Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 20 February 2023

Forward Look      

  • Please find attached a one-page brief ahead of the Local Government Elections on Thursday 18 May which are now 90 days away.

  • Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton Harris MP and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP are in Belfast today to meet with the five main political parties. It comes as reports suggest that a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be sealed by early next week.

  • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the weekend, with speculation that the meeting will end the dispute over the Protocol.

  • Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she is resigning as Scotland’s First Minister after more than eight years in the role. Nominations to replace her will close on Friday.

  • The Irish Labour Party will table a motion at its conference next month to formalise its presence in Northern Ireland.

  • Parliament will return from recess on Monday.

  • All House of Commons Stages of The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill will take place on Wednesday.

  • The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will continue their inquiry on the effect of paramilitary and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

  • A private meeting of the House of Lords Subcommittee on the Northern Ireland Protocol regarding the provision of medicines will be held on Wednesday.

  • Ballots to Fine Gael party members on a motion regarding the establishment of branches in Northern Ireland close on 28 February.

  • The Department for the Economy published the Energy Strategy 2022 Action Plan report to achieve net-zero by 2050. It can be viewed here: LINK

  • Four teaching unions in Northern Ireland will participate in a half-day strike on Tuesday over pay.

  • The Insider Media Dealmaker Awards will take place on 2 March at the Europa Hotel. The nominees can be viewed here: LINK

  • Ibec is to host a peacemaker’s event to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on Thursday. Speakers will include Alistair Campbell and Bertie Ahern.

  • The 2023 Local Government Conference will take place on Thursday at the Sliverbirch Hotel in Omagh.

 

Other Stories this week

  • The Assembly failed to elect a Speaker after it was re-called for the sixth time since the election to approve regulations to implement Daithi’s law.

  • Recent statistics from the Central Statistics Office showed that Cross-Border trade rose by 30% in 2022.  

  • House prices in Northern Ireland fell for the first time in 3 years during the final quarter of 2022.

  • According to the latest labour market statistics Northern Ireland’s employment rate increased by 3.1% in the final quarter of 2022.

 

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 23 February, Local Government Conference, Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh.

  • 02 March, Women in Business Awards 2023, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast.

  • 04 March, Alliance Party Conference, Stormont Hotel, Belfast.

  • 09 March, All-Ireland Sustainability Summit, Europa Hotel, Belfast.

  • 15 March, Chancellor’s Spring Statement.

  • 24 March, SDLP Party Conference, St Columb’s Hall, Derry.

 

Consultations