining undergraduate mobility between the two jurisdictions on the island and Britain, has highlighted a relatively insignificant level of student mobility, not least as a consequence of institutional barriers. Contextualising the ESRI’s research into student mobility, the report highlights the “increasing focus in policy development internationally and in Ireland on the globalisation of higher education and student mobility”. Consequently, this enhanced volume of research has focused on the drivers of and obstacles to studying abroad. However, hitherto, there has been a dearth of systematic research into the factors which influence mobility within Ireland and Britain.

undertake four A Levels in order to achieve the maximum available CAO points. This process is hindered by the fact that most students in Northern Ireland undertake a total of three A Levels. Similarly, while many third-levels courses in the Republic have restricted access on the basis of a foreign language requirement, fewer A Level students in Northern Ireland take a language compared with Leaving Certificate students in the Republic.

The report produced six main findings.

Meanwhile, more than three times as many students from Northern Ireland (13,685 in 2020/2021) study in Britain when compared the average total number of students from the Republic who study in Britain (around 4,000). Students from Northern Ireland are willing to relocate across Britain. However, there is relatively little mobility in the opposite direction as a consequence of the high degree of competition for third-level places.

In the 2020/2021 academic year, a mere 1,255 students in the Republic were from Northern Ireland, while only 1,170 students in Northern Ireland were from the Republic. This equates to 0.6 per cent and 2.4 per cent of the total student population in each jurisdiction respectively. Students from Northern Ireland that did opt to study in the Republic are more likely to apply for third-level courses in locations in border counties and in Dublin. While it is possible for students in Northern Ireland to apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) process in the Republic, applicants must

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Often, mobility is determined by availability of places, and this is particularly reflected in the significant number of applications to study competitive medical courses elsewhere.

Overall, a minority of students from Northern Ireland or from Britain complete the CAO process, are offered a place in a higher education institution (HEI) in the Republic and accept it. Where students from Northern Ireland do meet the minimum entry requirements, they are less likely to accept an offer. One explanation is that they are using an application elsewhere as a safety net for an application to a high demand course. Additionally, they often receive an offer to study at a HEI in the Republic after they have received an offer for a HEI in Northern Ireland or in Britain. At the same time, the rate of successful applications to HEIs in Britain are lower for applicants in the Republic. In relation to these institutional barriers, report coauthor, Emer Smyth, observes: “Current higher education entry requirements in Ireland appear to disadvantage students from Northern Ireland. An adjustment of the points equivalences would likely make studying in Ireland a more realistic option for those from Northern Ireland. Although only one barrier to mobility, a change would have an important symbolic value

Credit: William Murphy.

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in being seen as welcoming to students from Northern Ireland.” Overall, the decision to study elsewhere is a consequence of several interacting dynamics, including tuition/registration fees, financial support, and cost of living. While many students from the Republic will find lower accommodation costs elsewhere, a large proportion avoid such costs by remaining in their family home.

Policy implications Emphasising the value of student mobility, both for the students personally and for HEIs, the ESRI’s report has three main findings. 1. Career guidance within schools could promote enhanced awareness of third-level options elsewhere and this process could be supported by HEIs. 2. A rationale exists to redesign the CAO points equivalence to A Levels given the context in which very few students in Northern Ireland undertake four A Levels, and to reexamine modern foreign language requirements given that relatively few second-level students in Northern Ireland study a foreign language. 3. Given the significance of cost-ofliving factors, prevailing accommodation costs and inadequate housing supply are inevitably acting as barriers to students from Northern Ireland and Britain studying in the Republic. As well as benefiting students and HEIs, report coauthor Merike Darmody suggests: “Student mobility has the potential... to foster greater cohesion between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The study findings highlight the scope for greater cooperation across the island of Ireland in meeting student needs.” Launched by Fine Gael Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, Student Mobility in Ireland and Northern Ireland was coauthored by the ESRI’s Emer Smyth and Merike Darmody. Conducted in conjunction with the

“Current higher education entry requirements in Ireland appear to disadvantage students from Northern Ireland...” Emer Smyth, Research Professor, ESRI Department of the Taoiseach’s wider Shared Island programme, the ESRI report is one of the relatively few pieces of systematic research focusing on the institutional factors influencing student mobility within Ireland – north and south – and Britain. The report addresses three research questions: 1. What is the level of student mobility within the island of Ireland and Britain? How has this changed over time, particularly during the pandemic? 2. What factors are associated with student mobility? 3. To what extent is there potential to increase student mobility across the island? Is this a desirable objective from a stakeholder perspective?

Context A cap on undergraduate places in Northern Ireland’s universities poses a challenge by imposing a limit on options, increasing entrance requirements for high demand courses. As a result, more than one-third of undergraduates leave for universities in Britain. Furthermore, insufficient understanding and perceived complexity of the higher education admissions systems – CAO and UCAS – has a negative impact on

student mobility. Similarly, insufficient understanding of the transferability of UK qualifications also acts as a barrier to undergraduate mobility. At the launch, Minister Harris asserted: “Today’s report shows us once more the vital role education plays in strengthening relations north and south. I am pleased to launch this ESRI Shared Island report which provides some really valuable insights on student mobility across this island and also between Ireland and Britain. “I am committed to working with Higher and Further Education Institutions and with partners in the UK Government and Northern Ireland to make it as easy as possible for students to choose to study in either jurisdiction. This is really important in deepening our connections both north/south and east/west and in ensuring that young people have access to the best possible educational opportunities.” In her response to the report, Terri Scott – a former Pro Vice Chancellor at Ulster University and former President of IT Sligo – concluded: “A joined-up approach to maximising the return on investment in tertiary education, on an all-island basis, will present greater choice, opportunities and employment prospects for the graduates of the future.”

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Housing Executive: Steps forward with Housing for All

Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Grainia Long.

Delivery of the Housing for All programme by the Housing Executive is built on a foundation of shared housing delivery, demonstrating that the future of Northern Ireland will be based on communities where people of all backgrounds and cultures can thrive together, writes Chief Executive, Grainia Long. The 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is a timely opportunity to assess progress made by successive Northern Ireland administrations, in developing cohesive and shared communities across Northern Ireland.

In the years following the signing of the Agreement, 29 new shared housing estates have been established and we have worked with partners and communities across Northern Ireland to embed good relations and build strong, safe, inclusive neighbourhoods.

There is no doubt that huge progress has been made in building thousands of homes to house people from a range of backgrounds who choose to live together as a community. However, genuine mix in new developments remains a work in progress.

The Agreement contained a specific pledge “to facilitate and encourage integrated education and mixed housing" as an essential element in the process of reconciliation and the creation of “a culture of tolerance at every level of society”.

February 2024 will mark another milestone as the Housing Executive assumes overall responsibility for operational delivery of the Housing for All programme. We have much to build on.

With a wealth of experience in working with communities at local level and across the whole of Northern Ireland, the Housing Executive and housing associations have been at the forefront

of delivering this pledge in social housing estates. While this is a policy objective for the Northern Ireland Executive and the housing sector, it is something that the vast majority of people here aspire to. The 2022 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey indicated that 74 per cent of people would prefer to live in a mixedreligion neighbourhood. The Shared Housing Programme was introduced to improve housing choice and tackle barriers that prevent people living in shared and balanced communities. The programme had its origins in the Northern Ireland Executive Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) developed in 2013. The programme reflected the Executive’s continued commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society and represented a major change in the way that good relations is delivered across government. The housing element was delivered through the Department for Communities and the Housing Executive, with the department having responsibility for securing funding and scheme identification in partnership with us and with housing associations.

The initial phase of 10 shared neighbourhoods was supported through The Executive Office, through T:BUC. The delivery of shared housing has since been included in the draft Programme for Government 2016 – 2021 and in Fresh Start (2015), and New Decade, New Approach (2020) agreements, reflecting the importance of the programme in supporting and sustaining inclusive homes and communities across Northern Ireland. The Shared Housing Programme is currently delivering 76 shared housing developments, of which 33 developments (1,038 homes) have completed and 43 developments (1,477 homes) are either under construction or programmed to start. These flourishing neighbourhoods give us a strong foundation on which to build. They demonstrate that the future of Northern Ireland will be based on communities where people of all backgrounds and cultures can thrive together.

Ardmore Hill, Armagh, Triangle Housing Association.

As the regional housing authority we are ideally placed to take this work forward, and are excited by the potential to the roll-out of the next chapter of shared housing development in Northern Ireland with the Housing for All programme. Our extensive involvement and experience in community cohesion, community safety, working with local communities, assessment of housing needs, regional place shaping teams located in Belfast, Craigavon, and Derry/Londonderry and our management of the delivery of the social housing development programme reinforces that we have the skills and processes to deliver and further develop Housing for All. A key change for the sector will be a strategic approach to site identification at a pre-programme stage. We will embed the Housing for All philosophy across key strands of our business to ensure links are developed across community planning and local development plan activity, latent demand testing in rural areas, and city and town centre living. The programme also aligns strongly with our vision that everyone is able to live in an affordable, sustainable, and decent home, appropriate to their needs, in a safe and attractive place. We are committed to ensuring that housing is openly accessible to all and that everyone can make decisions on where to live, confident in their place within the community.

Rockmount Close, Newry, Radius Housing.

We will continue to put people at the centre of housing with a focus on delivering on objective need, underpinned by principles of fairness, equality and good relations. Our community cohesion, community safety and good relations support will ensure sustained involvement with our neighbourhoods as they develop their own inclusive, bonded and integrated community. Placing the stewardship and operational responsibility for Housing for All in the Housing Executive, demonstrates the trust and confidence both the Department for Communities and The Executive Office has for our organisation, its people and its ability to build on the success of the programme. The Housing for All programme has a

huge part to play in creating inclusive, safe, and sustainable neighbourhoods that will help to shape a more integrated, diverse, vibrant and stable society. We look forward to driving this change, in the interests of our communities.

Housing Executive T: 03448 920 900 E: information@nihe.gov.uk W: www.nihe.gov.uk

issues agenda

Economic risks ‘especially pronounced’ for certain areas amidst energy transition efforts ESB, Coolkeeragh

The concentrated nature of fossil fuel generation sites means that possible job losses in the well-paid electricity sector could “present a troubling cocktail of factors impeding transition efforts”, a new report has found. This contention is made in a recent report by the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) that explores the idea of a “spatially just transition” and maps regional risk associated with the transition away from fossil fuels towards a system of “electrifying everything” and decarbonising electricity, with emissions reductions of 75 per cent from 2018 levels and 73 per cent from 1990 levels targeted in the Republic and Northern Ireland respectively. “Fossil fuel generation sites generating emissions are relatively concentrated in specific regions,” the report, written by Paul Goldrick-Kelly and Jonas Poulsen states. “This relative concentration and spatial distribution of sites, which will have to undergo some form of change if we are to meet our [all-island] emissions reductions goals, raises issues of spatial capacity and justice in relation to transition.” Amid this assertion, the authors pose the question: “If transition must occur at these sites, which may imply closure, are these areas equipped to deal with the economic and social effects?”

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Using the generation capacity statement for the all-Ireland grid, the report identifies the key fossil fuel generation sites across Ireland as: Edenderry; Rhode; Moneypoint; Sealrock; Tawnaghmore; Tarbert; Great Island CCGT; Tynagh; Aghada; Whitegate; Dublin Bay; Poolbeg; Huntstown; Coolkeeragh; Ballylumford; Kilroot; and Contour Global at Knockmore Hill, Lisburn. The sites with the highest generation capacity in both jurisdictions were Moneypoint, generating 855MW in the Republic and Ballylumford, generating 709MW in Northern Ireland. Changes are already afoot in the electricity sector, as the report notes. The 476MW generated by two steam turbines on heavy fuel oil and coal in Kilroot, County Antrim ceased operations in September 2023; Tarbert power plant in County Kerry is due to close its 592MW of gas and distillate oil-powered electricity to make way for a 350MW open cycle gas turbine station due to open in 2026; and Moneypoint’s coal and heavy fuel oil-powered operation is due to cease in 2024 to make way for a new renewable energy hub on the site. Further changes will take place in sites such as Bord na Móna’s plant in Edenderry, where use of peat on a 118MW steam turbine will be phased out by 2024, a move which will see the turbine powered exclusively by biomass; and in Aghada, where a 90MW gas/distillate oil turbine is to be taken offline by the end of 2023. NERI’s study shows that “the two power plants projected to cease operations completely… are both placed in the south-west of the island” and “within proximity to each other at the outer county borders of Clare and Kerry”. With Moneypoint and Tarbert, the plants in question deliver a “high volume of the electricity that is fed into the island-wide electricity grid”. It is then “reasonable to assume both plants are employing a significant proportion of workers” in the sector. Changes in employment are likely to be “less disruptive” in Kilroot and Edenderry due to the plants continuing to generate electricity, the report states.

‘A troubling cocktail’ Such disruption and the possible job losses that it would cause “could present a troubling cocktail of factors impeding transition efforts” due to the fact that jobs in electricity generation are a “key source of well-paid employment at the bottom of the labour market” and those leaving the sector would “face worse prospects at similar job skill levels elsewhere in the economy” in both jurisdictions, the report states. In both jurisdictions, “available data suggest that employment within the electricity sector is well paid in relation to the wider economy”, with weekly earnings in the relevant category found to be 35 per cent higher than the average weekly earnings in the Republic’s economy, and comparable data for Northern Ireland showing relevant wages to be between 9 and 11 per cent higher than the rest of the economy as a whole in both median and average terms. The electricity sector also tends to show less of an earnings gap between top grade and other categories. In the Republic, while wages for managers, professionals, and associated professionals are typical 2.3 times the average of the wages of clerical, sales, and service employees, this figure falls to 1.7 in electricity; and in Northern Ireland, entry into the lowest quintile of workers in electricity required a weekly wage of less than £418.90, 46 per cent higher than the threshold for the economy as a whole, where the lowest quintile earns £286.20 or less per week. Alongside its importance from a pay perspective, the sector is also vital to certain areas both north and south in terms of employment. Given that the sector comprises 0.5 per cent of aggregate employment across the Republic, NERI estimates a rate of 0.5 per cent employment in each council area, a rate that is significantly outstripped in areas such as Offaly (73.1 per cent), Kerry (21.5 per cent), and Clare (9.3 per cent). Fingal shows the highest level of overrepresentation in terms of total people employed, with 855 employed compared

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Generation site risk matrix Employment overrepresentation in local authority area

County/regional pay as % of national median

County/regional economic participation rate

County/regional household income as % of national average

County/regional poverty rate

Deprivation rate (ROI)/Poverty rate after housing costs (NI)

Dublin Bay

3.7%

109.9%

65.4%

115.7%

11.1%

16%

Huntstown

11%

109.9%

65.6%

115.7%

11.1%

16%

Poolbeg CC

3.7%

109.9%

65.4%

115.7%

11.1%

16%

Edenderry

73.1%

94.3%

59%

77.2%

11.1%

16%

Rhode

73.1%

94.3%

59%

77.2%

11.1%

16%

Moneypoint

9.3%

98.6%

59.4%

92.2%

13.3%

21.2%

Sealrock

-14.9%

97.1%

58.3%

112.7%

13.3%

21.2%

Aghada

-1.4%

101.8%

60.5%

102.9%

13.3%

21.2%

Whitegate

-1.4%

101.8%

60.5%

102.9%

13.3%

21.2%

Tarbert

21.5%

86.4%

58.1%

90.2%

13.3%

21.2%

Tawnaghmore

-22.4%

89.8%

57.4%

86.4%

18.6%

16.5%

Tynagh

-30.3%

98%

60.6%

92.4%

18.6%

16.5%

Great Island CCGT

-15.1%

87.8%

58.6%

89.3%

13.3%

21.2%

Ballylumford

-24.1%

95.9%

74.9%

104.7%

18%

16%

Kilroot

-24.1%

95.9%

74.9%

104.7%

18%

16%

Coolkeeragh

50.1%

88.6%

68%

89.3%

20%

22%

Contour Global

25%

110%

78.4%

114.4%

11%

13%

Generation site

Red = below relevant state average

to an expectation of 770. A similar exercise carried out by NERI in Northern Ireland finds both Derry City and Strabane and Lisburn and Castlereagh to have significant overrepresentation in the sector, 50.1 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. The importance of these well-paid and overrepresented jobs is brought into even sharper focus when contextualised within county/regional labour market indicators. In Northern Ireland, while Lisburn and Castlereagh is the highest performing local authority area in terms of economic activity (78.4 per cent compared to an average of 73 per cent), Derry City and Strabane is the worst performing local authority area with a rate of 68 per cent. In the Republic, the Dublin and Midlands region recorded labour force participation rates above the national average in the first quarter of 2023, but the west and southwest (where the soon-to-close Tarbert and Moneypoint plants are located) showed rates 1.1 per cent and 1.4 per cent below the 64.9 per cent national rate respectively.

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When broken down into the county level, prominent counties within the electricity sector such as Offaly (2.2 per cent), Clare (1.8 per cent), and Kerry (3.1 per cent) register notable deficits against the national average. Counties Offaly and Mayo, alongside Derry City and Strabane, are also noted within the reports as areas with fossil fuel generation that also record significant gross disposable household income figures below national averages; 14.6 per cent, 22.7 per cent, and 10.6 per cent respectively. In Northern Ireland, poverty rates before and after the incorporation of housing costs average at 13 per cent and 18 per cent respectively; Lisburn and Castlereagh performs well in this area with averages of 11 per cent and 17 per cent, but Derry City and Strabane is again the worst performer in this area with rates of 20 per cent and 22 per cent. In the Republic, the southern region underperforms against the national average in both the at-risk-of-poverty and enforced deprivation rates, while the

eastern and midland region overperforms. These stats, the report states, show “especially pronounced” risks for certain sites and their regions should job losses occur. Most notable among these sites are Moneypoint, Tarbert, and Coolkeeragh, which show risks across all factors measures, including broader labour market performance and poverty factors. Other sites such as Contour Global, Edenderry, and Rhode show less risk, although NERI does warn in the case of the latter two that “this is likely an understatement of risk” given their location in Offaly, which is grouped together with Dublin in State statistics. The statistics, the report says, “imply the sector presents a source of high-quality employment, particularly at the low end of the income scale” and that “transition plans must factor in these issues and respond accordingly”. Policymakers, NERI states, “should be attentive” to the challenges posed by their findings and “act to ensure that this transition is just”.

Environment, waste, and water report

Digital

Events

environment, waste, and water report

The path to net zero With Northern Ireland set to publish its first three carbon budgets by December 2023, Director of Green Growth and Climate Action in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Kevin Hegarty discusses the importance of policy in achieving net zero. Consultation on the legally binding limits of the amount of greenhouse gases that Northern Ireland can emit for three consecutive five-year periods closed in October 2023. Also up for consultation was the emission reduction targets for both 2030 and 2040. The first three carbon budgets for Northern Ireland must be set by the end of December 2023, as dictated by the Climate Change Act. However, hopes that the budgets would be accompanied by a Climate Action Plan are unlikely, due to the absence of an Executive. The Director of Green Growth and Climate Action says that frustrations around the Executive’s absence are shared by policymakers, but issues assurance that constant dialogue is ongoing with political parties to ensure climate policy is being shaped by those most likely to make up any future Executive. “We are constantly engaging and sharing our policy proposals to make up the action plan with the parties so that when they come back, there will be no surprises in terms of the scale of the challenge and the types of decisions that need to be taken,” Hegarty explains. “Producing Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan remains a high priority for all Northern Ireland Civil Service departments.” Hegarty acknowledges that the relatively recent publication of Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Act in June 2022 means that Northern Ireland’s policy development has started later than counterparts in the Republic of Ireland or Wales, for example. However, he says that his department is embracing the opportunity to learn from those other jurisdictions and is engaged in constant dialogue.

This engagement helped shape the consultation document that not only fulfilled the legislative requirement of the Climate Change Act to outline proposed 2030 and 2040 interim emissions targets for Northern Ireland and proposed carbon budgets for the first three periods: 2023-2027, 2028-2032 and 2033-2037, but also seek the public’s views on the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) recommendations for sector pathways that Northern Ireland might adopt in order to reach net zero. “We are not formally consulting on CCC advice, but we are taking the opportunity to encourage and facilitate an early and informed discussion on climate action,” he explains. “The feedback that we receive from this exercise will inform the Climate Action Plan development and will be used to provide advice to incoming ministers.”

environment, waste, and water report

While DAERA is required to prepare, publish, and set the carbon budgets, while also leading on the development of the Climate Action Plan, the Climate Change Act gives statutory responsibility to a number departments, mandating them to identify policies and proposals for the sectors that will ensure targets are met. Hegarty explains that the “bottom-up” approach to policy development is in part due to the nature of Northern Ireland’s mandatory-type coalition government, which historically, has not lent itself to crossgovernment collaboration. “This piece of legislation forces us to do that. It is purposedly organised on a sectoral basis, as opposed to a departmental basis, which has been the norm for policy development here in Northern Ireland,” he states. While this is the case, Hegarty explains that it is the cumulative impact of reductions in emissions across each sector which will enable a carbon budget to be met. Contextually important, the Climate Change Bill originally sponsored by the Department aligned with advice from the CCC that Northern Ireland reach an 83 per cent emission reduction, as part of a UK-wide net zero approach. A Private Member’s Bill, which moved through the Northern Ireland Assembly in parallel, pushed for a much more ambitious net zero target, a target which was eventually subsumed into the then-Minister’s legislation. Hegarty acknowledges that without the Private Member’s Bill and the role of smaller parties holding larger parties to account, Northern Ireland “probably would not have gotten as ambitious a piece of legislation as we did”.

“Producing Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan remains a high priority for all Northern Ireland Civil Service departments.” Kevin Hegarty, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Net zero Subsequently advice sought from the Department of the CCC on Northern Ireland’s new emission targets saw the publication of the CCC’s advice report, The Path to a Net Zero Northern Ireland, in March 2023. While the recommendations within the report do not necessarily represent the position of the Department, the recommendations have formed a large part of the consultation, most notably that the first carbon budget should be set at a 33 per cent average annual reduction, the second carbon budget at a 48 per cent average annual reduction, and the third carbon budget at a 62 per cent average annual reduction, in order to keep emissions consistent with the 2050 net zero target. Also, the advice from the CCC recommends that targets consistent with the 2050 net zero target would be a 48 per cent emissions reduction against the baseline for 2030 and a 77 per cent emissions reduction by 2040 against the baseline. Hegarty acknowledges that the scale of the challenge “is huge”. Recommendations for the first carbon budget period suggest that the maximum total greenhouse gas emissions should be 93.8 MtCO2eq. Hegarty says: “To put this in context if we did nothing, our emissions would be approx. 110 MtCO2eq. To help explain how much of a challenge that is, in 2022, 51 per cent of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland was generated from local renewable sources. The target set in the Act is 80 per cent.

If renewable electricity reached 80 per cent, we would save 1.3 MtCO2eq per year. In comparison, the projected savings for the first carbon budget period is 1 MtCO2eq. “Equally, the reduction in emissions from transport in Northern Ireland in 2020 during the Covid pandemic was approximately 1 MtCO2eq, demonstrating the scale of action and change needed to achieve the reduction needed in the first five-year period. “Essentially, we we have to reduce our emissions over this decade by 24.8 per cent, which is approximately the same level that was achieved in the last 30 years from 1990 to 2020 (23 per cent).

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Significant recommendations proposed by the CCC for net zero and consulted on by the Department include but are not limited to measures such as deploying direct air capture with carbon capture and storage; halving livestock numbers by 2050; and increasing annual afforestation rates to reach 3,100 hectares by 2035 and 4,100 hectares from 2039 until 2050.

Proposed emission targets by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) 100% baseline 1990-1995

Hegarty accepts that “tough decisions” lie ahead but welcomes the consultation’s role in beginning important conversations with the public and stakeholders on the action needed for Northern Ireland to reach net zero by 2050 and inform a climate action plan. Concluding, he optimistically points to his previous role in the energy sector just over 20 years ago when renewable penetration was less than 1 per cent. “The scale of the challenge is significant but in just over two decades we have switched from less than 1 per cent of renewable penetration on our electricity system to over 51 per cent. The increase was underpinned by good policies, and highlights that with good policy, bringing the economy and society with you, significant change can be delivered in a relatively short space of time. “That is the ambition and mission we have.”

DAERA says that following the completion of the consultation process, views will be considered to help inform decisions on the appropriate emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2040, and the level of the first three carbon budgets. Once published, each Climate Action Plan will be accompanied by the relevant impact assessments, which will provide more detail on the expected impacts of the policies and proposals. The Department adds that it anticipates that the draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027 will be issued for consultation as soon as possible after Executive consideration. Targets and carbon budgets must be set through regulations which need to be agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive before being laid in the Assembly for debate and approval.

Credit: Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Over the course of 2023, Lough Neagh has been engulfed with an ecological disaster characterised by explosive growth of green-blue algae. Affecting the source of around 40 per cent of Northern Ireland’s drinking water, the algal bloom has caused devastation to marine and local wildlife, and it has been estimated by experts that it will take up to 21 years to restore the lough to an acceptable water quality. Although the algal bloom caught headlines through the summer of 2023, the risks posed by pollution, which emanates predominantly from the agricultural sector, have been known for some time. The most recent assessment of water quality status, published in 2021, showed that Lough Neagh was at ‘bad’ ecological status. The report by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) further showed total phosphorus and the other biological quality elements that respond to high levels of phosphorus as being at less than ‘good’ status, thus indicating a nutrient enrichment within the lough. This level of pollution was exacerbated by a record water temperature recorded in the lough of 17.4oC. This temperature, recorded in June 2023, made it possible for the algae, technically classified as a cyanobacteria, festering in the lough to reproduce at a rate significantly higher than usual.

Green-blue algae naturally inhabits freshwater, coastal, and marine waters. Like plants, it requires sunlight, nutrients, and carbon dioxide to grow and reproduce. DAERA has stated that tests conducted over the late summer and early autumn of 2023 show that the water in the lough is three-times clearer than was recorded in 2019. The spread of the invasive zebra mussel species is believed to have played a role in making the water clearer, allowing more sunlight to penetrate, stimulating more algal photosynthesis. Among the many reasons cited by experts has been neglect from the Executive. Although a draft of the third iteration of the River Basin Management Plan was signed off by then-Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Edwin Poots MLA in October 2022, this has not been formally adopted as policy by the Department due to the fact it was not formally signed off by the Executive. This neglect from the Executive has been shadowed by an ambiguity over who owns the lough, and therefore who bears ultimate responsibility. The majority of the land around the lough is owned by Nicolas AshleyCooper, who holds the honorific title of

Earl of Shaftesbury. The ownership of this land has been part of the estate of the Earl of Shaftesbury since the 17th century. Ashley-Cooper has stated that while he is willing to sell his land to the public, that he “will not give it away for free”. The biggest source of pollution, according to Pieter-Jan Schön from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, is agriculture. Meanwhile, the deputy president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, John McClenaghan, has said that there is a need to “work collectively” to restore the lough. SDLP Stormont leader Matthew O’Toole MLA said in September 2023 that resolving the pollution in Lough Neagh “demands intense, coordinated and cooperative action at every level in response”. The algal bloom has notably subsided through October and November 2023, but future challenges remain if the level of pollution in the lough is not resolved. Although there was an attempted recall of the Assembly by the SDLP in September 2023, politicians remain unable to step up to the challenge of providing the necessary leadership to resolve this ecological disaster amid the ongoing DUP boycott of the institutions.

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Lough Neagh: An ecological catastrophe

environment, waste, and water report

Loughs Agency sets out climate change targets

Sharon McMahon, CEO, Loughs Agency.

Sharon McMahon, CEO of Loughs Agency, outlines the measures proposed to be taken by the crossborder body on the journey to decarbonisation. Climate change is the single largest threat to the natural environment this planet has ever faced, bringing about more intense and frequent storms, drought conditions, heatwaves, changes in sea levels, and warming oceans. The statistics speak for themselves. 2010 to 2019 was the hottest decade on record, while in 2021, the World Meteorological Organisation indicated that global mean sea level reached a new record high, rising an average of 4.5mm per year over the period 2013 to 2021. Extreme weather events have now become the norm, with climate change posing risks to ecosystems, health and wellbeing, economies, food security, and cultural heritage. The work of Loughs Agency has never been more relevant in protecting the aquatic environment in our catchment areas of Foyle and Carlingford. The impacts of climate change are already being felt on the ecosystems that we protect, conserve, and develop. We are acutely aware of the delicate ecological balance within these aquatic habitats, 44

and how this balance relates to wider ecosystems and the communities who live within these areas.

and it is essential that we display leadership in addressing the ongoing climate crisis.

If we are to achieve the ultimate goal of carbon net zero by 2050 as is set out in the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy, it is clear that every government, organisation, and individual has a responsibility to play their part. A variety of comprehensive and innovative actions need to be identified, prioritised, and implemented in the coming months and years to ensure we remain on track to hit these targets.

Consequently, we are delighted to have developed a draft Climate Action Plan, which outlines how we at Loughs Agency aim to reduce our carbon emissions in the years ahead. The draft reflects the leadership role we wish to take while supporting a modal shift away from high-carbon energy and implementing climate-resilient and nature-based solutions for both the Foyle and Carlingford catchment areas.

As one of the north-south implementation bodies, Loughs Agency’s overarching mission is to “sustainably manage, promote, and develop the fisheries and resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas”. Much of what we do is conservation and environmental-focused, which heightens the important role our organisation plays in supporting climate policy ambitions on the island. We are, and have been for over 70 years, on the frontline when it comes to protecting the natural world,

The headline messaging we want to get across from the document is around our climate ambition which is defined as follows: “To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 and to be a net zero carbon and climateresilient Agency by 2050.” These targets will help the organisation fall in line with the ambitions of strategic stakeholders and respective government departments.

The plan will also help ensure that Loughs Agency remains at the forefront of developing and leading in the field of climate adaptation and mitigation, further enhancing our mission in protecting the natural environment and the species within Foyle and Carlingford. Our staff are truly passionate about their work, and their dedication and commitment will be crucial in achieving the ambitious outcomes set out. You need only look at the remarkable projects worked on by various members of our team in recent years, such as SeaMonitor, STRAITS, CatchmentCARE, TREES and SWELL, all of which have the welfare of the magnificent species found within our catchment areas at their core, and the findings of these projects can help reliably inform management decisions. Salmon and sea trout traversing up a river.

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Education is another facet of our organisation which is critically important, ensuring residents within the Foyle and Carlingford catchment areas are fully aware of the dangers posed by climate change. Our popular Foyle and Carlingford Ambassadors Programme has engaged with thousands of school pupils in the last year, all of whom leave the experience better informed on the importance of protecting and conserving biodiversity in our waterways. It is our hope that many more young people can make the most of this and similar initiatives in years to come. Many changes to how we work have already been made. We have been increasing our use of renewable energy, strengthening the energy efficiency of our buildings, reducing our fleet, procuring electric vehicles and enhancing energy monitoring. As well as the aforementioned changes, we have also adopted the use of smart technologies by introducing sustainable drainage and rainwater harvesting systems. The draft Climate Action Plan focuses on further enhancements to these while setting out five key areas for improvement: •

buildings and property;

•

travel and fleet;

•

catchment adaption and biodiversity;

•

supply chains; and

•

people, stakeholders, and communities.

Kinnego Bay Beach on Lough Foyle, County Donegal.

We are also keen for the public to have their say on our plans, which is why we recently launched a public consultation which provides that opportunity. Information sessions were held in both Foyle and Carlingford on the opening two days of the process, and feedback can be accepted until the closing date of 31 January 2024. For those who were unable to make the sessions but would like to discuss the plan with our team, we would encourage you to get in touch.

Sloughan Glen Waterfall, Omagh.

Loughs Agency, as an environmental organisation, has an exciting opportunity to show leadership in the area of climate change and be an exemplar of best practice in response to the emergency facing our beloved planet.

Contact T: +44 (0) 28 71 342100 E: info@loughs-agency.org W: www.loughs-agency.org

45 Shroove Lighthouse, County Donegal overlooking Lough Foyle.

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European priorities for the environment Deputy Director General of the Directorate-General for the Environment (DG Environment) at the European Commission, Patrick Child, discusses policy priorities for the environment in Europe. Setting the context for a wide ranging and comprehensive legislative programme being pursued by the European Commission under the European Green Deal, the Deputy Director General outlines the understanding that the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution facing the world are interlinked and therefore must be tackled together. “This is what we are trying to do through European environment policy, joining up these challenges in a unified manner under the overall agenda of the European Green Deal,” he explains. “The Green Deal offers a path to a different economic model, changing the way we produce and consume. We are getting ready for a zero carbon, zero pollution, more circular, and naturepositive economy.” Underpinning the Green Deal, explains Child, is a “wide ranging and comprehensive” legislative programme. Currently, over 15 substantial proposals

relating to biodiversity, the circular economy, and zero pollution are awaiting approval by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, with hopes that 50 new legal acts will be in place under the Green Deal by the end of 2024. Child believes that this legislation is “laying the ground for systemic changes needed to keep on the right side of our planetary boundaries”. In May 2022, the European Commission’s eighth Environment Action Programme, geared at guiding European environmental policy until 2030, entered into force. The strategy covers three main policy areas in the form of the circular economy, nature protection, and zero pollution.

Circular economy Highlighting some of the most significant of the 50 legislative proposals, Child points to the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan, included in which is a new

regulatory framework for batteries, an important step as member states strive to increase electric vehicle use. “The framework takes a life cycle approach so that batteries are longer lasting, made with recyclable materials, and designed to repurposed, remanufactured, or recycled,” explains Child. “This new legal text on batteries is in a way a pilot example of what we are trying to achieve in the circular economy more generally. For example, legislation we proposed last year on eco-design, obliging producers to make goods which last longer, are cheaper to repair, and use less energy and fewer resources.” The Deputy Director General says that negotiations are underway in the European Parliament and Council to establish the framework for the future circular economy model, which will then be implemented across different sectors through tailor-made, dedicated legal acts in the coming months and year.

of the EU’s environment strategy, is the one addressing citizen concerns for the want to breath clean air, drink clean water, and consume toxin free products.

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According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), over 300,000 Europeans die prematurely each year as a result of air pollution, and the deputy Director General believes it to be among the EU’s largest environmental challenges, particularly because of recognition that the impacts tend to be greatest on the most vulnerable, and the resulting associated high costs to the economy for health care systems. The European Commission has recently proposed to revise the Ambient Air Quality Directives to substantially improve EU air quality standards in line with the WHO objectives. Child adds: “We are also working very actively to finalise negotiations on proposals to modernise our Industrial Emissions Directive, to reduce pollution further and to steer the green transition of large industries and agri-industrial installations, by controlling their emissions to the air, water, and soil.

One of the first sectors being targeted, explains Child, is textiles. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles was published in March 2022, aiming to create a new textiles ecosystem, which creates economic value, while cutting negative impacts of trends such as ‘fast fashion’.

“Importantly, this is a legal framework which applies equally to products which are made in the European Union, and those imported from third countries. Therefore, we are working very actively with major private producers of forest products, globally, to ensure a smooth transition.”

Similarly, building on a European Strategy for Plastics in 2018, which aims to improve the economics and quality of plastic recycling, cut waste, and drive investment in innovation throughout the value chain, the DG Environment is working on new legislation which proposes to cut packaging and packaging waste to ensure all EU packaging is reusable by 2030.

Child believes that the decisive action on deforestation is an exemplar of the European Union’s “global leadership on biodiversity”, which he says it is proud to exercise.

Biodiversity Turning to work on nature and biodiversity, Child points to the recently adopted regulation on deforestation which will enter fully in to force in 2024. “Europe is facing up to its responsibility as a major market and our plan is to decrease our contribution to the products that are linked to deforestation around the world, and instead favour products which are deforestation-free,” he says.

Describing such leadership as vitally important to global climate ambitions, he also highlights the establishment of a “groundbreaking agreement” of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted during COP15 following a four-year consultation and negotiation process. The far-reaching agreement, to restore 30 per cent of the world’s degraded ecosystems by 2030, while also substantially increasing financial support for developing countries (€200 billion by 2030), requires “challenging but necessary” work in the years ahead.

Zero pollution Child explains that the third major pillar

“Under our zero pollution framework, we are also modernising the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, an increasing concern in many member states, particularly as they deal with changing weather patterns and increased flood risks.” Linked to progress on zero pollution, the European Commission continues to deliver actions on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, published in October 2020. In particular, Child says that proposals are currently being developed for a targeted revision of the REACH regulation, the main regulatory framework for the management of chemicals in the European Union. Child says that the aim is to achieve the ambition of safe and sustainable chemicals, with a high level of protection if the environment, while preserving the internal market. Originally expected to be adopted before the end of 2023, the REACH revision has now been shifted to the next Commission mandate and is now not expected to gain approval until late 2024 or early 2025.

Ireland Pertinent to the island of Ireland, Child points to progress particularly in the Soil 4 and Nature Restoration directives. 47

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According to the Deputy Director General, up to 70 per cent of European soils are in a poor state, costing more than €50 billion annually. “Our idea is for new rules on soil to give the same legal protections which air and water have been enjoying for decades. This will be beneficial to Irish farmers because more sustainable soil management will lead to improved fertility. As well as increasing yields, this has the potential to reduce inputs like water and fertiliser, which are increasingly more costly over the longer term,” he says. “Turning to the Nature Restoration Law, which has a very direct impact on our rural and farming communities, it is an important proposal under our Biodiversity Strategy and is a major need. Today, 81 per cent of protected habitats, 39 per cent of protected birds, and 63 per cent of other protected species are in a poor or bad state. There is an urgent need to make good the damage of the past, going beyond the protection of habitats and landscapes, to nature restoration, and investing to restore nature. “This means investing in food security, in the availability of fresh water, clean air, flood protection and the other eco-

system services. We hope that with the EU Council and Parliament having now reached their positions on these proposals, we will make swift progress and get agreement by the end of 2023.”

Priorities Speaking in the days following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address, Child emphasises the point made by the President that 90 per cent of the Commission’s proposals outlined in its original declaration, including the European Green Deal, have already been delivered. With European elections set to be held in June 2024, Child says that the focus is on finishing the job, requiring the continued support of member states to not only get legislation adopted, but more importantly, ensure effective implementation. “We have achieved huge progress with the European Green Deal in the past few years, notwithstanding the challenges of the global pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We look forward now to the full and effective implementation of this agenda,” he concludes.

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Digitalising waste A consultation, being carried out collaboratively between the UK Government and the devolved departments in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, is proposing the digitalisation of waste tracking services. In Northern Ireland, the export of waste is a lucrative industry, with 260,132 tonnes of municipal waste from a mixture of landfill, recycling, and energy recovery being sold to a diverse portfolio of markets ranging from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. Across the United Kingdom, over 200 million tonnes of waste are produced each year but there is currently no single or comprehensive way of tracking it, with legislation relating to the transport, management, and description of waste being introduced separately over three decades. The consultation is proposing the establishment of a single UK-wide database with the objective of replacing the current method of paper-based record keeping. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs argues that centralisation and digitalisation of data keeping will make it much easier and less time consuming for “legitimate waste companies” to comply with reporting requirements whilst making it much harder for rogue operators to compete in the industry and commit waste crime including fly tipping, deliberate misclassification of waste, illegal waste exports and the operation of illegal waste sites.

Among the proposals are for the categorisation of waste types and the tracking of waste activities.

tracking service with the objective of providing a seamless system across the UK.

To categorise waste types, the UK Government proposes that controlled waste (encompassing both hazardous and non-hazardous household, commercial and industrial waste) and extractive waste (such as from mines and quarries) are covered by information recording requirements for a digital waste tracking service.

Accordingly, the consultation is being undertaken jointly by the UK Government, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government, alongside the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. However, the ability for DAERA to make decisions amid the absence of a Minister means that it is unlikely that this plan will be implemented in the short term.

To track waste activity, the British Government is further proposing using the waste tracking service to capture the full journey of waste from the point it is produced and transferred to another person or site, to the point it reaches its end fate. It proposes harmonising the activities that are recorded in this journey for all wastes, so there is a “single, comprehensive, and consistent approach which is clear to all waste holders”. As part of this approach, the UK Government further proposes recording the next destination for end of waste products and materials with the objective of obtaining a full picture of what happens to all waste, including where it is circling back into the economy as a resource. Whilst waste policy is a devolved matter, the British Government and devolved administrations have agreed to work together to develop a UK-wide waste

DAERA comment A DAERA spokesperson said: “In keeping with the policy direction from the then Minister Edwin Poots, DAERA participated in the UK-wide consultation on proposed mandatory digital waste tracking. Since then the Department has continued to follow this policy direction in working with [Great Britain] colleagues and in carrying out necessary preparatory work for an incoming minister. “Teams from both Environment Resources Policy Division and from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency are currently engaged in this preparatory work though ultimately this will be subject to approval across all four legislatures and subsequent parliamentary approval via an affirmative statutory instrument.”

environment, waste, and water report

KierBAM Joint Venture: ‘One Team’

Duncrue Wastewater Treatment Works - Before Phase 0.

KierBAM Joint Venture is part of Belfast’s ‘One Team’ that is leading the way on an extensive upgrade of Belfast Wastewater Treatment Works. Local Belfast-based company KierBAM Joint Venture (JV) has been appointed to the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) delivery of a critical infrastructure project for Belfast, carrying out a vital upgrade to NI Water’s largest facility; Belfast Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW). This project is a key part of NI Water’s input to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI)-led Living with Water in Belfast Plan, which was approved by the Northern Ireland Executive in 2021. This

element of the plan will deliver a longterm solution to increase the capacity of the works, helping to end constraints to new connections that have been holding back development and regeneration opportunities. With construction works due to begin in mid-2024, the forward-thinking investment project will also treat discharges to higher standards, so that water safely returned into the environment begins to improve the water

quality in Belfast Lough. This will benefit wildlife, the shellfish industry, and all those that regularly enjoy the lough and its beautiful shoreline all the way to where it opens out into the Irish Sea. The JV partners have joined The Belfast WwTW ‘One Team’, the set of companies selected by NI Water to design and deliver this vital infrastructure project. This integrated team comprises KierBAM as civil contractor, civil designers Stantec, design and build wastewater

process contractors MWH Treatment, and project management consultants McAdam Design. Together this team has all the diverse range of world-class specialist skills, experience, and resources required to ensure that the optimised sustainable solution is developed and will be efficiently delivered.

environment, waste, and water report

“The delivery of this project will be a true team effort, and it is something the KierBAM Joint Venture is delighted to be contributing to,” says Cormac O’Donnelll, Kier’s Operations Director for the project. “We are always looking for projects where we can see the potential for substantial benefit for the local area, and the plan NI Water has in place with the Living with Water programme will clearly have a substantial impact.” Phase 0 tanks.

Futureproofing Belfast The primary aims of the wider programme are to bring huge improvements to how the overall Belfast drainage and wastewater system operates – increasing capacity, protecting communities from flooding, and creating a cleaner and greener environment. This key element will provide the futureproofed WwTW needed to support Belfast City’s strategy to add another 66,000 residents by the year 2035.

Delivering social value “Both Kier and BAM have a long track record in delivering public infrastructure projects with an integral sustainability and social value focus and have collaborated together successfully as Joint Venture partners on numerous previous projects,” says Pat McAndrew, BAM’s Framework Manager for the project. “The KierBAM JV emphasis on working sustainably, seeking out innovative solutions, and adding social value around us means we have a lot to offer our customers and the community, and we are really pleased to be able to support NI Water in redeveloping essential water and wastewater infrastructure collaboratively. This critical project, once complete, will protect against flooding, significantly improve water quality, and provide a sustainable foundation for future developments in the region.” Projects of this size, when planned in a collaborative way, also have the potential

to bring jobs and other tangible benefits to local people and communities. These plans are at the heart of the work being done by KierBAM. The ‘One Team’ has identified charities close to Belfast WwTW who they can support throughout the works and beyond, helping the local community and leaving a lasting legacy. O’Donnell adds: “We have worked in Northern Ireland for six decades, with local offices in Belfast, and are fully invested in creating growth and opportunities in the community. Being able to travel to work in the morning, seeing the impact your work has had on the area where you live and work, is one of the most rewarding parts of a job in the built environment, which makes this project even more exciting for our team.” The KierBAM JV is part of a Northern Ireland taskforce comprising Northern Ireland’s main utility companies and the CITB, who have created a groundbreaking pilot scheme to train and develop new entrants into the utilities construction sector. They also have a rich history of training and developing unemployed people, primarily through a previous government scheme called Bridge to Employment. There are many success stories, with a number of people who were given employment opportunities still working with KierBAM in management and team leader positions.

Leaving lasting legacies is part of the KierBAM DNA, and with its part in this ‘One Team’ approach, it is set to continue to support the people of Belfast for years to come. The work at Belfast Wastewater Treatment Works is just one example of the essential work required to support a healthy and thriving population, a growing economy, and a flourishing natural environment. The delivery of high-quality drinking water and recycling wastewater safely to the environment today and tomorrow must be a priority. Continued delivery of essential water and wastewater services is dependent on a solution being found to the future funding of the water and sewerage infrastructure.

Cormac O’Donnell Operations Director T: 077 9537 7216 E: cormac.odonnelll@kier.co.uk W: www.kier.co.uk

environment, waste, and water report

Independent EPA required to tackle crisis

Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. Credit: Tourism NI

The status of Northern Ireland as one of the most-nature depleted regions on Earth underpins the need for an independent environmental protection agency, argues John Blair MLA, the Alliance Party’s agriculture and environment spokesperson. Our basic human needs, such as access to food, shelter, and clean air, are threatened as the climate struggles to cope with our strain. We have just witnessed a season full of intensive heatwaves, floods, and wildfires across the globe. November 2023, too, started with prolonged periods of rain and extreme flooding in many areas across Northern Ireland. In addition, we have been, and continue to be, tackling our own ecological crisis at Lough Neagh and across other areas within Northern Ireland, as blue-green algal blooms threaten species, the lives of those who live on the loughshore, trading, and recreational opportunities. The lough’s poor ecological condition means it is less resilient to environmental changes such as increased water temperatures and it will now take 20 years for the phosphorous sediment in the bed of Lough Neagh to rectify itself naturally. That is, of course, if we manage to reduce the harmful pollution levels entering the waterways.

As if our local blue-green algae crisis was not a sharp enough wake-up call, the launch of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ (RSPB) State of Nature report in September 2023 highlights, yet again, the devastating condition of our local environment. The report has highlighted that in Northern Ireland, 12 per cent of species are being threatened with extinction, the certified woodland area continues to decrease, and around half of our protected areas are in an unfavourable condition. These failures, alongside many more, have resulted in Northern Ireland being ranked as the 12th worst out of 240 countries and regions for biodiversity loss, making it one of the most nature-depleted regions on Earth. These local examples most certainly show that we must do things better and differently. The environmental crisis is no longer something we can brush under the carpet for future consideration, as the consequences of our inaction are being felt now and will only continue to escalate. Every policy

“The Office for Environmental Protection has no enforcement powers over private businesses and citizens; a point made more significant given the current government stalemate within Northern Ireland.”

We know what needs to be done, and there are many opportunities for restoration and recovery, but we must act more fervently. It remains evident that a vital part of tackling the climate crisis is the creation of an independent environmental protection agency. This is something that Alliance has long since been calling for and has been previously committed to by all parties in the 2020 New Decade, New Approach agreement. This body would govern the protection of the natural environment, clearly demonstrating a no-tolerance stance against polluters. It would also increase cross-border cooperation, as we are fighting to protect one single biogeographical unit unconcerned with borders. To date, Northern Ireland remains the only region in Europe without an independent environmental protection agency in place. In 2022, the Office for Environmental Protection’s remit was extended to include Northern Ireland, meaning it can now hold our government and public bodies to account when implementing environmental law. However, whilst the Office for Environmental Protection goes some way in filling the oversight role which the European Commission previously held, it lacks the intensive vigour required. The Office for Environmental Protection has no enforcement powers over private businesses and citizens; a point made more significant given the current government stalemate within Northern Ireland. A further point highlighting the need for a dedicated independent environmental protection agency is that Northern Ireland still urgently requires robust environmental and biodiversity strategies.

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and practice must be viewed directly – and, in some cases, reassessed – through a nature and climate lens.

An independent environmental protection agency is one of the many policies and practices proposed in the Alliance’s Green New Deal. This document outlines how we can seriously tackle the climate emergency, including methods to support nature recovery and a more sustainable agriculture model through nature-friendly farming practices. The document demands urgent and radical change for long-term security and collective prosperity beyond mere environmental policy tweaks. Alliance remains committed to championing environmental issues by ensuring that focused action continues at every level of government to introduce a green new deal for each council area. This can be seen most recently within Alliance’s local government manifesto, which concentrated on reducing the use of plastics and a circular economy and went on to secure the party’s highest proportion of councillors ever. What is clear, however, is that these localised actions need to be driven by and backed up by a functioning government. Indeed, the lack of government and, subsequently, governance in Northern Ireland has only made delivering environmental protection initiatives more difficult. If we are to secure meaningful action, we must work together to protect our natural environment better and drive the restoration of species and habitats. We must not see tackling the climate emergency as inter-sector condemnation or competition but as an opportunity to build the future we want, including preserving our planet for future generations and obtaining economic and social transformation. Alliance will continue to fight for its vision of an inclusive, dynamic, prosperous, and sustainable Northern Ireland.

The Council's vital role in pioneering sustainability:

environment, waste, and water report

A blueprint for a greener future

In the wake of mounting environmental challenges, the imperative for sustainable practices has reached critical levels. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) is building on significant work to date and providing direction for the future. As the public becomes increasingly aware of the fragility of our planet, the onus of driving change falls not only on individuals but also on governing bodies and local councils. With their capacity to implement policies and spearhead community initiatives, councils play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of sustainability within their jurisdictions. NMDDC encompasses an area of 1,634km2, has a coastline of approximately 150km, and has three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Mourne, Ring of Gullion, and Strangford and Lecale. With such a unique landscape rich in biodiversity, along with a vibrant cultural life, it will come as no surprise to hear that the Council has invested in sustainability measures for years, with a team working across a range of related areas, including sustainability, environmental education, energy management, biodiversity and sustainable foods. In 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and took measures to effect 54

dramatic short-term changes in every area under its control, drawing on local and international case studies to mitigate the impacts of climate change within our district. In 2020, the council organised a Climate Symposium, bringing together a range of internationally renowned expert speakers as well as councils and community organisations from across the UK and Ireland, who had achieved practical solutions and carbon reductions. The importance of responding to the climate emergency and taking action to deliver sustainability and environmental improvements, has also been reflected as part of a recent council restructuring, through the creation of a sustainability and environment directorate. We are in the process of developing a number of strategies and policies to promote sustainable development and ecological preservation. These include a sustainability and climate change strategy and action plan, and a biodiversity strategy.

A local climate adaptation plan is being developed as part of the council’s Climate Action Programme, which identifies the impacts of climate change on all its operations including extreme flooding, storms, extreme heat and drought, coastal erosion and extreme cold in winter. It also informs training which council staff receive on climate change to enable them to take adaptation and mitigation actions within their sectors. These guiding documents will build on the significant work already undertaken by the council in recent years and will provide further direction for the future. Education and community engagement are key components of the council’s sustainable initiatives to protect and enhance this special part of Northern Ireland. Earlier in 2023, Newry, Mourne and Down’s unique landscape and geology was awarded UNESCO Global Geopark status. This significant achievement is the culmination of over a decade of work by council officers, community groups and partner organisations working together to get recognition for the area’s internationally significant geological heritage. The status of UNESCO Global Geopark empowers local communities to form strong alliances aimed at advancing the region’s noteworthy geological and cultural legacy. It works in tandem with local landowners, businesses and communities to use the natural heritage as a tool for sustainable tourism, biodiversity improvements, geological education and sustainably managed outdoor recreation.

In addition to this highly acclaimed status, the council has taken the lead in a number of other recognised initiatives in which it has worked with local communities, such as our work with Louth Beekeepers Association to reclaim a former landfill site to improve biodiversity and help boost the population of the once endangered Irish black bee. For this partnership project we won the Local Government Chronicle Environmental Services Award. Five hives have now been installed at Aughnagun landfill site since June 2022 with up to 50,000 bees per hive. Local schools have also got involved through an education programme and we were delighted that the first extraction of honey achieved second place in its category in the London Honey Awards, which was sold to raise money for charity or donated to local foodbanks. By fostering a sense of collective responsibility and encouraging environmentally conscious behaviours, we aim to catalyse a grassroots movement towards sustainability. As part of a drive to reduce the use of single-use plastics and promote efficient use of water, the council has installed water fountains at a number of prominent locations across the district and introduced a single use plastics policy and strategy. This includes a wide range of actions to eliminate single use plastics from council offices and activities, such as providing council staff with reusable water bottles.

environment, waste, and water report

We are working to reduce the environmental impact of new and existing buildings through energy management practices, including considering lower carbon heating solutions for new building projects and decarbonising existing buildings. We are also committed to environmental sustainability as a key underpinning principle for the design and construction of our City Deal facilities, using policy levers to integrate inclusive, sustainable growth. Collaboration with other governing bodies, environmental organisations and local businesses is integral to the success of sustainable initiatives. By fostering partnerships and advocating for sustainable policies at regional and national levels, we can amplify our impact and contribute to the formulation of comprehensive sustainability frameworks. Recent work has continued with other councils on topics such as fleet decarbonisation and carbon offsetting, and we are one of three local authorities involved in the FASTER Project, installing high speed, public charging points for electric vehicles funded through €6.4 million from the INTERREG VA programme. Further public electric vehicle charging is also planned as part of the collaborative Onstreet Residential Chargepoint Scheme. Our responsibility in championing sustainability cannot be overstated. Through the implementation of robust policies, the promotion of community engagement and the investment in green infrastructure, councils can spearhead a transformative movement towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious society. It is only through our steadfast commitment and proactive initiatives that we can hope to build a thriving, sustainable future for generations to come.

T: 0330 137 4046 E: info@nmandd.org W: www.newrymournedown.org X: @nmdcouncil

Investing in green infrastructure and technology is a crucial step in the council’s journey towards sustainability. 55

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Managing Wales’ natural resources Clare Pillman, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), talks about the challenges of managing Wales’ natural resources and how she is enabled to do this by strong legislation and a functioning government. Pillman contextualises that, growing up in northeast Wales, she knows “what an unjust transition looks like”, recalling how the steel works were closed and the coal mines were abandoned. Reflecting on the cost of living and inequality challenges of today, she firmly believes that partners in the public, private, and voluntary sector have the power to bring about a change that is fair, just, and ensures nobody gets left behind. “We have been living with the legacy of an unjust transition for a very long time. This is not where we want to be this time round,” Pillman says. NRW was established in April 2013 with a mandate to deliver an integrated approach to managing the environment and natural resources of Wales. In bringing together the functions of the Environment Agency Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales, and the Forestry Commission Wales, NRW became Wales’ largest Government Sponsored Body. Since its formation, this single entity has been using its influence, tools and mechanisms to shape the future of Wales’ approach to natural resource and ecosystem management.

Pillman describes it as a “watershed moment” for environmental policy in Wales.

Challenges and evolution Pillman describes the task of merging together different organisations with very different responsibilities and having to deliver significant cost savings has not been without its challenges. “The varied nature of the work that we do can sometimes lead to debates about our approach,” she says. However, she says that this is “positive” as “we cannot, as an organisation, retreat to our trenches; we have to reach a decision and reach a point of view. That can be on anything from how the land that we manage is used, where we take a decision, perhaps, to do wind turbines, where we do peatland restoration, where we have commercial timber, where we do naturally-led regeneration.” Earlier in 2023, NRW launched its Corporate Plan to 2030: Nature and People Thriving Together. It focuses on three wellbeing objectives that will guide its response to the triple threats to the planet. She describes NRW’s vision as “very straightforward” – to see nature recovering, to mitigate and adapt to the climate emergency, and to minimise pollution. The plan recognises where NRW is best placed to lead the way to meet the 2030 targets for nature and climate with the unique tools and powers it has. But it also stresses the importance of pooling resources and collaborating with partners, sharpening the focus on social and environmental justice to make sure no part of society gets left behind. Central to realising this vision, according to Pillman, is political support. “Our relationship with government is that we are at arm’s length; which can be difficult for government as we sometimes need to

Underpinning legislation Two pieces of legislation, the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and Environment (Wales) Act 2016 have been key enablers for NRW to work in collaboration with partners.

environment, waste, and water report

NRW is now responsible for the management of 8 per cent of Wales’ land mass and manages in the region of 50 per cent of Wales’s nature reserves. It is the nation’s largest timber producer, producing around £40 million worth of timber per year. Pillman further explains that the organisation has “huge amounts of production across the estate and onshore wind on our land”.

tell them things they do not want to hear. But we are also a key delivery organisation for them.”

In the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, the role of public services boards (PSBs) to work at a local level to deliver for local communities, was enshrined. The PSBs bring together local authorities, health organisations, NRW, and emergency responders to share knowledge and deliver on the issues that matter most at a local level. “One of the requirements of the Environment (Wales) Act was the requirement for us to publish a State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR) – an environmental stocktake which provides powerful evidence to guide Wales’ future path,” Pillman explains. “Alongside that are our area statements which are at a more granular local level and give meaning and relevance to the different requirements of the Welsh environment. The Act also sets out the principles of the sustainable management of natural resources (SMNR), which underpins everything we do as an organisation.” Pillman points to the future ambitions of NRW to contribute to Wales’ net zero by 2050 ambitions, highlighting that 86 per cent of the organisation’s emissions can be linked to its supply chain. “As a landowner, operator, and zero carbon organisation, we know that we must set an example to others, meeting the highest standards in how we work,” Pillman says. “Social partnerships and how we procure things can deliver huge change. But we must also endeavour to do more – to radically change the way we live, how we work together, how we think about and plan for the future. With the public sector leading the way, we can quite literally move mountains, and build a thriving economy, vibrant communities, and a more resilient world for current and future generations.”

environment, waste, and water report

Sustainable water: Progress and challenge Significant progress will be required in the coming years if the ambitions of a 25-year long-term water strategy for Northern Ireland are to be realised. Published recently, the sixth annual report on Sustainable Water, Northern Ireland’s long-term water strategy from 2015 to 2040, highlights several achievements in the first six years of the strategy. However, over 80 per cent of actions remain to be completed. The May 2023 report assesses progress to 2021/22, particularly in relation to four-high level aims of: 1. securing high-quality sustainable supplies of drinking water for households, industry, and agriculture; 2. managing flood risk and drainage; 3. achieving the environmental requirements of the Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 in a sustainable manner; and 4. providing sustainable water and sewerage services to meet customers’ needs.

The report adds: “The [Covid] pandemic has reinforced the vital role that water plays in protecting the health and wellbeing of our citizens, and this has underlined the need to manage our water resource in a more sustainable way, to help ensure that there is sufficient water available to meet the future demands of the population.”

Drinking water supply and demand Some of the successful initiatives so far, highlighted in the annual report, include projects delivered under NI Water’s Sustainable Catchment Area Management Plan (SCAMP), not least the reduction of chemical usage in the water treatment process.

The long-term strategy is underpinned by an action plan containing 231 actions, categorised within short-term (2015-2021), medium-term (20212027), and long-term (2027-2040). To date, only 30 actions have been completed (25 short-term, four medium-term, and one medium/long-term), which represents less than 13 per cent of the targeted actions.

Led by NI Water, lead pipe replacement continues under its PC21 plan and the utility remains involved in a research project working with Water UK, examining lead plumbosolvency control technology.

Published by the Department for Infrastructure, which has responsibility for the strategy’s implementation, the progress report stresses the importance of ensuring the strategy aligns with other government policy priorities, namely the response to the Climate Change Act and the cross-governmental Green Growth strategy.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) continues to “constructively engage” with NI Water to regulate drinking water quality, resulting in 99.88 per cent compliance for overall public drinking water quality for 2021. DWI did take enforcement action in 2021, including pursuing the first drinking water

prosecution case against NI Water under Article 110 of the Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 2006.

Alongside NI Water’s current development of its next Water Resource and Supply Resilience Plan, the organisation has undertaken several energy efficiency projects across its water assets, primarily focusing on pump optimisation and control. Investment of around £1.8 million during the PC21 period on pump optimisation and control improvement is expected to bring about an estimated £720,000 of energy benefits. “This will help to unlock significant energy and carbon savings, reducing operating costs and providing a better value service to customers,” the report states.

Finally, as well as the progression by DfI Rivers of its 10-year capital works programme for over 70 water-course-related projects, a new Asset Management Plan has been completed, enabling, and building on a database of above- and below-ground assets that is used to manage and value the asset.

environment, waste, and water report

Additionally, the Drinking Water Inspectorate developed a new Single Private Well web application which was officially launched on the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) website in March 2022, providing bespoke advice and guidance to the owners and users of private wells on protection of the groundwater, treatment options and steps to take to ensure the quality of their water supply is safeguarded.

work by NI Water’s process for removing stormwater and infiltration from the sewer network on a prioritised basis, spend by DfI Rivers of £18.7 million on drainage and flood alleviation schemes in 2021/22, and the award of a contract for the design and construction phase of the Belfast Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme.

Environmental protection and improvement Although still awaiting Executive approval, the publication of the final River Basin Management Plan (2021/27) by the previous DAERA minister has set out a pathway for the protection and improvement of water over the next six years. In October 2022, the DAERA Minister approved the final River Basin Management Plan (2021/27) including a programmes of measures. The plan, while still requiring Executive approval before it can be published, outlines the measures that will be undertaken to protect and improve our water over the next six years. In 2021/2022, NI Water completed four sites within the Shared Waters Enhancement and Loughs Legacy (SWELL), a four-year €35 million project focused on the construction of new wastewater treatment works and upgrades to sewerage networks on both sides of the border to address wastewater pollution in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. Other progress includes:

Flood risk management and drainage In recognition of rising flood events in the region in recent years, including autumn 2023, the strategy aims to manage flood risk and drainage in a sustainable manner. As the competent authority for implementing the Floods Directive in Northern Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure published the second cycle Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP), a single plan covering all three river basin districts, in December 2021. As well as working with local councils to ensure new local development plans include informed decisions in relation to flood risk policies, DfI colead a multiagency group exploring options for the approval and adaptation of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) assets, to encourage their uptake among developers. Living with Water in Belfast, an estimated £1.4 billion capital investment over the next 12 years, and an integrated plan for drainage and wastewater management in Greater Belfast, published in November 2021, is currently being extended. The development of a strategic drainage infrastructure plan for Derry is underway, however, significant investment will be required in wastewater treatment works and sewerage networks. Additionally, in relation to the aim of providing sustainable integrated drainage in rural and urban and high-risk areas, the annual report details

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DAERA’s establishment of the Sustainable Catchment Project (SCP) to address cross cutting water quality issues in the Ballinderry, Dundrum Bay, and Upper Bann catchments;

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DAERA’s Forest Service supported an increased area of 525 hectares of new privately-owned woodland in 2021/22 and planted an additional 15 hectares of forest;

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work undertaken by Northern Ireland Environment Agency to carry out a “root and branch” review of water-related regulatory regimes;

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NI Water’s piloting of real time control/digital twin technologies at some wastewater treatment works sites, and pump optimisation technology; and

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preparation of a discussion paper on a new nature recovery strategy by DAERA, soon to be launched for consultation.

Water and sewerage services NI Water failed to meet planned delivery in nine out of 45 key outputs in targets for year-on-year efficiency of the provision of water and sewerage services, overseen by the Utility Regulator. The report identifies a number of key challenges to the continued progress of the long-term strategy, not least the need for significant financial investment over the strategy’s lifetime, recognising that funding availability will have an impact on key stakeholders’ ability to deliver the objectives of the strategy. Also challenging is changing weather patterns, meaning increased water consumption at times of extreme heat, while managing flood risks in times of heavy rain. The impact of a wide range of pressures such as urban development, forestry, and chemicals on water catchments must also be considered, as does the need for flexibility to ensure the strategy aligns with the shape and nature of future agricultural support and agri-environment schemes.

environment, waste, and water report

The sustainable impact of organics With climate change, biodiversity, and recycling intrinsically connected, Colm Warren, CEO of Natural World Products, highlights the challenges and necessary work to push forward collectively in order to implement positive structural changes for long-term environmental sustainability. In just over a year, the UK will move away from using peat within the horticultural retail market, followed by the professional growing market in 2026. Transitioning from peat to compost provides an opportunity for positive change, although many challenges need addressing.

development at various levels of the value chain is required to produce a wide range of tailored organic growing blends that can produce even better results than peat (especially necessary for professional growing markets), while delivering a significantly lower carbon footprint in the process.

Now that the extraction of peat from highly diverse peatlands, including here in Northern Ireland, has been significantly curtailed, an ever-quickening urgency in progressing sustainable alternatives to peat is needed.

A recent report from the House of Lords titled Sowing the Seeds: A Blooming Horticultural Sector has highlighted how the horticultural sector plays a significant role in delivering key government policies. NWP has been progressing similar research and development within the horticultural and agricultural sectors in the UK and Ireland for a considerable time – and some of the growing trial results are fascinating.

With households in the UK alone producing over 14 million tonnes of organic household waste per annum, we need to consider the structurally vital role products like compost made from household waste can play as peat-based growing media alternatives. Actualising the benefits of organic waste produced into climate-positive products presents a considerable opportunity to provide innovative solutions. Maximising the quality and quantity of organic waste is essential to offering alternatives to peat. Organic compost is not a direct peat substitute or equivalent – but, as a key foundational building block in new completely peat-free product blends, it has a huge role to play in reducing its use. More research and

Developing high-quality, tailored finished products suitable for field application and producing nutrient-rich compost products from organics is not easy. Very few do it well at volume in these islands – largely due to a complete lack of government support for the composting industry and soil health more generally historically. The focus was all, wrongly in our view, on utilising waste organics to produce “renewable” electricity instead. There was little or no thought given to how the massive subsidies available for AD (focused only on the power generation

aspects) would completely distort waste collection markets, making them totally unsustainable in the long-term, and lead to disastrous consequences for nutrient and waterway management, given that the primary output of the wet AD process, nutrient loaded liquid digestate, finds its way everywhere and anywhere, completely unmanaged in a wet, nutrient overloaded region like Northern Ireland. When liquid digestate is misused and over-applied (because there is not enough suitable land mass to accept it in a particular region), it can actually end up destroying soils, rather than helping to fertilise them, killing earthworm activity and running off into our vital waterways. Innovation and collaboration are crucial to addressing such challenges and will, in our view, lead to a wide range of incredible, sustainable tailored growing blends in both agricultural and horticultural settings. To that end, organic waste and the sensible collection and disposal of it, has a pivotal role to play in meeting head-on some significant structural challenges, including the often overlooked one of finding sustainable alternatives to peatbased growing media in horticulture, as well as helping to reduce the use of synthetic and artificial fertiiser in agriculture.

returned to natural woodland, with all the trees germinated and planted in peatfree compost produced from municipal organic waste produced in the same area.

Tree planting project at NWP’s Glenside Climate Solutions Park

NWP sponsors the Eco-Schools programme in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

NWP, as an ever-evolving local company seeking to align itself to addressing a range of serious structural challenges facing the place in which we live, is already well down this road, undistracted as we were by short-term, transactional focused subsidy chases that will never help to create long-term or true sustainability in this sector. Leading groups, bodies and charities such as the National Trust, The Royal Horticultural Society and the Horticultural Trades Association are all calling for a “radical rethink” in terms of how organic waste might be utilised collectively within the horticultural sector. This broader call demonstrates an understanding of how vital organic waste is to help achieve sustainable progress. Communication around legislation could always be better and, at times, is made somewhat complex, which can make it difficult for even progressive businesses within horticulture and agriculture to navigate the changes needed to adapt to new ways of thinking and working. The general public also can often be held back from making positive environmental choices through a lack of education and support around what the tangible and local consequences of their desired behavioural changes can actually be. Education and community engagement are essential elements to driving longterm change. NWP has been actively trying to bring these together. Providing education through various initiatives can reverberate extensively, not least by educating young people on horticulture and its many positive effects. We would

NWP has rolled out several supportive initiatives throughout schools and community groups across Northern Ireland in recent years with a dedicated community outreach department operating within the business. These initiatives include peatfree compost awareness workshops for all sorts of groups, from men’s sheds to charities using growing to promote mental well-being in their local communities, and include us taking our own demonstration peat-free allotments and beds in many of our local council areas. It also extends to our support for the eco-schools project in the northwest and wider initiatives focused on promoting recycling and sustainable food growing education at schools. The team also supports essential local organisations and third sector groups contributing to community well-being and providing positive local environmental benefits. Increasing the use of products derived from organic waste helps to combat climate change and increase biodiversity. Compost made from organic waste can hugely enrich soils in a number of ways and restoring organic matter back to heavily depleted soils will be a key building block in increasing local biodiversity and assisting the necessary transition of our agricultural and land management practices looking to the future. For instance, this year’s significant tree planting project at NWP’s Glenside Climate Solutions Park was a rewarding example of a joined-up approach within a circular system, connecting council, charitable bodies and businesses to plant native trees species in the Belfast Hills. An area of over 20 acres will be

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like to see horticulture promoted more extensively as part of the main curriculum.

A recent talk given by NWP Head of Compost, Gavin Saunders and widelyrespected horticulturalist Klaus Laitenberger at the Edible Flower Organic Farm in Saintfield highlighted the importance of using peat-free compost to a large and highly motivated group of horticultural enthusiasts. The focus was on the necessary role of the compost cycle within our ecosystem. Compost produces healthy plants, reduces reliance on fertiliser and pesticides, stores carbon in significant volumes and, crucially in the context of Northern Ireland agriculture, helps to conserve water. Reducing flooding from ever-increasing rainfall is critical and applying organics to improve soil health can be a significant weapon in this regard – a vital topic highlighted at the recent AFBI Soil Health Conference. Soil health is complex, much of the research is still evolving and it will require further in-depth analysis in the years to come. Collaboration is necessary to understand and develop holistic and tailored local strategies. Northern Ireland and this island generally requires its own bespoke solutions, taking account of our own geography and bespoke local circumstances. Providing relevant education to horticulture, agriculture and the wider public can enable us to demonstrate the critical importance of managing and harnessing the power of waste organics in the most sensible of ways and how vital that well-placed building block can actually be for our region’s sustainability journey. Addressing huge problems and encouraging systemic change needs a fully joined-up approach from industry, education, councils and local government bodies to ensure we properly understand and harness the connection between the most effective management of our organic waste resources and how that can be critical to helping to address some of our region’s most challenging structural issues in this space.

T: 028 9060 0145 E: colm.warren@nwp-recycle.com W: www.naturalworldproducts.com

environment, waste, and water report

Global challenges in meeting net zero Antoine Oger, Research Director at the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) outlines progress of the European Green Deal’s implementation and the role of its bespoke barometer. Alongside research which helped form the building blocks of the European Green Deal, the sustainability think tank based in Brussels, has created a barometer which identifies the challenges to the European Green Deal’s implementation and provides policy recommendations for addressing them. Now in its third edition, the IEEP’s European Green Deal Barometer, published in March 2023, highlights nature’s relationship with agriculture as “one of the most important obstacles for ambitious sustainability policies”. “We need to find a way to reconcile these two objectives if we want to have any meaningful sustainability policies, especially in the agricultural sector,” he states. On the energy sector, Oger believes that the progress being made at EU level is “highly promising”, but that significant work is still needed. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had awful consequences, but in relation to energy, it has thrust the EU into action. There

has been a lot of progress in renewable energy, in energy security, in insulation of homes, and many other areas. “There is still a lot to be done before the end of the decade, but at least on that part, we are advancing quite well.” The key to accelerating the transition in agriculture and reconciling the objectives of agriculture and nature, according to Oger, is ensuring adequate finance. “There is a near consensus among sustainability experts on the need for the European Commission to increase the share of funds allocated to the implementation of the European Green Deal agenda as part of the mid-term review of the EU long-term budget for 2021-2027 and for the next Multiannual Financial Framework [MFF], which will be brought into the political circles in the next two years,” he says. “The finances are crucial. We need to find a way to do this because it is essential to unlock

“The Russian invasion of environment, waste, and water report

Ukraine has had awful consequences, but in relation to energy, it has thrust the EU into action.” and redeploy trillions of dollars by rapidly shifting finance flows globally to meet global investment needs for low greenhouse gas emissions and climateresilient development.”

Changing political context The top challenge for the remaining term of the European Commission, and the rest of the EU institutions, is ensuring that the green policies currently in place survive the projected decline of environmental policies in the next European elections, scheduled for June 2024. Oger states his belief that the projected loss of representatives from member states’ green parties “calls into question whether strong environmental regulations will be adopted by next EU institutions”. In spite of this, however, Oger is adamant that “we are in the decade of action”. “We have the EU climate law which is about reducing our emissions by 55 per cent across the EU by 2030. That is a legal framework and a legal obligation. “The sustainable development goals (SDGs) have to be achieved by 2030. We have the new Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which was agreed upon in 2023, and has to be achieved by 2030. Everything has to be achieved by

2030, so we have six years from now to do this. “The political work and the legal instruments are there; they have been adopted at an EU level; they have been adopted at a global level. We have all of the data; we have all of the figures that we need to do that. Now it is about implementation.” He explains that the EU has taken all of the necessary steps, and that the onus for ensuring progress lies with the individual member states. “They are the ones on the front line in order to deliver an ambitious and fair meeting of European Green Deal legislation,” he says. “We need to ensure the willingness of the member states to actually go with our environmental policies. In some of our member states, it is politically complicated to commit to this.” The other barrier which could stifle progress in the short term, according to Oger, is inflation and the rising cost of living. “We have our climate obligations and so we need to be ambitious and fair. We need to work together to divert the existing financial flow to this transition,” he concludes.

environment, waste, and water report

Kilroot Energy Park: A transition milestone

Artist’s imprerssion of the new multi-fuel combined heat and power facility.

Following the announcement of the Kilroot Energy Park by EP UK Investments in 2020, the owners of the site are now moving forward with the next step in their vision through the construction of a multi-fuel combined heat and power facility. 64

Expected to be operational from 2027, this will be a modern, high-efficiency plant and will generate heat and power through the thermal treatment of fuels such as pre-treated non-recyclable waste and biomass.

Kilroot Energy Park

The significant investment planned for the 230 acre site (up to £1 billion in total) has the potential to power over 500,000 homes and businesses, creating hundreds of high-quality construction and operational jobs in the process. The vision for the Kilroot Energy Park received widespread support from key political and industry stakeholders with EPUKI demonstrating significant progress to date.

Delivering projects Since the announcement of Kilroot Energy Park, over £200 million has already been invested by EPUKI following several successful planning approvals. This has included the delivery of an underground natural gas transmission pipeline built to tie into the existing Belfast Transmission Gas Pipeline and the construction of two new lower carbon flexible Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs). Transitioning from higher carbon to lower carbon emitting generation at the Kilroot site is a key part of the overall strategic plan for the site and this has been completed with the closure of the coal units at Kilroot in September 2023. This transition also paves the way for the next phase of developments at the site.

Next step in the vision The Kilroot multi-fuel combined heat and power (CHP) facility is the next stage of development associated with Kilroot Energy Park. The project represents a further £350 million investment, creating approximately 340 construction jobs and over 40 full-time jobs once operational. The facility will allow Northern Ireland to treat residual waste in a sustainable way, supporting the circular economy by reducing the dependence on landfill and removing the need to export waste to energy from waste plants overseas. With a capacity to handle approximately 300,000 tonnes per annum, the Kilroot CHP will be able to treat the vast majority of residual waste arisings for all of Northern Ireland with the potential for future expansion as required. This includes pre-treated non-recyclable waste from household, industrial, and commercial sources as well as other fuels such as biomass.

We have worked with independent market analysts in the bioenergy sector to establish that this project will solve the need for waste infrastructure in Northern Ireland for the foreseeable future while delivering clear environmental and economic advantages for Northern Ireland.

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The Kilroot Energy Park concept was first unveiled by EP UK Investments (EPUKI) in July 2020 outlining a range of technologies and electricity generation solutions. The masterplan represents the largest ever single investment in electricity generation in Northern Ireland as well as one of the most important milestones in the decarbonisation of our electricity generation system.

Around 40MW of energy will be produced by the facility and this will be directly connected to the electricity transmission network through an underground link to the onsite Kilroot substation. There will also be an additional 25MW of heat, which may be used by local businesses or for domestic district heating. These associated benefits will drive further investment on the site as well as on adjacent land which is zoned for industrial use.

Implementation underway EPUKI is a proven and established operator in the UK and Ireland energy sector and has vast experience of delivering significant and complex construction projects connected to our assets across Europe. This makes us extremely well placed to ensure robust management of the construction of this vital infrastructure. Planning approval for the Kilroot CHP facility was received from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in May 2022 and pre-commencement planning conditions are currently being discharged. This is the first stage in getting ready for construction to commence. We are currently working to obtain the remaining consents for the facility, and we have also begun discussions with engineering, procurement, and construction contractors. The construction programme itself will take around 36 months to complete.

Centre of excellence The Energy Park seeks to become a centre of excellence and understanding for all aspects of electricity generation within Northern Ireland and for this reason, we are proposing to building an education and learning centre within the site, allowing schools and people, from all walks of life, to come and learn about how we strive to produce electricity in the most sustainable and environmentally friendly manner possible. This centre was approved as part of the planning application for the Kilroot CHP and will be constructed as an important part of this project. We look forward to welcoming a range of stakeholders in the public and private sectors to the Kilroot Energy Park in the coming years to help highlight the importance of decarbonisation and the circular economy as we continue to play our part in tackling climate change.

Kieran Tubridy, Commercial Director, EPUKI E: k.tubridy@epuki.ie W: www.kilrootenergypark.com

environment, waste, and water report

Environment, waste, and water in Northern Ireland These statistics have been compiled by releases from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.

General environment statistics Air and climate Roadside nitrogen dioxide levels have decreased from 35.1μg/m3 in 2011 to 23.8μg/m3 in 2022 In 2020, Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to be 20.9 MtCO2eq, a reduction of

24% since 1990

Water and marine In 2022 soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) measured at 93 surveillance rivers •

average concentration of 0.073 mg/l of phosphorus per litre of water

13 (52%) of inshore coastal waterbodies delineated in Northern Ireland, assessed at good or better ecological condition In 2022, there were 1,535 water pollution incidents reported, of which •

676 (44%) were substantiated (confirmed) as having an impact on the water quality of the receiving waterway

Biodiversity In 2022/23, 55% of features within marine and terrestrial protected sites in favourable condition •

36% unfavourable condition

Source: NISRA, May 2023

Emissions reductions from base figure 1990 in UK countries/1990-2001 in ROI 60% 50%

47.7%

50.2%

47.3%

43.6%

40%

35%

30%

23.2%

20% 10% UK

England

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Wales

environment, waste, and water report

0% Republic of Ireland

Source: NISRA, June 2023 and Irish Environmental Protection Agency

Waste management: April to June 2023 267,107 tonnes of waste collected by Northern Ireland’s councils •

Up from 263,355 tonnes collected during April to June 2022

53.6% recycling rate •

Up from 52.8% in April to June 2022

24.6% of waste collected sent for energy recovery •

Up from 23.1% in April-June 2022

20.2% of Northern Ireland’s waste ends up in a landfill •

Down from 22.5% in April-June 2022

Household waste accounted for 87.6% of all local authority collected (LAC) waste during this period Source: NISRA, October 2023

Drinking water

•

6 minor

Overall compliance for the mains water supply in 2022

•

14 not significant

was 99.91%

171 private water supply sites monitored by the

•

Slight increase from 2021 (99.88%)

0.09% non-compliance relates to 88 tests that failed

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

to meet the required standard

Overall compliance in 2022 99.02%

Of the 43 regulatory parameters tested, 9 did not

•

achieve full compliance.

Full compliance was achieved for 64% (109) of sites

decrease from 99.19% reported for 2021

Microbiological compliance figure at consumers’ taps

Of the 62 sites which did not comply with the

99.81% in 2022

regulatory standards:

•

Slight decrease in compliance from 99.82% in

•

45% (28 sites) contravened microbiological standards;

2021 The total number of water quality events in 2022

•

39% (24 sites) chemical standards; and

higher than in 2021, with 48 events reported. Of

•

16% (10 sites) failed to comply with both

these: •

4 as serious

•

24 significant

microbiological and chemical standards. Source: Northern Ireland Environment Agency

4 67

Greenhouse gas emissions Northern Ireland’s net greenhouse gas emissions estimated to be

22.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2eq) •

result of an estimated 23.7 MtCO2eq total emissions, offset by 1.2 MtCO2eq of emissions removed through

environment, waste, and water report

sequestration •

increase of 5% compared with 2020 Source: DAERA

Northern Ireland sectoral emissions

15% 28% 12%

14%

17% 14%

Agriculture

Transport

Business

Energy supply

Residential

Others

Source: DAERA

Sectoral emissions trends All sectors, with the exception of waste management and public, showed an increase in emissions between 2020 and 2021

Source: DAERA

•

Transport emissions up by 0.4 MtCO2eq

•

Agriculture emissions up by 0.3 MtCO2eq

•

Energy supply emissions up by 0.2 MtCO2eq

Health and care services report

Digital

Events

health and care services report

Digitalisation and the healthcare transformation jigsaw Following the milestone launch of an integrated care record system in one of Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) trusts, Chief Digital Information Officer at the Department of Health, Dan West outlines how harnessing the power of data and technology is transforming experiences and outcomes for patients and social care clients. Encompass, a clinically and operationally led integrated care record system, went live in the South Eastern HSC Trust in early November 2023, representing the first step in implementing a new regional electronic patient record system across all trust settings in Northern Ireland.

Encompass will be rolled out to other trusts on a phased basis over the next 18 to 24 months. The Belfast HSC Trust will follow the South Eastern Trust and it will then be implemented in the Northern, Western, and Southern HSC trusts.

“Implementing Encompass will mean our health and social care records will be digitised and can be accessed at the touch of a button. This will mean consistent processes and data, an end to paper records, and an integrated system that puts people at the heart of services,” explains West.

While much has been made of the milestone launch, importantly, it is just one of five major ‘go lives’ that will see a transformed set of standardised and consistent clinical and operational processes established across all of the five HSC provider trusts, highlighted by West as evidence of the “incredible industry of work” which has been taking place in the HSC in recent years.

“Immediate access to information about our patients and clients for all HSC workers will make service delivery safer, more efficient, and effective. Information from various existing IT systems that do not currently communicate effectively with each other will be brought together.” West goes on to say: “Patients, social care clients and their families, and care teams will be brought into the care journey as more active participants, as opposed to silent passengers, with new digital tools and an app that support better information, communication and self-help.”

Discussing the progress of the digital transformation in the HSC, the Chief Digital Information Officer highlights the complexity of Northern Ireland’s healthcare ecosystem. "The HSC in Northern Ireland is unique in the UK as we are an integrated Health and Social Care system – but we are not dealing with a single organisation, there are lots of different entities with statutory responsibilities and their own independent boards and decision-making processes.”

Underpinning Northern Ireland’s five geographic trusts (alongside the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service as a sixth trust), is the Business Services Organisation (BSO), responsible for network management and the hosting and support of application support amongst other things, as well as a conglomerate of integrated care organisations. “The ecosystem poses a unique challenge to make changes in a broadly convergent and coherent way,” he stresses. Digital transformation of Northern Ireland’s HSC has been road mapped by the publication of a Digital Strategy in July 2022, underpinned by a Data Strategy, a Cyber Security Strategy, and an Innovation Strategy, which West says provide an overarching view of what the digital change to the HSC looks like to 2030. “Our overarching vision is to make lives better for the people of Northern Ireland, using digital to transform the way we deliver health, care and wellbeing services,” he says, elaborating: “We want to create digital touchpoints wherever we can. Where someone in our community is interacting with HSC services, and they are willing to do so using digital channels, we will offer them that opportunity.

“We need equity. We need everybody in Northern Ireland to be able to interact with health and care services in a way that is convenient and suitable for their needs.” West highlights that the creation of digital touchpoints will bring convenience for service users, while simultaneously boosting service efficiency through increased selfservice, releasing the time of professionals to focus on those in greatest need. Other planned digital improvements include, but are not limited to, streamlined care journeys to help reduce waiting times, personalised treatment plans, cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment solutions, data-driven care, and digital infrastructure investment. Focusing particularly on what the planned transformation means for systems, West says that alongside the Encompass programme investments are underway for the modernisation of laboratory and pathology services, and medical imaging services. Other system changes highlighted by West include: •

clinical master patient index changes;

•

leveraging Microsoft technology in a digital workplace programme;

•

pharmacy system changes to enable digital prescriptions and fulfilment;

•

technology enabled care including virtual wards, IoT use and remote diagnostics; and

•

health and care services report

West’s team, Digital Health and Care Northern Ireland (DHCNI), is located at the highest level of the Department of Health, alongside the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (formerly the Health and Social Care Board), and alongside the Public Health Agency.

enterprise resource planning upgrade for enhanced workforce management and deployment.

West adds: “Surrounding this is a series of other programmes that are somewhat softer in nature. We are building a new data institute, and moving towards a single shared service in the way that we employ and deliver technology. We are also going to build a cyber operations centre, so that we can concentrate some of our skills and capabilities around cyber operations and threat detection. “Finally, we are building a new relationship with citizens through a new citizen digital identity platform.”

Transformation West stresses an understanding that while a lot of heavy-duty investment is underway, digital transformation of Northern Ireland’s health and social care system is not really about technology, rather it is about innovative changes to how public services are delivered in Northern Ireland. “In the main, that does not come from big heavy lifting programmes, but actually leveraging foundational technology capabilities and investments to completely reimagine how we deliver services and reimagine that currently linear relationship between the growing demand for services and our current response, which has been to grow human resources to deliver those outcomes.” The Chief Digital Information Officer says that reimagining that linear relationship is the only way health and social care, and other sectors of the

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public sector in Northern Ireland, are going to be sustainable for the future. “AI and automation are part of that journey, but crucially, there are some big technology investments that will transform the way we deliver health and care in 10 years’ time that are not bleeding edge technologies. Instead, they are the basics of decent workflow management, and decent digital enablement for staff and consumers of the services being delivered.”

technology” investment programmes towards optimisation, making best use of those technologies and then innovating the way care models are designed to leverage those foundations in new and different ways. Concluding, he says: “In 10 years, health and social care will not look like they do today. We need transformation and while digital is not a panacea, it is most definitely a big jigsaw piece in how we get to a different future.”

West explains that in time, DHCNI will shift from the currently, necessary integration of “heavy-lifting

Encompass: In focus Northern Ireland’s HSC service partnered with global company Epic to build Encompass, which will create a single digital care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland who receives health and social care. Epic, as a global provider, provides electronic records for over 300 million people across the globe for health and social care systems. It is expected that the new electronic patient record will be available across the entire Northern Ireland’s health system by the end of 2025, and, uniquely in the UK, includes social care. West outlines what this change will mean for patients and social care clients: “It will allow service users to view information in a way not previously available to the public in Northern Ireland. As well as digitally accessing test results, Encompass will allow you to choose how you want to communicate with health and social care staff and contact them directly about your needs as an individual as part of the care episode.” Explaining that Encompass will provide improved continuity of care for HSC patients, clients, and service users, he states: “Those who deliver care will have secure access to real-time patient information, helping to reduce duplication of services and minimising the risk of errors. Patients will not have to repeat information to different professionals providing care or have to repeat tests in different locations. Patients will be able to provide relevant, up-to-date information to support the professionals looking after them to manage their condition better.” On the potential efficiencies provided by Encompass, the Chief Digital Information Officer says: “It will not only reduce paper files, but also provide a single place for storage of information, offering an improved quality of care but also maintaining the privacy of individuals and their rights to privacy of their data. “Population health-level analytics enables better service planning and better placement of assets and resources to deliver care in the community, where it is most needed.” Pointing to a range of health benefits, including a reduction in prescription errors, and a reduction of risk-adjusted mortality index scores, West adds: “It also provides better access to technology at the point of care. We are, alongside the rollout of the application, rolling out a suite of additional infrastructure including a programme for investment in devices, putting them in the hands of healthcare professionals who have not previously interacted with technology. “There is a recognition that written notes are dead for research and innovation purposes. Using technology will enable greater efficiency, greater data quality, and better opportunities for GDP contribution through research and innovation.” Summarising changes to date, West says: “We have moved a long way in a short space of time. In Northern Ireland, the public sector often feels difficult to drive transformation and we have been on a journey to change the culture, to be proactive, collaborative, conducive and engaged. “The go live of Encompass is massive, and it is built on the shoulders of an incredible industry of work going on in health and social care in Northern Ireland.”

PCC: The public’s voice in health and social care cannot help with, we will connect individuals to a partner organisation within the voluntary and community sector or beyond, ensuring people do not fall through gaps in the system.

health and care services report

We also bring members of the public, with common interest and lived experience, together with decision makers from the Department of Health and HSC organisations to improve existing HSC services and plan for the future. Our engagement work focuses on issues from mental health to care of older people.

What you can do We ask that leaders in the HSC and across the voluntary and community sector ensure that their organisations make the public aware of our services, when they need them.

PCC Chief Executive, Meadhbha Monaghan and Chair, Ruth Sutherland, celebrating the recent WHO World Patient Safety Day.

The vision of the Patient Client Council (PCC) is for a health and social care service actively shaped by the needs and experience of patients, clients, carers, and communities, writes Chief Executive Meadhbha Monaghan. The PCC is an arm’s-length body of the Department of Health. Established as part of the 2009 reform of health and social care, we are tasked with providing a powerful, independent voice for the public on health and social care issues across Northern Ireland. The public are experts, by experience, in the care they or their loved ones receive. It is vital that organisations, clinicians and planners recognise the public as assets in their own care and in helping to develop and deliver new services.

What we do We act as a bridge between the public and HSC organisations to resolve problems and deliver better outcomes. Working from within the HSC system,

but having an independent remit, places us in a unique position to help individuals and families navigate what can be an extremely complex system, getting the information or resolution they need. We are constructive and resolution focused, working with HSC organisations and others; there is a legislative duty on HSC organisations to co-operate with us, to ensure patients’ voices are heard.

In 2022/23, we received over 4,000 calls to our freephone service opening 569 new support cases. Working with HSC organisations, we resolved 45 per cent of those cases before they reached the formal complaint stage. As well as offering better outcomes for the public, reducing formal complaints saves time, money and personnel that can remain focused on providing front line services. We work constructively with HSC organisations to explore positive and early resolution, but we will always speak out on behalf of patients and the public, to the right people, if and when we need to. You can keep up to date with the work of the PCC by joining our membership scheme, via our website:

T (freephone): 0800 917 0222 E: info@pcc-ni.net W: pcc-ni.net X: @patientClient Facebook: @PatientAndClientCouncil

We provide advocacy services for the public, which range from helpline advice, early resolution of issues, individual advocacy, to supporting people through formal complaints and serious adverse incidents. We provide crucial support when people are often at their most vulnerable. If we identify a specific need that we

health and care services report

Winter Preparedness Plan branded ‘disappointing’ The Department of Health’s Winter Preparedness Plan 2023/2024 has been branded as “disappointing” by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, while general practice representatives have stated that funding included in the plan is not new and that the plan will “add pressure”.

General practice Published in October 2023 with “severe pressures expected on services”, the Winter Preparedness Plan 2023/2024 saw the Department of Health stating that the “importance of all parts of the system working together has never been more critical”.

“We are surprised that we were not consulted on this plan or measures around unscheduled care, and we are concerned that this plan does not go far enough to prepare the emergency care system for what will likely be a tough winter ahead.” Michael Perry, Vice Chair, Royal College of Emergency Medicine Northern Ireland

Despite this, criticism of the plan from various types of medical practitioners has followed the publication. Criticism has especially been acute from those representing general practitioners (GPs). The Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGPNI) has focused on its contention that the £3.4 million in funding provided to general medical services and out of hours services to support GP practices to increase their capacity “in light of the anticipated increase in demand over the winter” announced as part of the plan is “not new” funding. Winter pressure funding, while ad hoc, has recurred for several years. However, factoring in inflationary price increases, the new allocation falls below levels awarded in recent years. Speaking at the Health and Social Care (HSC) Summit, at which the Winter Preparedness Plan was unveiled, RCGPNI chair Ursula Mason detailed that 200,000 consultations are happening per week across general practice in Northern Ireland, a rate which “cannot go on” and has left GPs “badly” in need of support to sustain the service. Mason added that a “turn down, or, in some cases, stoppage” of funding for GP elective care services is “devastating and will add to pressure for both primary and secondar care”. RCGPNI board member Rebecca McGinley also called the plan “very disappointing” and stated that “GP is in crisis and unfortunately the winter plan does not look like it will help us”. Alan Stout, Chair of the Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee (NIGPC), also stated that the unveiling of the plan had left him “more concerned than ever that we are not going to have a functioning GP service by the end of this winter” and that “massive escalating costs [are] threatening viability and virtually no help [is] visible”. Data released by the Department just two days after the publication of the Winter Preparedness Plan shows that total investment in general practice stood at £374.775 million in 2022/23, an annual decrease of 0.82 per cent overall decrease and a 6.92 per cent decrease in real terms.

According to the Department of Health, between 2014 and 2022 there was a 9 per cent decrease in the number of GP practices in Northern Ireland.

Emergency care

health and care services report

Also included in the Winter Preparedness Plan are a raft of measures and goals in an attempt to get to grips with the various crises engulfing the provision of emergency care, however, criticism has been levelled at a failure to significantly increase the number of acute beds to meet rising need. Measures taken include the opening of a new emergency department with a dedicated ambulance handover zone at the Ulster Hospital, the provision of hospital ambulance liaison officers at the main emergency departments by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to facilitate the smooth transfer of patients into hospitals, and the provision of 98 additional beds across Antrim Area Hospital, the Ulster Hospital, and the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The Belfast Trust has also opened a 25-bed medical rapid assessment unit and will maintain 24 additional step-down beds to facilitate discharge and 19 more will be opened this winter. Targets included state that ambulance handovers should be completed within 15 minutes of arrival and no later than two hours, with average ambulance response times aimed at being 10 minutes for Category 1 calls and 36 minutes for Category 2 calls. All trusts have also committed to discharging all simple discharges from a hospital bed within four hours of being declared fit to go home, with the target for complex discharges set at 48 hours. Michael Perry, Vice Chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Northern Ireland commented that the plan was “disappointing”: “There is a welcome increase of some capacity, but there remains an urgent need for more acute beds. The focus on the front door by creating handover zones with liaison officers is wrong. A&E departments should not be extended… “We welcome key performance targets, these should encourage better flow throughout our hospitals, but the omission of targets around A&E waiting times is a misstep. We are surprised that we were not consulted on this plan or measures around unscheduled care, and we are concerned that this plan does not go far enough to prepare the emergency care system for what will likely be a tough winter ahead.”

System overcapacity In an effort to manage demand and capacity pressures, HSC trusts will jointly establish a regional control system which will have responsibility for ensuring system wide co-ordination, with each trust allocated recurrent funding of £697,000 to establish early review teams. These teams will be responsible for completing reassessments of need within two to eight weeks of hospital discharge, with the aim of “releasing capacity back into system if the patient’s needs have reduced following return home”. Department of Health Permanent Secretary Peter May, who unveiled the plan in the absence of a minister for health, admitted that the winter will see the health system operating over capacity. “Addressing these challenges substantively requires longterm planning and budgetary certainty. While the current environment does not provide these, we are taking the steps we can both for this winter and beyond within the severe budgetary constraints that exist. “Even with these mitigation efforts, the system will inevitably be operating above capacity over a sustained period, leading to too many patients facing delays for care. Everyone in the health and care system will once again work relentlessly to prioritise and treat the sickest people quickest.”

health and care services report

Health budget: Department projects £732 million shortfall The Department of Health has projected a shortfall of £732 million for the financial year, forcing the Department to make cuts which the Permanent Secretary believes are “not in the best interests of health and social care system”. With the Budget allocating a total of £7.3 billion in funding for health spending, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, said in his budget statement that the funding “also ring-fences funding for abortion services, as ensuring availability of services is a statutory duty on me as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland”. The £7.3 billion makes up slightly more than half of all public spending allocated for local departments. Heaton-Harris was forced to deny that the Budget was designed to “punish the people of Northern Ireland” for the continuing absence of the Assembly and Executive, as had been alleged by the DUP. “The purpose was not to punish anybody with this budget,” Heaton-Harris said. “It is to make sure services can continue in the absence of devolved government.” In a May 2023 letter to local parties’ health spokespersons, Department of Health Permanent Secretary Peter May said: “I wish to emphasise that, like all other departments, we are in an impossible position

of being asked to fulfil conflicting responsibilities. This involves trying to balance our responsibilities to live within the budget we have been given, act in the public interest, and safeguard services. Decisions are required that we do not wish to take and that are not in the best interests of the health and social care system.”

Department ‘efficiencies’ The Department of Health states that the projected £732 million shortfall includes estimated pay pressures of £375 million, including the costs of fully implementing the English pay offer for Agenda for Change Staff. The Department of Health, prior to the Secretary of State’s budget, had already made public plans for savings in the region of £260 million, which it states will reduce the funding gap to around £470 million. “While some impact from these measures is inevitable, measures up to this value may be achievable without long-term or irrevocable damage to services,” the Department of Health states.

Estimated funding requirement £ million 22/23 Budget “baseline” (flat cash)

7,311.20

Additional 2023/24 requirements: 100

Full year effect of 22/23 spending including funding for no more heath and elective care strategies silos, cancer, mental

36.3

Legal commitments

59.3

Pay inflation (HSC at UK Government affordability level of 3.5%)

171.4

Price inflation (at 3%)

41.2

Demand growth

59.7

Other (incl digital, new drugs)

83.5

Total estimated funding requirement 23/24

7,862.60

health and care services report

One off accounting adjustments in 22/23

Source: Department of Finance

In addition to these steps, the Department has stated that it is making efforts to ensure additional savings of £100 million, which will be predominantly sourced from a £55 million cut in funding for local health trusts and a £34.6 million cut in waiting list initiative funding. The Department clarified that it still intends to invest £61.4 million in waiting list initiative funding in this financial year. The £100 million savings also involve reductions in the Core Grant Scheme for community and voluntary groups, thereby ceasing the Covid-19 Wastewater Surveillance Programme and ending Covid-19-related support funding for dental services.

Comparison with other administrations Heaton-Harris’s budget has hit the Northern Ireland health sector worse than other parts of the UK, in spite of the general state of the health service being worse than those in England, Wales, and Scotland. Whilst health spending in for the NHS in England increases by an average of 3.3 per cent per year, the corresponding increase in Heaton-Harris’s budget was only 0.5 per cent. The shortfall in the needs of the health budget can be exemplified by a report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office, which states that, in December 2022, 500,678 people were on waiting lists, a figure which represents 26 per cent of the population of Northern Ireland. For comparison, the corresponding figure in England is 12 per cent and the corresponding figure in Wales is 24 per cent.

Political reaction The budget allocation has attracted condemnation from both the Sinn Féin and the DUP. Sinn Féin Assembly health spokesperson Linda Dillon MLA said in September 2023: “Our health and social care system in the north is at breaking point as a result of 13 years of Tory cuts which has underfunded and undermined our public services. “Staff are stretched to the limit and burnt out from working long hours, while also dealing with chronic under-staffing which has heaped extra pressure on already stretched workers.” This sentiment has been echoed by Paul Givan MLA, the DUP Assembly health spokesperson, who said in March 2023: “There is clear evidence that the funding gap on health and social care in Northern Ireland compared to England is widening. “The Barnett Formula is failing to take into account the need which exists in Northern Ireland and the Autumn Statement which increased spend in England by £8 billion has not been reflected in Northern Ireland’s health budget. HM Treasury needs to provide the funding needed to meet the needs of our population and the work of transforming of our health and social care services needs to move forward.”

health and care services report

A community of lifesavers

(L-R): Nadine Campbell, BHF NI, Karen Blair, Cleaver Fulton Rankin, and Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

Businesses across Northern Ireland have been helping to create a Community of Lifesavers by teaming up with the British Heart Foundation to offer their staff vital CPR awareness. Colleagues from some of Northern Ireland’s best-known businesses have been learning CPR via RevivR, a free interactive online training tool that takes just 15 minutes to complete. RevivR, developed by the British Heart Foundation, offers simple, step-by-step training on how to recognise a cardiac arrest and what to do in a cardiac arrest emergency. It is free to use and the training can be done anywhere. All that is needed is a phone or tablet, floor space, and a firm cushion. A cardiac arrest is the ultimate medical emergency. There are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Northern Ireland each year and, unfortunately, less than one in 10 people survive. By undergoing BHF RevivR CPR training, employees are not only better prepared to respond to emergencies 78

within their workplaces, but they also have the knowledge and skills to make a difference in their communities. Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland recently presented some of the businesses that have completed the RevivR training with an award recognising their commitment to improving Northern Ireland out-ofhospital cardiac arrest survival. “We are incredibly grateful to all the businesses who have already got involved to offer this lifesaving training to employees,” he states. “It has been a privilege to present staff from some of our best-known businesses with an award to celebrate their leadership in providing RevivR CPR training for staff. The power to save a life is now quite literally in their hands.”

For more information about the BHF RevivR and how to get involved, please contact Órla Copeland on copelando@bhf.org.uk or 077 1406 9129.

Scan here to access RevivR

(L-R): Nadine Campbell, BHF NI, Sara Allen, Citi, Helen McCarragher, Citi, and Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

John Thompson, Head of Safety and Corporate Responsibility, Translink:

Helen McCarragher, from Belfast Families Matter Inclusion Network at Citi:

“Safety, health and wellbeing are our priority at Translink and we’re always looking for new opportunities to promote the importance of safety, to help ensure that everyone gets home safe every day.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the British Heart Foundation in introducing the lifesaving skills of CPR to our Citi colleagues in Belfast.

“We were delighted to partner with the British Heart Foundation earlier this year in rolling out CPR training via RevivR to 130 of our employees. This was a great opportunity to engage our staff and put safety into practice. “We have also embedded the training link within our employee app so that our staff at every level can access the training at any time, whether it’s at home with their families or at work.”

“We are driving awareness and delivering training to our colleagues on how with the investment of just 15 minutes of their time they can be equipped with the skills required to save a life. Our staff identify with the importance of this message and have welcomed the opportunity to get involved. We are delighted to have created a new group of potential lifesavers during Heart Month and beyond.”

Sara Currie, HR Manager, Almac Group:

Leigh Meyer, Belfast Site Lead, Citi:

“The RevivR app is an amazing lifesaving tool. It was a pleasure to work with the BHF team to deliver in-house CPR training and publicise the tool across our workforce worldwide. The training provided a safe, fun environment for people to learn CPR and removed the fear and uncertainty about administering CPR and using a defibrillator. The personal stories from our employees who had lost loved ones through cardiac arrest, reinforced the importance of this training and the impact that this could have on saving more people’s lives.”

“I am delighted that Citi Belfast can be involved with the excellent work that the British Heart Foundation supports. Now more than ever, the skills and knowledge Citi’s staff will acquire from this program can make a real difference and will provide the confidence for staff to act quickly and effectively, if ever needed.

(L-R): Nadine Campbell, BHF NI, Sara Currie, Almac, and Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

health and care services report

(L-R): John Thompson, Translink, Nadine Campbell, BHF NI, Catherine Winters, Translink, and Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

Chris McCracken, MD, Linen Quarter Business District: “LQ BID are proud champions of BHF’s RevivR app, an invaluable and easy-to-use resource that equips staff with vital lifesaving skills. Our board recently completed the 15-minute training via the app, and we hope more LQ organisations will get involved, helping us to create a healthier and safer district.” (L-R): Nadine Campbell, BHF NI, Chris

“The enthusiasm and excitement generated from this initiative within the bank is both exciting and rewarding. Thanks to the British Heart Foundation for engaging with Citi Belfast to deliver this initiative to our Belfast employees.” (L:R): Helen McCarragher, Belfast Families Matter Inclusion Network; Leigh Meyer, Citi Belfast; and Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

McCracken, LIB Qtr, Fearghal McKinney, BHF NI.

Credit: Stephen Latimer

health and care services report

State of the health estate No significant inroads have been made on an estimated £1.3 billion backlog of maintenance liability in Northern Ireland’s health estate, over £250 million of which has been classified as high risk. The latest State of the Estate report published by the Department of Health illustrates a continuing decline in the condition of the estate, with expectations that backlog maintenance liability and associated risks will increase over the next five years, unless funding is increased in line with inflationary cost rises. An assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of circa 1,500 buildings (individual estate owned, occupied, and managed by each of the six Health and Social Care [HSC] trusts and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service [NIFRS]) found that 42 per cent of the £3.5 billion-valued estate is not fully compliant with statutory regulations, with 21 per cent classed as unacceptable for physical condition. Summarising performance against the estate’s key performance indicators, the report summarises:

“The level of ongoing investment in the estate has been insufficient to keep pace with the rate at which the estate is ageing and deteriorating.

standards rating, in comparison to the lowest rating of 40 per cent, which was recorded by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

“Further exacerbated by upward inflationary pressures, as we attempt to address this issue, deterioration continues to accelerate along with associated risks and will continue to be an obstacle to service transformation unless funding keeps pace with the cost rises.”

The HSC property portfolio, comprising of around 1,446 freehold blocks, and 222 third party leases, is one of the largest public sector estates in Northern Ireland, making the 62 per cent of HSC estate bring categorised as red (largely untenable) or amber (needing major refurbishment within five to 10 years), a worrying statistic, particularly when noted that “there has been negligible change” in overall condition in the last three years.

It is expected that the current status quo will inevitably result in more assets being classified as no longer fit for purpose and this further increases the risk of service failure. Around 46 per cent of the HSC estate is over 50 years old, while only 58 per cent meet satisfactory standards. Standards across individual trusts vary, as evidenced by the NIFRS achieving a 100 per cent satisfactory statutory

More positively, the report does highlight that when assessing space utilisation, 75 per cent of the estate is adequately used, however, 13 per cent is classified as underused, 7 per cent is classified as overcrowded, and 5 per cent (based on metres squared) are vacant. A total of 105 vacant property

health and care services report

Ulster Hospital, Maternity Block.

Health estate comparison of KPIs from 2014/15 to 2021/22 % statutory standards A or B % space utilisation % functional suitability A or B % physical condition A or B % overall condition % age profile under 50 years 0

2021/22

2014/15

assets (or 34 sites), have been recorded, at an annual cost of over £600,000, 84 per cent of which is attributed to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. In 2021/22, £25 million was distributed to the six health trusts and the NIFRS towards backlog maintenance funding. While responsibility of ongoing operational maintenance and safety of the Department’s estate lies with the chief executives of the arm’s-length bodies, the Department has urged that where possible, priority be given to maintaining existing services. “It is recognised that the current level of funding to deliver the replacement of major elements of the estate is challenging therefore it is essential to consider the emerging risk profile associated with the estate and, where possible within the budget available, divert funding to secure the maintenance of existing services and

provide a safe environment for the delivery of services in buildings, many of which have almost reached the end of their useful lives.” The Department has urged the relevant chief executives to use the most recent estate information to put in place a board-approved estate strategy and plan to inform investment decisions. Highlighting limited resources and the absence of a multi-year budget, competing priorities in the capital programme, operational barriers to maintenance work, and the impact of inflationary pressures as underpinning the stark figures on the state of the estate, the Department says: “Until these issues are addressed, it will be difficult to prevent and slow down the rate of deterioration, however, it is important that all stakeholders are aware of the estate risks highlighted in this report and work collaboratively to address the significant issues arising.”

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Challenges in children’s social care services Addressing the “workforce crisis” in children’s social care services is critical to addressing growing waiting lists of those eligible for support, an independent review has stated. High levels of staff vacancies have led to the cases of potentially over 4,000 children, who have crossed the initial threshold for support from statutory children’s social care, remaining unallocated. Highlighting the extent of the impact of waiting lists in Northern Ireland’s youth social care service sector, the independent review, commissioned by then Health Minister Robin Swann MLA, outlined the need to reshape social care services in Northern Ireland in its findings published in June 2023. The Department of Health’s February 2023 Children’s Services Monthly Performance Report showed that 1,832 cases were waiting for allocation across Northern Ireland. As 445 were cases waiting for allocation within initial assessment gateway teams, and 368 were waiting for allocation within family intervention teams, the number of children who have crossed the

threshold for involvement with statutory children’s social services may be more than 4,000 as some families waiting for allocation may have more than one child. There were also 280 children in care without an allocated social worker. The largest number of unallocated cases, however, related to a child with a disability with 739 cases unallocated. The review further outlines that there is a lack of support and a lack of availability of services for families living in rural areas, areas not covered by Sure Start, and for newcomer families. “There are long waiting lists and services are too time-limited or, as with respite care, heavily rationed or not available at all,” the report states.

recommends that “there should be a wide and inclusive consultation which draws on the wisdom of all who have experience and engagement with and within children’s social care”. Reacting to the report, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health, Peter May, said: “The Department clearly recognises that there are challenges within children’s social care services in Northern Ireland and commissioned this comprehensive review so that system improvements could be identified. “We fully accept that change is necessary if we are to meet the everincreasing demand for children’s services in Northern Ireland and ensure

Reflecting that current service arrangements are seen to be fragmented and to be inconsistent across Northern Ireland, the review

that children and families get the help they need, when they need it.”

health and care services report

Where to now for healthcare?

British Medical Association (BMA) Chair Tom Black.

What is the first thing a health minister will need to consider when addressing the vast range of challenges faced by healthcare in Northern Ireland? Well, what they do not need to think about is the idea of commissioning a plan on how to transform health, writes British Medical Association (BMA) Chair Tom Black.

The asks in general practice are clear; a solution to the indemnity discrepancy is critical and would make GPs feel that finally someone understands the pressure they were under and is willing to do something about it; and then addressing funding, premises and the inequitable distribution of multidisciplinary teams would underpin that there really was a desire to work with GPs to address the issues and protect our primary care service.

There is a plan, in fact there are multiple plans, spanning a number of years and all of them, more or less, say the same thing; the way we deliver health across Northern Ireland has to change. While we do not need any more plans, what we do need is the willingness and commitment to actually implement those plans, take the unpopular decisions and make the changes. You might note I do not say ‘difficult’ decisions, and that is because in my view the decisions are clear and easy, but there is no doubt that they can be unpopular. Changes need to be communicated clearly to all stakeholders so we can all understand why healthcare delivery needs to change and allay any fears that surround this. Alongside this commitment to make changes we need funding. Health already takes up 49 per cent of Northern Ireland’s budget but clearly if care is to keep pace with medical advancements

that must increase. We also need to move to a three year budget setting process in order to assist with planning and transformation.

You will notice I do not mention addressing waiting lists as a priority. In my view, long waiting lists are a symptom not the underlying disease. Only if we

Any incoming health minister will also have to address a myriad of workforce issues. Staff across the health service are working at the very edge of what is safe. The recruitment and retention issues including the central issue of pay parity with the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland must be tackled. Staff must be paid properly to recognise the value of the work they are doing and the responsibilities they hold.

address the issues above will we be able to address the wholly unacceptable situation whereby people are waiting inexcusably long times for assessment and treatment.

T: 028 9026 9666 E: BMANorthernIreland@bma.org.uk W: www.bma.org.uk

Alongside this, issues around training for junior doctors must be addressed so that the training experience is a valuable one where both senior doctors have the time to train properly, and junior doctors are not so busy on the wards that they cannot maximise training opportunities.

health and care services report

Benchmarking Northern Ireland’s healthcare The benchmarking of Northern Ireland’s healthcare system reveals a system that is grappling with an existential crisis, is not fit for purpose, and needs to evolve considerably in the coming years, the authors of a report on this area have concluded. Originally commissioned by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) to produce comparative information on the healthcare systems in the UK’s four jurisdictions and the Republic of Ireland, authors Austin Smyth, Sean McKay, and Alan Orme have compiled the data sets and reviewed relative performance covering five years across the five jurisdictions. The system was struggling to meet people’s needs even before Covid-19 and the information collected around the pandemic brings into sharp focus a number of the chronic weaknesses and challenges facing the health and social care system. The system, as currently configured is overly hospital-centric, communitybased services are fragmented and there is a lack of integration within and across different services. Acute care has become the default option for many, and reactive care takes precedence over proactive, planned, and preventive care. To date, around 5,000 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland. Evidence gathered during our study demonstrates that the pandemic also had several detrimental impacts on the healthcare system; for example, it 84

dramatically reduced numbers of people presenting to A&E.

there are much less face-to-face

Now these people are coming forward, many with advanced illnesses. Access to GPs has fundamentally changed –

more people presenting to A&E

appointments. This has resulted in departments. In many cases, these people bypassed primary care.

In line with profiles of infection and vaccination (there were higher levels of infection and lower levels of vaccination in Northern Ireland than in the Republic of Ireland), Northern Ireland experienced death rates from Covid-19 significantly higher than the Republic of Ireland with a cumulative total of deaths equating to an overall death rate of 263 per 100,000 population in Northern Ireland in contrast to the rate of 166 per 100,000 population in the Republic of Ireland.

Deaths from Covid-19: Northern Ireland total deaths around 5,000

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A number of Covid-19 sufferers are now experiencing ‘long Covid’ typified by respiratory and mobility problems persisting for a period of more than 12 weeks. One way of illustrating the scale of these differences is to assume the Republic of Ireland rate applied to Northern Ireland throughout the Covid19 pandemic. If Northern Ireland’s experience had replicated the Republic of Ireland rate it would have experienced up to 1,800 fewer deaths.

Post-pandemic Currently, post-pandemic, despite having relatively adequate resources, the healthcare system is failing the people of Northern Ireland. Our report sought to answer two basic questions: 1. How healthy are citizens here in comparison to those in the other

UK countries and the Republic of Ireland? 2. How healthy is the health system here in comparison to the other jurisdictions?

4 85

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How healthy are citizens here in comparison to those in the other UK countries and the Republic of Ireland? Evidence from our report shows that the health of citizens in Northern Ireland is being adversely affected by a number of key factors: •

face-to-face access to GPs has become more difficult;

•

Since Covid-19, ambulance response times, waiting times in emergency departments, waiting times for outpatient, inpatient appointments, and diagnostic tests are by far the worst in the UK. In June 2023, figures show that the median waiting times are 105.6 weeks in Northern Ireland compared to 12.3 weeks in England. The 95th percentile wait here was 524.9 weeks, compared to England (92nd percentile) 67 weeks. This means it is possible that one unlucky patient in every 20 here could spend around 10 years from the point of being referred for an outpatient appointment until admission to hospital for treatment;

•

Shockingly, 60 per cent of patients had waited more than a year for inpatient treatment in Northern Ireland at June 2023, compared to just 5 per cent of patients waiting more than a year to complete the entire pathway from referral to treatment in England;

•

This means 95 per cent of people on waiting lists in Northern Ireland will have begun their treatment within 525 weeks while 92 per cent of people in England will have had their treatment completed within 67 weeks;

•

cancer patients here are waiting longer than ever for treatment and cancer survival rates are not improving. For example, at June 2023, nearly nine out of 10 patients in Northern Ireland waited longer than two months to receive treatment for bowel cancer, compared to three out of 10 in Scotland. In addition, rates of lung cancer deaths in Northern Ireland are higher than the rest of the UK and Republic of Ireland; and

•

immunisation rates for conditions such as flu are falling and are often lower than elsewhere in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

How healthy is the health system here in comparison to the other jurisdictions? Evidence from our report shows that the healthcare system in Northern Ireland is also being adversely affected by a number of factors: 86

•

patients are spending longer in hospital than required, due to a number of reasons, but primarily because of failings in the social care system; and

•

despite spending more on health per capita than other UK regions, the system is inefficient. This is characterised by higher administration costs and unit costs for patient care than in similar regions in England.

Challenges In our view, the Northern Ireland healthcare system can be improved if the Department of Health focuses its efforts on addressing the following challenges: •

Interventions to reduce the time patients spend in hospital, will be critical to improving the productivity of its healthcare system: This will require diverting adequate resources to increase access to GPs and the reduction of hospital waiting times across all service areas – out-patients, in-patients, diagnostic testing, ambulances, and emergency departments. It also requires that patients only stay in hospital until they are medically fit for discharge to home or another health setting. The social care system is not working effectively, meaning patients are ‘bed blocking’ and having a negative knock-on effect back through the system which has an adverse impact on waiting lists. The backlog cannot be cleared with one big push. It is symptomatic of a system that is struggling to cope – not providing enough care to keep up with people’s needs and managing and prioritising the situation poorly, or both;

•

Improving productivity: The substantially higher staffing ratios in Northern Ireland compared to the other jurisdictions, implies there may be scope for the health service here to deliver more care with the resources its health system currently has. This suggests that at least some of the higher costs seen in comparison to other jurisdictions could be absorbed through improved efficiency. The fact that patients here spend longer in hospital than in the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland reinforces this point as it would appear that the treatment received by patients and their subsequent recovery takes place at a comparatively slower pace;

•

Delivering healthcare in the most appropriate setting: We consider it essential that lower efficiency within the health service here is tackled urgently. This will require buy-in from

Percentage of patients on waiting lists for in-patient treatment for more than one year

•

Reducing the number of Health and Social Care trusts in Northern Ireland: This can free up resources to devote to improving health. Our evidence shows the provision of health trusts in Northern Ireland is more costly than for comparative health trust arrangements in other regions of a similar size. In a region the size of Northern Ireland, with a population of 1.9 million, we would question whether there is a need for five health and social care trusts. The evidence collected indicates clearly that management and administrative services are being duplicated.

In addition, we strongly believe that greater linkages between independent survey-type data collected in the areas of primary care, secondary care, and social services, along with quantitative data would enhance the types of analysis that could be undertaken. This would require an improved data infrastructure for all jurisdictions.

Our report shows that if there was one health and social care (HSC) trust here, there could be savings in senior management team costs alone in excess of £5 million per year. These funds could be used to employ an extra 150 nurses. Allocating medical staff could also be improved under a single HSC Trust arrangement as it would be much easier to ensure a more even spread of doctors and nurses across the region.

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•

health service senior management, the public, and importantly, politicians in order that the changes needed can be realised. Historically, a wide range of services have been carried out at the many small hospitals here as successive reviews have pointed out. The team considers that centres of excellence for medical and surgical procedures are more efficient and effective than the current mismatch of services provided across Northern Ireland. This may be politically unpopular, but other jurisdictions have benefited from this best-practice approach;

Developing more effective performance management: The main work of this report, to benchmark Northern Ireland’s healthcare system performance with the other UK countries and regions and the Republic of Ireland, has demonstrated that there is an ongoing need for the relevant health administrations to identify and produce a basic set of comparable health system indicators such as those the team has applied in this project. This could lead to insightful performance assessment and evaluation of management information.

The authors were commissioned by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) to produce comparative information on the healthcare systems in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. TAA Ltd was commissioned by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) to produce comparative information on the healthcare systems in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The authors of an accompanying independent review of performance are Austin Smyth, Professor Emeritus, University of Hertfordshire and Director of TAA Ltd., Sean McKay, an exDirector of Value For Money Studies at the NIAO and Alan Orme, a former Audit Manager of Value For Money studies at NIAO and currently a Director of AO Accountancy & Consultancy Services Limited.

health and care services report

General surgery limited progress Although the Department of Health claims that “significant progress” has been made in the implementation of the actions in the Review of General Surgery, of the 10 actions in the review, only one has been completed and delays to delivery are anticipated for three actions. Of the 10 actions in the review, one action has been completed, six actions are green using a RAG rating system (identified as on target to be delivered), and three are amber (some anticipated delay to delivery). When the Review of General Surgery in Northern Ireland was published in June 2022, thenHealth Minister Robin Swann MLA said: “We are not providing the best possible care for our patients. Whilst our surgeons and wider multi-disciplinary team do outstanding work, our

systems are not providing them with the tools to do the best they can.”

improving the efficiency of Northern Ireland’s hospital services.

The former Health Minister was citing the failure to implement the 2016 Bengoa report, a major aspect of which was the digitalisation of health services.

Although the Department has been denied political leadership with the dissolution of the Executive forcing Swann’s resignation as minister, it states in the Progress Report of the Review of General Surgery, published in June 2023, that “significant progress” has been made with the completion of one of the 10 actions outlined in the Review of General Surgery. This action, the establishment of a

The Review of General Surgery in Northern Ireland outlined 10 key objectives within this broad framework to accelerate the transformation of hospital services, with the Bengoa report’s ultimate objective of

The Department is more optimistic when it comes to the objective of establishing of elective overnight stay

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Regional General Surgery Network, aims to drive forward a multifaceted transformation programme for general surgery at a regional level, whilst incorporating best practice from other parts of the UK.

centres (EOSC). With this action categorised as ‘on track’, the Department states: “An EOSC will

Whilst the Department states that work is underway to meet the other nine objectives, the objective of ensuring that the Department of Health develops an integrated dashboard for general surgery has not been met, meaning that digitalised means of improving patient experience, quality and safety of care, and activity and access to care, cannot yet be brought forward. The Department further outlines an objective that the British Association of Day Surgery (BADS) targets regarding the proportion of specific procedures which should be carried out as day cases will be used to compare day case rates for specific procedures at a local and regional level and will be used to drive performance and efficiency. However, this measure too faces delay, as the Department explains that “work will continue over the coming months to include all relevant procedures”. “BADS produces a directory of over 200 procedures that includes targets for day case surgery rates. Though not unique to general surgery the Department has developed a dashboard to compare surgery rates across the region for a basket of procedures which are benchmarked against the recommended targets set BADS,” the progress report states. “At a strategic level, the Elective Care Management Team is monitoring performance against BADS targets and will direct any necessary action by Trusts. Implementing and achieving targets set by BADS will reduce length of stay in hospital for some patients and will therefore generate potential efficiencies such as releasing beds so that more patients can be treated, reducing overcrowding and long waits in emergency departments.”

provide a range of specialities including general surgery, urology, gynaecology, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) with the aim of improving patient outcomes.” Further promise is expressed when it comes to the objectives of “continued regional collaboration to rebuild elective paediatric lists” and “continued support for the Child Health Partnership (CHP) as it develops age appropriate pathways, training opportunities and models for delivery of paediatric surgery”. Part of this relative success was enabled by a Regional Paediatric Surgery Workshop, held by the Department in January 2023 which had representation from a range of paediatric surgical specialties, the Royal College of Surgeons, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. “The workshop enabled clinical and managerial teams across the region to discuss methods of improving collaborative working and address systemic challenges, as well as reinforce the support available from CHP and the Department,” the Department of Health states. The publication of the progress report will be seen as promising for department officials, but the direction being pursued by the Department continues to be disjointed in the absence of political leadership.

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Making connections As Northern Ireland moves towards an integrated care system, there is a key role for social prescribing into future systems for social care delivery, write University of Birmingham’s Robin Miller and Sarah McLaughlin of IMPACTAgewell®. A person’s social circumstances affect their health and quality of life. This is especially true as people get older. If people retain or regain social connections, they are happier and also less likely to present to a GP or hospital with physical or mental ill-health symptoms. In Mid and East Antrim, a model of care has demonstrated that connecting older adults with community-based support can ease demand on GPs and accident and emergency (A&E), saving the healthcare system money in doing so – freeing up capacity to treat others. Tackling isolation and loneliness is central to any effective strategy to improve physical and mental wellbeing in older age. GPs, social workers, community pharmacists, and others refer patients who might benefit from

community connections to IMPACTAgewell®, a service that emerged from the Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership (MEAAP). IMPACTAgewell® connects older adults with other community groups that provide services including lunch clubs, walking groups, befriending, bereavement counselling, decluttering, benefits reviews, good morning calls – and a wide range of other supports. It is the quality of the relationships established between IMPACTAgewell® staff and service users that are core to providing high-quality outcomes. These connections have proven especially important post-Covid, with many older people struggling to rebuild social lives after the lockdown. Those relationships are built on empathy and friendly conversations within the homes. It is

only through those home visits that proper assessments can be made of a person’s living circumstances and ability to cope.

The principle behind the operations of IMPACTAgewell® is to maximise the use of community assets, linking services with those who need them. This connection is facilitated by the use of social prescribing, which comes with a payment to those community groups that deliver services. Social prescribing is widely used in the rest of the UK and Ireland, but is not recognised in policy or financing by government in Northern Ireland. Until funding for community pharmacy was lost at the end of last year, the model of care also enabled pharmacists to visit service users in their own homes to conduct medicine reviews. Pharmacists were able to advise patients on how best to use their medications; which drugs should not be used in combination with others; and to dispose of unused drugs. IMPACTAgewell® services have been audited and found to be extremely cost effective. Every £1 spent on IMPACTAgewell® saves £2.38 through reduced demand for GPs and A&E. Savings through community pharmacy drug reviews are even greater, with each £1 saving £5.81. A review of the work of IMPACTAgewell® conducted by the UK Centre for Improving Adult Social Care Together has concluded that its work is

Northern Ireland is in the process of establishing an integrated care system, with ICS boards in each health trust region. These boards need to recognise the core role of the voluntary and community sector in social care delivery and include its representatives in their decision-making, planning, and delivery arrangements. The review also suggests that social prescribing be built into future systems for social care delivery (as is the case in Great Britain) along with the funding to enable this.

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IMPACTAgewell® has built-up close relationships not only with the service users, but also with professionals and partner agencies. Meeting with GPs, social workers, community pharmacists and community groups in ‘locality hubs’ enables information sharing about patients and to learn which approaches work best.

very effective and recommends not only that it should continue, but also that its activities should act as a model for replication across Northern Ireland and elsewhere.

Social care is one of the so-called ‘wicked issues’, cutting across many government silos – and needs to be addressed as such by the new integrated care system. For example, community transport is funded in Northern Ireland by the Department for Infrastructure, yet its operations are central to the capacity of older adults and people with disabilities to benefit from social care services. It is also essential for many patients to attend medical appointments. This will become even more true as the hospital reform programme continues, with Antrim, Craigavon and Enniskillen hospitals, for example, being very difficult to access via public transport. Another recommendation is that more needs to be done to address the specific challenges faced by the growing ethnic minority population. Typically new arrivals will not be familiar with the ‘gatekeeper’ system of GPs used by the NHS. Guidance on how to navigate the NHS and the social care, social housing and benefits systems would make their lives much easier.

IMPACTAgewell® IMPACTAgewell® is the Northern Ireland demonstrator agency in a UK-wide programme that aims to spread learning and best practice in adult social care. The national programme is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Health Foundation, with the intention that lessons learnt are applied UK-wide. It is led on a UK basis by the University of Birmingham, with Ulster University the Northern Ireland partner. IMPACTAgewell® has also received financial support from the Dunhill Trust. 91

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Underinvestment underpinning ‘alarming’ waiting list growth The availability of just 15 per cent of required funding to implement the Department of Health’s five-year plan to substantially reduce waiting times has contributed to an “alarming growth” in waiting lists, a report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) has found. In a comprehensive report focusing on growing waiting lists for elective (planned) care, Northern Ireland’s Comptroller and Auditor General, Dorinnia Carville, has also highlighted a Department of Health concession that updated and more elementary targets for 2026, cannot be met. Highlighting an “alarming growth” in both the number of patients on elective care waiting lists, and the length of time they wait for assessment and treatment, Carville describes it as “hugely disappointing” that after several previously failed waiting time strategies, the Department has acknowledged that the Elective Care Framework targets for 2026 cannot be met, less than halfway into its lifecycle. The waiting list crisis in Northern Ireland is evidenced by a 185 per cent rise in the number of patients waiting for either an initial outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment, or diagnostic test over the last nine years. While there were 244,000 people waiting in March

2014, this figure increased to 696,000 patients as of March 2023.

and supply agreement with the UK Government.

Equally, now more than half (54 per cent) of those awaiting inpatient treatment wait longer than a year, compared to just 14 per cent doing so in March 2017, while just under half (49 per cent) wait over a year for an initial outpatient appointment, more than double the number waiting in 2017.

Following the restoration of the devolved institutions under the New Decade, New Approach agreement, an updated elective care framework estimated that £707 million was required just to ensure that waiting times did not exceed one year for either an outpatient appointment or inpatient treatment by 2026, a target which is expected to be missed.

The NIAO report highlights that a failure to secure longer-term budgets for Northern Ireland Civil Service departments has persistently hindered the development of more sustainable funding and planning. In 2017, a transformation-themed fiveyear elective care plan published by the Department estimated the cost of implementation to be between £859 million and £909 million. Despite the significance of the crisis, the NIAO estimates that only 15 per cent (£136.5 million) was made available, with a further £56 million (6 per cent) allocated over two years through the confidence

The impact of Covid-19 in exacerbating the waiting time crisis is acknowledged in the report. However, it highlights that the deterioration in waiting times is long standing and identifies the growing gap between rising population demand for care and available funding as the most significant contributor. For example, research shows that in Northern Ireland, one-quarter of local cancer diagnoses between 2012 and 2017 were made in emergency departments.

The number of people on elective care waiting lists in Northern Ireland has consistently risen since 2014 401,201

400,000

Outpatient list 300,000

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200,000 Diagnostic Test

100,000

173,242

121,879 Hospital Admission

127,095 69,042 49,341

0 Mar ‘14

Mar ‘16

Mar ‘18

Mar ‘20

Mar ‘22 Mar ‘23 Source: Department of Health

Around 26 per cent of the total Northern Ireland population is estimated to be currently on an outpatient or inpatient waiting list and the report emphasises the recognised personal health and economic costs which are associated with lengthy waits for patients, not least the risk of developing further debilitating and complex conditions. Highlighting the scale of the worsening problem, between March 2014 and March 2023 the number of people waiting for an initial outpatient appointment has risen by 216 per cent, those awaiting hospital admission has risen by 147 per cent, and those awaiting diagnostic tests are up 151 per cent. “These trends show how the health and social care sector and its staff have been facing significantly growing demand for care for some time from a population which is living longer. At the same time, trusts’ annual budgets have not maintained pace with this,” the report states. “This has contributed to the Department of Health not achieving any of its elective targets at the Northern Ireland level in any year since 2013/14, despite having significantly lowered these. Waiting times have hugely deteriorated since then, with Covid-19 pressures further worsening outcomes.” Additionally, how the Department of Health in Northern Ireland records total time patients wait is less transparent than other UK regions, where total waiting time is measured from outpatients referral to completion of treatment. However, a rough comparison of data suggests that the number of patients on the health and social care waiting lists in Northern Ireland (26.3 per cent), is higher than in Wales (24 per cent), and significantly higher than in England (12.4 per cent).

Equally, only 5.4 per cent of people in patients in England wait over one year for assessment or treatment, compared to 51 per cent of patients in Northern Ireland. The report does flag some limited progress, namely the opening of Northern Ireland’s first two dedicated regional day care centres at Lagan Valley and Omagh hospitals, as well as varicose vein and cataract centres. Three elective overnight stay centres have also been introduced to boost capacity. However, the NIAO states that evidence suggests Northern Ireland remains behind the rest of the UK in developing dedicated elective care capacity. “Despite the remarkable efforts of HSC staff over recent years in trying to cope with rising patient demand, the deterioration in elective waiting time performance is stark,” says Comptroller and Auditor General, Dorinnia Carville. “Unless and until a longer-term, sustainable funding framework to enable health service transformation is established, the Department will likely have to address the most pressing clinical waits through available short-term funding. This approach is totally unsuitable and almost certainly stores up huge problems for the future. “The Department and the wider health and social care sector must continue to plan how any additional resources, which might become available, can be used to maximum effect and successfully drive transformation.”

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Addressing mental ill health: The rise of antidepressants SDLP MLA and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Group on Mental Health, Mark Durkan talks to David Whelan about the findings of his recently commissioned research in to mental health services and the treatment of depression in Northern Ireland. Describing the findings of a Northern Ireland Assembly research paper, Mental Health Services in Northern Ireland, authored by Grainne Crealey as “a catalogue of chaos”, the Foyle MLA states bluntly his opinion that when it comes to health services in Northern Ireland “the only consistency is in missed opportunities, failure to implement expert recommendations, and the chronic underfunding of mental health services”. Durkan was speaking following receipt of a briefing paper report he commissioned which looked at comparing the costs of antidepressant prescribing and talking therapies in the treatment of depression in the region. Approximately one-in-five of Northern Ireland’s population were recorded as receiving antidepressant medication during 2020/21, equating to almost 24 per cent of females and 14 per cent of males. The Mental Health Foundation recently estimated that experiences of mental health problems in Northern Ireland are some 25 per cent above rates in England, and depression levels are the highest of any region of the UK. Offering an overview of mental health in Northern Ireland, based on the report’s 94

findings, Durkan says: “The prevalence and severity of mental health problems are higher than the rest of the UK, an arguably unavoidable fact given the legacy of conflict and globally we have the highest rates of PTSD [according to a 2011 study undertaken by Ulster University]. “The report further evidences that poor mental health affects huge swathes of the population with high levels of referrals for children, adolescent, and maternal mental health services. Given this landscape, it is staggering that the allocation for mental health represents just 5.7 per cent of the health budget. In comparison, NHS England spend 14.1 per cent of their overall health budget on mental health services.” Describing the rise in antidepressant prescription costs and usage as “alarming”, the Vice-Chair of the AllParty Group on Mental Health suggests that the finding that one-fifth of the population are taking antidepressant medication could be attributable to “the dearth” of talking therapies and shortage of skilled health staff. Findings in the briefing paper report are that antidepressant medication is now the most prevalent treatment for depression in Northern Ireland, GPs in Northern Ireland prescribe on average

two-and-a-half times more antidepressants than their English counterparts and the region has the highest rate of repeat prescribing for antidepressants among the four UK jurisdictions. Despite an increase in the number of prescription items dispensed, the cost of prescribing antidepressants has reduced significantly, almost halving in the past 20 years. Psychological therapies have been demonstrated to be equally as effective as antidepressant medication and are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the treatment of depression. However, waiting lists for talking therapies continue to grow. On 30 June 2023, there were 2,251 total waits for a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) assessment in Northern Ireland, of which more than half (1,205) were waiting more than the targeted nine weeks. Research studies suggest that talking therapies can lead to cost savings by reducing the need for more expensive treatments, such as medication and hospitalisations. They can also improve work productivity and reduce healthcare utilisation.

Number of prescription items dispensed, and ingredient cost/prescription

$20.00

4,000,000

$18.00

3,500,000

$16.00 $14.00

3,000,000

$12.00

2,500,000

$10.00 2,000,000

$8.00

1,500,000

$6.00

1,000,000

$4.00

500,000

$2.00

$0.00

Ingredient cost/prescription item

However, recently, the NIAO report was critical of the lack of regional standardisation and a fragmented information technology infrastructure in relation to mental health services provision across Northern Ireland, concluding that it was unable to say assess whether money being spent represents value for money.

Postcode lottery Approximately 68 per cent of GP surgeries in Northern Ireland offered a counselling service in 2020/2021, notably however, provision varies depending on location, and there are disparities in service availability amongst the various health trust areas. Calling for the creation of new care pathways and the expansion of talking therapies, Durkan says: “The ‘postcode lottery’ associated with these type of services is notorious, and it is difficult to comprehend why areas like Derry and Strabane, which has among the highest levels of mental illness, has the lowest access to psychological therapies. Research generally highlights that psychotherapy and methods like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are highly effective and can reduce the need for medication and hospitalisations.” Durkan suggests that resources to address Northern Ireland’s growing mental health crisis and improve service provision be properly ring-fenced.

Number of prescription items

Cost per prescription item

4,500,000

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Prescription items

item in Northern Ireland from 2001-2022

Source: Antidepressants BNF chapter

The 10-year Mental Health Strategy published in June 2021 was accompanied by a funding plan which outlined an implementation cost of £1.2 billion over a decade. However, no such funding has been agreed in the absence of an Executive or a multiyear budget. “It is estimated that mental health problems cost the Northern Ireland economy £3.4 billion a year,” explains Durkan. “The failure to properly resource these services will result in colossal costs for society, for the health service and most importantly, for people. “The North is caught in a vicious cycle of everincreasing demand for services and a steady depletion of resources. Mental health services are being pummelled from all sides; the inability to allocate the necessary funding within the department has been compounded by the cuts in primary school counselling provision and huge losses from European funding. “Community-based services, which are lifelines for service users, are being financially squeezed, and the devastating impacts of this deepens the gap in mental health services.” Durkan says that proper investment and the implementation of the Mental Health Strategy is key to addressing the crisis across communities.

“We have seen that monies previously earmarked to improve mental health pathways as part of the confidence and supply agreement of 2018 were diverted to plug funding gaps in front line services.

“Enhanced collaboration is key to effective care and support. This strategy would help bring order to the chaos and disjointed nature of mental health services. It would ensure the many dedicated organisations working hard every day to help people, to change lives and to save lives, are properly supported.

“I have written to the Department of Health asking for assurances that the £2.5 million earmarked for the Mental Health Strategy for 2021/22 was used to develop specific outcomes. The reality is that this life-saving strategy cannot be delivered in the absence of an Executive but confirmation that a solid foundation of work was achieved as part of that allocation would provide some degree of comfort.”

“It is one thing to encourage people suffering from mental illness to seek support but quite another to ensure that access to effective and early support is readily available. We need the DUP to end their boycott of our institutions, to allow MLAs to get back to work and prevent Northern Irelands’s mental health crisis becoming a Pandora’s Box that cannot be curtailed,” he concludes. 95

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Digital Government 2023 Peter Trimble, AWS; Bill McCluggage, Laganview Associates; Paul Duffy, Department of Finance; Dan Brember, Government Digital Service; and Sue McGuire, Digital Catapult Northern Ireland.

Digital Government Belfast, sponsored by AWS, Capventis and CGI, took place in Titanic Belfast on 19 October 2023. The event brought together over 150 key stakeholders who gained an insight into the public sector’s objectives for digital transformation and heard directly from those responsible for driving this forward. Expert speakers included Paul Duffy, Department of Finance; Dan Brember, Government Digital Service, UK; Sue McGuire, Digital Catapult Northern Ireland; Geoff Huggins, Scottish Government; Emma Weston, Digital Unite; and Dan West, Department of Health.

Adrian Hanley, AWS and Barry O’Hagan, Mid Ulster District Council.

Dan West, Department of Health, address delegates.

Digital Government Belfast attendees.

Michelle Connor, Kinva, answers a question.

Alan McVey and Kelly Ayres, Gartner.

Claire Buchner and Lisa White, Department of Health.

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‘Benn, but not a Bennite’ In September 2023, Hilary Benn MP was appointed by Labour leader Keir Starmer MP as the new Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Benn is arguably the most recognisable politician to be appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and, as an ardent ‘remainer’ who led an anti-Brexit uprising against former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, his appointment will be welcomed for those who wish for closer ties between the UK and the EU. In September 2022, he published a report titled How to Fix the Northern Ireland Protocol alongside the Centre for European Reform. In the report, he emphasised the importance of avoiding border infrastructure on the island of Ireland while adhering to Brexit requirements. He is the son of the left-wing politician Tony Benn, who served as a cabinet minister under former Labour prime ministers Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. The younger Benn also served in the Cabinet under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, in which, as Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, he introduced and implemented the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008. Although his late father is seen as a standard bearer for the British left, when he first entered parliament in a July 1999

by-election in the constituency of Leeds Central, famously Benn refered to himself as “a Benn, but not a Bennite”.

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This self-assessment held through when Jeremy Corbyn MP became the leader of the Labour Party in 2015. Having been appointed as the Shadow Foreign Secretary by Corbyn following the leftwinger’s assumption of the Labour leadership, Benn broke ranks with the then-leader over a vote to support David Cameron’s decision to bomb Syria following the ISIS terrorist attack in Paris in November 2015. His speech in the House of Commons was described by then Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond “one of the truly great speeches in the House of Commons”. According to Labour MP Jamie Reed, following his speech, in the eyes of Corbyn, Benn became “at best a rebel, at worst a traitor”.

Following this move, Benn found himself

Following the June 2016 EU membership referendum, in which he campaigned for ‘remain’, Benn led a rebellion among Labour MPs which culminated in the resignation of 21 Shadow Cabinet members in a bid to oust Corbyn as leader. Benn was subsequently sacked from his front bench role and Corbyn won

per cent, although he only commanded the support of 40 of his then 232 MPs.

in the cold during the Corbyn leadership and no longer welcome in the Shadow Cabinet but continued to command respect among most Labour MPs. This resulted in his election as chair of the Exiting the European Union Select Committee. In this position, he sponsored the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019, informally known as the Benn Act, which forced then-Prime Minister Theresa May MP to seek a third extension to Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the process for withdrawal from the EU. The role as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary is Benn’s first frontbench role since his sacking by Corbyn in 2016, and has been welcomed by local representatives, with Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie MLA saying that “the appointment of an individual with such an extensive political career is an indication of the importance the Labour Party leader places on Northern Ireland”.

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Conference report:

Credit: Liam McBurney/PA Images.

DUP will ‘hold its nerve’ Together, we will succeed was the theme of the DUP conference in Belfast, as party figures asserted that unionist unity is the key to growth. Meanwhile, the party left the public guessing as to whether it will be returning to Stormont any time soon. Joshua Murray attended the DUP party conference in October 2023.

Party-wide frustration was evident throughout the annual gathering, but importantly for leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP, those frustrations were directed outwards. The British Government, Sinn Féin, other unionist parties, the Alliance Party, the EU, and the media were among those in the crosshairs of both party representatives and grassroots members, who were not afraid to voice their discontent with the numerous forces they believe are conspiring to stifle the kind of politics the DUP stands for.

“I believe we still have a society that still values life and believes that the most basic right is the right to life,” adding that, in the consultation which led to the passage of the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2022: “79 per cent of the respondents were opposed to abortion in Northern Ireland.” However, opinion polling has consistently shown that around two-thirds of the population of Northern Ireland supports the legislation of abortion.

A panel of the party’s MPs, excluding both the leader and deputy leader, appeared early in the proceedings, perhaps a nod to the pre-eminence of those operating in the functioning legislature in Westminster above the party’s MLAs. During the discussion, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart stated:

Other topics of note covered in the MP panel discussion included frustration with the media, led by East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, who said that, although he does not “have a problem with the BBC, sometimes they seem to have a problem with us”.

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“We have a clear mandate to resolve the issues that confront us because we have campaigned for arrangements that restore our place in the United Kingdom.” DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP

This sentiment was echoed by Ian Paisley MP who, when panel chair, former BBC Northern Ireland political editor Mark Devenport, brought up the fact that Paisley had attended work experience with the BBC many years ago, quipped: “I decided to change the world rather than just report on it.” Lockhart, in her own speech, issued a rallying cry to non-DUP unionists to “come together” to give Sinn Féin “the reality check they need”. This plea was issued as Lockhart was seeking the unity of all unionist parties, attributing the party’s recent decline to Sinn Féin to division in unionism. The theme of unionist unity, however, was somewhat lost in leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP’s speech, in which he expressed his view that there are people “on the fringes of the unionist family” who advocate direct rule that “do not have the best interests of the union at heart”. Donaldson, who is now entering his third year as leader of the DUP, continues to grapple with the choreography of a return to the Assembly. The prominence of MLA Emma Little-Pengelly’s speech in the running order added some fuel to speculation that she, rather than

Donaldson, might lead the party’s Stormont contingent, and ultimately become the first DUP representative to serve as deputy First Minister.

The Lagan Valley MP also expressed his

The speculation of a return to Stormont will have been further fuelled by Donaldson’s statement that, long-term, the idea that direct rule is the best way to serve unionism is a “nonsense”.

their job to speak out and defend the

Donaldson, however, whilst unironically stating that the DUP has a reputation for “saying yes”, managed to weave a web of ambiguity to keep everyone guessing, saying that “we are not afraid to say no” to a return to Stormont as discussions with the British Government about reforming the Windsor Framework “have not reached an endpoint” and “no deal is on the table”. The main challenge for the DUP is working out how to effectively exercise its mandate afforded by its unionist electorate, which means ending what it sees as a “border in the Irish Sea”.

frustration at the British Government, exclaiming that he wants to see the it “step up and promote the union; it is union”. This sentiment was echoed by the party’s new deputy leader, Belfast East MP Gavin Robinson, who took aim at Northern Ireland Minister of State Steve Baker MP. “The erstwhile, self-confessed agitator and 12-hour candidate for Prime Minister would be better back in the box he confessed to being released from in the summer,” uttered Robinson. Donaldson, in a departure from his precedents, remained alone on the stage as he concluded his leader’s speech. However, the respect his colleagues hold for him was clear in the enthusiastic cheers received. The DUP leader remains adamant that

Donaldson said: “We have a clear mandate to resolve the issues that confront us because we have campaigned for arrangements that restore our place in the United Kingdom.”

the party will “hold its nerve” in negotiations with the British Government, rendering a return to Stormont, in the short term at least, unlikely.

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Credit: Sinn Féin

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Sinn Féin’s dream ticket Athlone played host to party members noticeably buoyed by the prospect of leading government in the Republic in the next year. Joshua Murray attended Sinn Féin’s ard fheis held in County Westmeath in November 2023. With am don athrú/time for change branded next to the party logo throughout the Technological University of the Shannon campus, it was profoundly clear that, in the eyes of many members of Sinn Féin, it is the party’s destiny to lead the next government in Dublin, whereby the party would be tasked with the gargantuan undertakings of solving Ireland’s housing and health crises, as well as accelerating the process of Irish reunification. For matters north of the border, outwardly at least, the party continues to assert its outrage at the refusal of the DUP to form an Executive, with party vice president and Stormont leader

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Michelle O’Neill MLA stating: “The boycott of the Assembly by the DUP must end.” However, the political capital generated for Sinn Féin by the DUP boycott cannot be understated, with the party’s refusal to enable the nomination of Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister creating a sense of injustice among nationalists of which Sinn Féin is keen to channel.

Profound change north of the border In her keynote address on day one of the

2023 ard fheis, the Sinn Féin vice president reiterated her now ubiquitous catchphrase that she intends to be a “First Minister for all”. O’Neill, who became the first nationalist to lead their party to achieving the most seats in the Assembly in May 2022, said: “As a First Minister for all, I will never treat others the way our communities were treated in the past.” O’Neill was keen to reflect on the scale of change within Northern Ireland: “The nationalist community in the North, historically marginalised and discriminated against, has achieved what was once thought impossible. The

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Credit: Sinn Féin

old Orange state with its entrenched unionist majority is now long gone. It is a thing of the past,” O’Neill said to enthusiastic acclaim from Sinn Féin delegates. Whilst O’Neill demonstrated the ascendency of nationalism, returning to her ‘First Minister for all’ mantra, she said that the biggest challenge she will have as First Minister in any new Executive is “to keep moving our society forward”. In a move reminiscent of those made by her late predecessor, Martin McGuinness, she spoke of her attendance at a remembrance event that morning. “I believe that all political leaders must stretch themselves to seek common ground, and that is what I am committed to do,” O’Neill said.

Preparing for government While all Sinn Féin senior leadership figures were unequivocal in their support for the establishment of an Executive in Northern Ireland, it was clear that the main intrigue for the party is to enter government in the Republic and bring about the end to the duopoly of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s century-long hold on power. With Sinn Féin’s course to victory south of the border dependent on its vision for solving the Republic’s housing crisis, party president Mary Lou McDonald TD opened her keynote address with a poetic vision of the importance of an allegorical house, referring to “love of home” as being “what defines us”. “From those who fled famine and persecution, to the generations who left in search of work, to our young people today who seek opportunity across the globe, our special affinity with home binds us together,” McDonald said.

Mary Lou McDonald TD and Michelle O’Neill MLA, pictured with the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid.

further outlining her objective of establishing a citizens’ assembly on Irish unity. Whilst McDonald did not go into more detail on this, she was keen to reassure Sinn Féin delegates that “momentum is building” and urged: “The day is coming when everyone on this island will have their say in referendums.” In relation to a unity referendum, and in an apparent rebuff of recent comments by Northern Ireland Junior Minister Steve Baker MP, the Sinn Féin president also said that each vote must “count equally” with “no vetoes” and “no shifting of the goal posts”.

The path forward

While strongly critical of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, McDonald stopped short of explicitly ruling out a future coalition with either party, stating that Sinn Féin is “ready to lead” a new government in the south, and that her preference was “a new government without Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for the first time in a hundred years”.

Sinn Féin entered this ard fheis with what might have been interpreted as a disconnect between party leadership and party membership on the latest developments in the Middle East. Whilst there is no suggestion that McDonald has ever drifted in her support for Palestine, it can be understood that Sinn Féin is a party which is riding high in the polls and is determined to avoid any political own goals.

On Irish reunification, the Sinn Féin president repeated the by now clichéd line emphasising the need to “plan”,

While initially refusing to do so, following several weeks of pressure from the left and from her party grassroots, the Sinn

Féin president used her keynote speech to unequivocally call for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, much to the approval of delegates. The republican party is sometimes maligned by members of the media and political opponents as being “undemocratic”, but the stream of young and grassroots members afforded their opportunity to publicly deliver their message to the leadership showed a party which is, at least, highly participatory. The party members will have been further reassured that McDonald will not stray far from internationalist principles by the presence of Sinn Féin’s traditional allies from the Palestinian Authority, Catalonia, the Basque Country, and the African National Congress. Currently, the fanfare which surrounds McDonald and O’Neill is unparalleled in any other party, with enthusiastic Sinn Féin members of all ages swarming the two leaders for photographs in a manner which was not analogous at other party gatherings. Sinn Féin members believe that, in these two women, they have their dream ticket to government north and south, and ultimately the path to Irish unification.

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2023 The 9th annual Social Media Belfast Conference recently took place in September 2023. The event is Northern Ireland’s leading social media event and brought together an excellent line up of social media experts both local and visiting to share their knowledge and examples of successful campaigns. A massive thank you to all speakers and delegates who joined us at Titanic Belfast and helped bring #SMBelfast to life across Speakers: Nico Fell, 256 The Content Strategy Agency; Laura Truelove, Welsh Government; Paul McGarrity, Octave Digital and Ketna Mistry, Social-Fit.

all social media channels and made the conference a huge success. We have already started brainstorming for 2024. If you are interested in sponsoring, exhibiting or sharing your experiences as a speaker please do get in touch with the event director Fiona McCarthy, Fiona.McCarthy@agendani.com.

Katie Mitchell, Lucas Love Healthcare Ltd and Terrie McWilliams, Bryson Recycling.

Niamh Burns, The Electoral Commission and Susan O’Neill, Automated Intelligence.

Anna Heasley and Tara Craig, The Open University Ireland.

Kathryn Bigger, Stride and Sarah Topley, Haldane Fisher Ltd.

Speaker: Carla Brogan, PropertyPal.com.

Social Media Belfast delegates at the 2023 Conference.

www.socialmediabelfast.com

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David Hilditch: 1963-2023 One of Northern Ireland’s longest-serving MLAs has been described as a “strong principled unionist”, following his death. Paying tribute to his life and work, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP said that David Hilditch had “served the people of East Antrim faithfully for over 32 years”, following the 60 year-old’s death from illness. Having stepped back from public life in September 2023, Hilditch had been one of only three MLAs to have served continuously in the Assembly since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Born in Carrickfergus on 23 July 1963, Hilditch worked in construction and for Royal Mail between 1987 and 1998. In February 1997, he was awarded the RUC Bravery Award following a post office robbery. Hilditch’s first entry into politics was in 1991, when he was elected to Carrickfergus Borough Council. During his time on the council, he served two terms as deputy mayor of the borough and one year as mayor from 1997-1998. Affectionately referred to as “the mayor of Carrick” by the late Ian Paisley, Hilditch was then elected to the Northern Ireland

Assembly in 1998, and was subsequently reelected the 2011, 2016, 2017, and 2022 Assembly elections. Despite the length of his tenure, Hilditch never held a ministerial portfolio for the party but did serve as deputy chair for committees on infrastructure, audit, education, and social development between 2007 and 2022. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP paid tribute to the former MLA’s commitment to represent his constituents, even after being diagnosed with cancer. DUP chair Maurice Morrow described Hilditch as “dependable, reliable, honourable, trustworthy, and loyal”, adding that he will be greatly missed. A lifelong supporter of his hometown team, Carrick Rangers, Hilditch served the football club over the years as chairman, secretary, treasurer, and safety officer. The club, in a statement, said: “It is hard to imagine Carrick Rangers without David Hilditch and his loss will undoubtedly be felt not just at his beloved Taylor’s Avenue but indeed by the entire Irish League family.”

His friend and colleague, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, wrote in an obituary that Hilditch was a “strong principled unionist”. “I have sat in rooms sometimes with four or five and other times with a couple of hundred [people] who were angry about political developments but always had respect, listened to, and responded to David’s assurances. “He fought for his constituents, he committed to them even in poor health and, despite all of the opposition and abuse, he kept the faith,” Wilson said. This was echoed by Donaldson, who said: “Despite David’s battle with cancer, he served the people of East Antrim faithfully and only stepped back from elected office in September past. He had a passion for people and believed in serving others whether that was in the political realm or his beloved Carrick Rangers Football Club.” Wilson said of Hilditch: “I am thankful that I could count him as a colleague over the years I have known him.”

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Assembly chamber ‘future-proofed’ for electronic voting

An image of the panels put in place in the Assembly chamber.

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission has said that no decision has been taken to install an electronic voting system in the Assembly chamber, despite the addition of enabling infrastructure. The Assembly Commission says that panels and cables provided during recent upgrade work “would facilitate the implementation of electronic voting if a decision to implement such a system is taken in the future by the Assembly”, but that an electronic voting system has not been installed. As of October 2023, over £1.5 million has been spent on a work programme, approved by the Assembly Commission in November 2021, to upgrade ageing video and audio systems in the Assembly chamber. In a detailed list of work carried out in two phases over summer 2022 and summer 2023, the Assembly Commission does not mention electronic voting infrastructure, but does point to “technical furniture” used to house broadcasting standard digital sound systems, incorporating modern microphones, loudspeakers, and digital processing units. Responding to a written question by TUV leader and North Antrim MLA Jim Allister querying when the decision to implement electronic voting had been taken, the Assembly Commission said: “The Assembly has not decided to install an electronic voting system and one has not been installed.

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“In November 2021, the Assembly Commission approved a business case to upgrade the audio and video systems in the Assembly chamber, which included consideration of inputs (e.g. cabling and panels) to potentially facilitate electronic voting. During 2022 and 2023, the Assembly Commission implemented an extensive programme of work to upgrade the audio and video systems in the Assembly chamber, together with associated works.

Assessing the use of electronic and remote voting in other jurisdictions, the Committee on Procedures concluded in 2022 that the scale and scope of any potential preferred system for electronic voting at the Assembly was a significant piece of work that it would not be able to complete in the time remaining in the mandate. It added that issue should be added to the potential topics for consideration by a successor committee.

“This programme of work did not include the installation of an electronic voting system, however panels and cabling have been provided that would facilitate the implementation of electronic voting if a decision to implement such a system is taken in the future by the Assembly.”

However, following the end of the mandate, while no new Executive or Assembly has been formed, new infrastructure in the Assembly chamber has been put in place.

The outbreak of the pandemic forced all legislatures across the globe to assess their electronic and remote voting capability in relation to the capability of the continuation parliamentary business. In Northern Ireland, temporary provisions in Standing Orders were introduced to allow proxy voting, potentially because unlike some neighbouring legislatures, the Northern Ireland Assembly did not have an electronic voting system in place to allow for expansion of the system to facilitate digital remote voting.

“The scope of any electronic voting system will be a matter for the next Assembly Committee on Procedures to consider and for the Assembly to agree,” the Assembly Commission says. “While electronic voting systems are not currently a feature in the Assembly chamber, the most recent work has provided an element of future-proofing for the needs of the Assembly in the years ahead. This should ensure a smoother transition, should a decision be taken to introduce electronic voting, by reducing the level of infrastructure work required and the associated costs.”

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TRADE UNION DESK New formula needed John O’Farrell from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) writes about the need to replace the Barnett formula with a system of fiscal equalisation. It is not on every topic that this column finds itself in agreement with Sammy Wilson MP, but it did so completely when the East Antrim MP informed the House of Commons in September 2023: “Education spending has gone up by 6 per cent in the rest of the United Kingdom, but it has fallen in Northern Ireland. The overall budget for Northern Ireland this year has fallen by 3.2 per cent in real terms, whereas the budgets for the rest of the United Kingdom went up by 1.7 per cent in real terms. That is partly a result of the fact that the formula used for the rest of the UK, which is based on need, has not been applied in Northern Ireland.” Wilson was referring to Northern Ireland’s funding from HM Treasury being shackled to the 45-year-old Barnett formula rather than an alternative being rolled out for the devolved administration in Wales. “The Holtham formula has not been applied in Northern Ireland. Indeed, the Fiscal Council has estimated that, as a result of need not being considered, we probably have about £322 million less expenditure available than we would have had if we had been treated on the same basis as England, Scotland, and Wales.” Introducing a needs-based system or a system of fiscal equalisation to replace the Barnett formula would ensure that spending power for public services actually is equalised on a per capita basis among the components of the UK. All successful states have a degree of fiscal equalisation, even federal states such as Germany and the US. Devolution was intended to bring government closer to the people, especially those whose economies have suffered from marginalisation, such as former mining areas of England, or the northwest of this province.

The idea that the regions and nations of the UK outside of the southeast of England are sponging off the hard work and enterprise of the Metropole-on-theThames is popular in HM Treasury and, sadly, its local branch office in Erskine House in central Belfast, the NIO. This geographical inequality was not caused by the weather, but the policies of successive administrations for over 40 years with the UK’s shift from making things to financialisaton as the backbone of the economy. One result is that most graduate-level careers in the private sector are concentrated in southeast England with the regions dependent on the public sector and less-well paid jobs in the private sector. The fact that the cursed administration of Alexander Boris Johnson made a big thing about ‘levelling up’ was a grudging admission of the obvious in 2019, but very little was done until the scrapping of high-speed rail finally killed off any illusions that place was no longer a prison for the ambitious young. Another reason for the UK’s absurd regional inequalities is that taxation is a power monopoly very much enjoyed in the Treasury and numbers 11 and 10 Downing Street. In any modern state with locally elected mayors and accountable assemblies, there is significant room for manoeuvre for various kinds of local taxes to raise or lower – income, property, carbon, consumption, tourism, etc. As the Northern Ireland Fiscal Commission found, what options there are will make very little difference.

amounts of revenue. Northern Ireland does not receive additional monies to fund these. They are funded from within our existing funding allocation. Instead of ‘super-parity’, we have a real problem with ‘sub-parity’ issues, in particular childcare and apprenticeships. The bigger picture is that we focus on the wrong taxes and we do not take enough of the right taxes. Despite the whining of lobbyists and commentators in the business pages, the UK does not over-burden successful enterprises with taxation. On the contrary, we do not tax big business enough and even then we do not invest in the means of collecting what is owed to the public. ICTU‘s 2020 No Going Back report highlighted that fact that in the UK, one of the largest gaps in tax was in social insurance contribution and in particular those levied on employers. This gap remains significant and it is estimated that if employer social insurance contributions were to rise to meet the average of our European peers, it would raise an extra £90 billion in the UK. For Northern Ireland, this would result in an extra £2.6 billion in revenue generated annually. Bridging the gap in taxation between the UK and European peers represents the only realistic plan for well-funded and sustainable public finances and therefore public services, such as the investments of reliable infrastructure and an educated workforce, equitably distributed to areas of the UK based on need and not luck.

While Chris Heaton-Harris MP wants us to focus on ‘super-parity’ measures, such as water charges; these would bring in small

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Political Platform Outline your background/career to date I grew up in rural south Antrim, on the shores of Lough Neagh. My mum was a nurse for over 40 years and my dad was an eel fisherman, they were not at all political. I am the baby of the family and I have two older brothers, but I am definitely not the spoilt one. All throughout school I wanted to be a journalist or a teacher but getting involved in youth work at 16 inspired me to a follow a journey into the community and voluntary sector. My early youth work career was focused on community relations and then political engagement before managing the youth projects at an arts centre for six years. I was a local councillor for over seven years before becoming an MLA and moving to north Antrim in April 2023, a path I never thought my career would take.

What inspired you to get into politics?

Sian Mulholland MLA

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I was nicknamed the ‘rebel with a cause’ by a teacher of mine because I was always handing out a petition or ranting about some injustice around the world. I first became involved in activism when I ran a campaign in my school to ‘Shut Sellafield’ (a nuclear reprocessing site in northern England) and I then joined Amnesty International because I was interested in human rights. I got involved in local rights-based campaigns and helped out with Love Music Hate Racism Northern Ireland but it was not until my mid-twenties that I considered joining a political party. I had been involved in political engagement with young people through my job at Belfast YMCA and the more I listened to the politicians we met with, the more I realised I wanted to be involved and that I had something to contribute. I am particularly passionate about the voice of young people being heard in the political arena and as I have

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“ ” I am particularly passionate about the voice of young people being heard in the political arena and as I have gotten older and become a mum, I want to see politics become more accessible to mothers and families.

Sian Mulholland MLA

gotten older and become a mum, I want to see politics become more accessible to mothers and families.

Who do you admire in politics or public life and who are your political role models?

Growing up, I thought Mo Mowlam was so impressive. I did not understand much of what she was involved in back then, just that she seemed to be respected by a lot of significant seeming people and did not take any nonsense. The first time I heard a female politician with our accent was Monica McWilliams and the movement of women she was involved in made a lasting impression on me. I have been fortunate to meet her and share a platform with her and she is still a hugely impressive person. In my own party, and amongst my peers, I really admire the compassion that Kate Nicholl MLA brings to her work. She is incredibly passionate about issues like migration and fairness and her heart shines through all she does. Eóin Tennyson MLA’s ability to collect and retain information is a source of envy and David Honeyford MLA’s attitude of just getting the job done is such an admirable quality too.

Northern Ireland and I was not brought up in a political household, so did not have a frame of reference on the constitutional issue. I knew that I wanted to join a party that attracted people from all walks of life. I really admired the politicians I had engaged with like Naomi Long MLA, Chris Lyttle, and Anna Lo. I felt like their approach to politics was refreshing and based on making communities work for everyone, regardless of background.

What are your key priorities for your constituency or what are the key issues facing your constituency?

Representing such a diverse constituency is a balancing act. There are huge swathes of rural villages in North Antrim that all have their own profiles and needs, there is some overlap but they are all unique. Then there are the bigger, more built-up areas that come with their own challenges and needs to be understood and supported.

What drew you to the Alliance Party?

Infrastructure is an ongoing issue and that links into connectivity, public transport, sustainable travel, active travel, and green energy sources. I want to see better connections between the villages and the more urban hubs, for employment, reducing social isolation, and to improve access to vital resources.

Given my background in community relations and conflict resolution work with young people, I was not drawn to parties on either side of the traditional divide in

The cost-of-living crisis has been having a devastating impact of some of the most vulnerable in my area with everincreasing levels of poverty being

presented by constituents to the office. This is having a knock-on impact on people’s health, particularly their mental health and the lack of an Executive or ministers to lobby for support is frustrating. The democratic deficit we are experiencing is having a real-time impact on so many lives.

Housing is the other issue that is most frequently raised as an issue in my office. Rural housing provision in particular is having a hugely detrimental impact on communities, family connections, and even on informal childcare arrangements for working families. There is simply not enough housing stock for the current need and that is really worrying, especially when we know how constrained budgets for the Housing Executive and its partners are.

What are your interests outside work? Before I had children, my biggest love was local music and going to live music events, I could easily have been at two or three gigs per week. As a region, we produce some of the most talented artists and bands and I wish we had better investment and a more innovative approach to our arts and cultural sectors. Nowadays though, any free time I have outside of being an MLA is taken up with running my boys to various sports training, to the library, or to the park to burn off some of their seemingly neverending energy. With another baby on the way in December, I cannot see myself getting any space for a new hobby anytime soon.

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Northern Ireland needs care and attention Northern Ireland’s political system is in trouble, write Alan Renwick, professor of democratic politics and, Conor J Kelly, research assistant, and Project Manager, The Constitution Unit, Department of Political Science, University College London. Alan Renwick

Devolved government in Northern Ireland is suspended, with uncertain prospects for restoration in the short term. Public services are struggling. Trust is debilitatingly low. The settlement reached through the 1998 Good Friday Agreement looks increasingly brittle. Leaders in Northern Ireland bear much of the responsibility for getting back on track. But one lesson of the last quarter century and more is that success in Northern Ireland requires close engagement from Dublin and London, and a healthy relationship between the two. Yet interest in and understanding of Northern Ireland at Westminster is low. Our research suggests that much the same is true in Dublin. And the relationship between the governments – though improved from post-Brexit lows – remains weak. Over the summer 2023, we released a report, Perspectives on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: Examining Diverse Views, 1998–2023, examining how people and politicians think about the 1998 Agreement. The findings may not have surprised seasoned observers in Northern Ireland, but they bear close attention for others. The Agreement remains the bedrock on which most people want to build the future, but there are resentments on all sides. Anger that one party can veto functioning government is widespread. Many nationalists feel ignored by Dublin, while many unionists feel deeply betrayed by

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Conor J Kelly

London. Non-aligned voters often see the system as skewed against them. There are no easy answers to such challenges. But a starting point is that London and Dublin must engage and listen – and demonstrate they are doing so. Progress is impossible without trust, but trust will not regrow unless people feel they are seen and respected. Our colleague Alan Whysall, a former civil servant in the UK Government’s Northern Ireland Office, has similarly stressed the need for London, acting with Dublin, to take a more proactive approach. He has also mooted possible reforms that could revive the agreement before all confidence has ebbed away. Getting sufficient consensus on any reforms would be difficult, but fresh ideas deserve attention. Seeking a reset in Northern Ireland’s politics requires the British and Irish governments above all to focus on the immediate challenge of restoring the devolved institutions. But an eye to the long term is needed as well – to forestall future challenges and forge future opportunities. One challenge needing attention concerns how the British and Irish governments relate to each other and maintain mutual understanding in the post-Brexit era. Another, where Dublin’s role is lesser, concerns the future shape of the union between England, Wales, Scotland, and

Northern Ireland. Wales is devoting much creative attention to developing ideas. Yet unionism in Northern Ireland (and Scotland) has become defensive; space for designing positive future visions is needed. A third issue is the possibility of a united Ireland. This is widely talked about but has again received remarkably little detailed thinking. What would a united Ireland look like, and what would be the process of getting there? The prospect may look distant today. But the agreement requires a ‘border poll’ in certain circumstances, and Dublin would have no formal say on the timing. So thinking the matter through in advance is important. We were both part of a Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland, which published a detailed report in 2021 identifying and assessing options for the design of such votes. We did so not because we are pushing for referendums – as academics, we have no position on the matter – but because such votes might happen at some point, and going into them without a clear plan would carry significant dangers. We found no easy options. Detailed planning may not be needed yet; but awareness of the issues is. Northern Ireland needs care and attention from both Dublin and London, but it is not getting enough from either. That should change.

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