#AE22 Brown O'Connor NI Assembly Election 2022 Constituency Profile: Lagan Valley

#AE22 Constituency Profile: Lagan Valley

ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY

  • Lagan Valley is ten times the area of neighbouring Belfast West constituency.

  • The city of Lisburn is at the heart of the Lagan Valley constituency, which stretches from Ballinderry to Gransha, and Moira to Drumbo.

  • The official royal residence for Northern Ireland lies within the constituency’s village of Hillsborough. Letters patent were issued in 2021 and the village is now known as Royal Hillsborough.

  • Lagan Valley has an older than average population profile and deprivation levels are low in the constituency.

  • The 2011 Census reports that Lagan Valley has the fourth smallest population proportion from a Catholic community background (19.0%).

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

  • The DUP have attracted more than 40% of first preference votes in every Assembly election since Jeffrey Donaldson joined the party from the UUP.

  • While the DUP won 4 seats out of 6 in the 2011 Assembly election, they lost one to UUP’s Jenny Palmer (a former DUP councillor) in 2016, and only held onto 2 seats in 2017 in the new 5 seat configuration.

  • The best Alliance result was in 1998 with 14.6% of the first preference vote. However, they surged to 28.8% in the 2019 Westminster election.

  • Lagan Valley was without a Nationalist representative in the Assembly from 2011-2017. SDLP gained a seat in 2017 having lost it in 2007.

SINCE 2017

  • Trevor Lunn was first elected as an Alliance MLA in March 2007, resigning from the party in March 2020. Since then he has sat as an independent MLA and is not running again.

  • Edwin Poots resigned his Lagan Valley seat in early March to be co-opted into Christopher Stalford’s Belfast South seat. Poots’ replacement is Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Councillor Paul Rankin who is not standing for election on 5 May and will become the shortest serving MLA in the NI Assembly’s history.

THE DAY OF THE COUNT

  • Two or maybe even three candidates could be elected in the first stage over quota: 2 DUP and either a UUP or Alliance candidate if those parties haven’t balanced their vote across running mates.

  • Pat Catney’s route to keeping his seat for the SDLP involves staying ahead of the second UUP and second Alliance candidates and picking up their transfers as well as those from excluded Sinn Féin and Green candidates.

COMMENTARY

Since new party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson announced his intention to return to Assembly politics, it looked like Donaldson, Poots and Givan would all be on the ticket trying to win back the third seat the DUP lost by a small margin in 2017. With Poots moving to Belfast South, the party are only fielding two candidates, suggesting they expect the DUP vote to be well down in this election.

UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler will be looking to win back lost ground from 2017 with his running mate, Laura Turner.

Alliance is also looking to advance. For the first time, they are running two candidates in the constituency – Councillors Sorcha Eastwood and David Honeyford – to capitalise on strong results in 2019 when Eastwood more than doubled Alliance’s share of the vote at Westminster.

The SDLP won their seat in 2017 by just 400 votes over the DUP. Sitting MLA, Pat Catney will be battling again to hold his seat over the second UUP and Alliance hopefuls.

PREDICTIONS

  • Two safe DUP seats, along with one apiece for UUP and Alliance.

  • The fifth seat is marginal but sitting MLA Pat Catney (SDLP) has the advantage.

  • A second seat for Alliance or the UUP would suggest big gains for them in other constituencies.

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive partners with artists to preserve and showcase memorable footage from days gone by

(L-R) Singer/Songwriter, Matt McGinn; Classical and Electronic Artist, Rachel Boyd and Poet, Stephen Sexton

A unique record of archive film has been beautifully preserved for future generations and will now be showcased by an eclectic selection of artists in a series of projects collectively titled The Looking Glass Anthology.

This partnership project between Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland as part of an archiving scheme to preserve a record of Irish culture, heritage, and experiences.

The project invited artists to develop creative responses to 160 hours of UTV cine film, captured during its first decade of broadcasting from 1959 to 1969.

Footage found depicts lost traditions, moments of high political drama and the visits of cultural icons to Northern Ireland.

A selection of artists responded, and the four chosen projects are:

  • ‘The Turning of the Tide’, a blend of song, orchestration and poetry by Hilltown singer/songwriter Matt McGinn using footage of a well-known Belfast character and performed with Arco Quartet and poet Natalya O’Flaherty.

  • A poem by Stephen Sexton, entitled ‘The Actualities’ that reflects on the people of Northern Ireland looking to the future. The poem has been set to music by Ian Livingstone.

  • The ‘Borders’ project, an audio/visual response to the archive utilising the track ‘Arrival’ by Elma Orkestra and Ryan Vail.

  • A traditional cinematic composition by Rachael Boyd entitled ‘Wanderers’, responding to archive footage of Itinerants in 1960s Ireland.

A website entitled DFA Slow TV has also been created to act as a 24-hour live stream of the digitised material. Themes include local traditions, folklore, crafts, and fashion.

Contribution funding from the Department of Communities supports the project and a programme of public engagement.

Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen said:

“Northern Ireland Screen wanted to ensure that generations to come can value our lost traditions and continue to remember these moments from the most ordinary everyday occurrences, to lost traditions and times of political drama.”

“We have an array of amazing artists here that through this project have been given a platform to share their art and use it to bring this beautiful archive footage back to life in a number of new and imaginative ways.

“We were delighted to partner with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland on this project, and thank the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and the Department of Communities for funding this activity.”

Tech director and leading academic join Londonderry Chamber board

Greg McCann, FinTrU; Anna Doherty, Londonderry Chamber; and Prof Malachy Ó Néill, Ulster University

The Londonderry Chamber has welcomed two new members to its board of directors.

Greg McCann, Executive Director of FinTrU North West and head of the company’s office in the city, and Professor Malachy Ó Néill, Director of Regional Engagement at Ulster University, have been appointed to the board and will become officers of the Chamber, helping set and lead the strategic direction and vision of the organisation.

Greg McCann has over 18 years’ experience in the financial services industry, having worked across a number of senior banking functions including compliance, financial crime risk and regulatory control, and regulatory change.

Professor Malachy Ó Néill completed his BA and PhD at Ulster University and was Head of Irish in St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt before returning to the University in 2008 as Lecturer in Modern Irish. He was appointed as the inaugural Head of School of Irish Language and Literature in 2012. His research focuses on Irish language sources of the Ó Néill dynasty, pedagogical development in modern Irish, and Irish language theatre.

Mr McCann and Professor Ó Néill are replacing long-time board members George Fleming of Fleming Agri-Products and Donna Moran of Moran’s Retail.

Welcoming the appointments, Londonderry Chamber President Aidan O’Kane said:

“These are excellent appointments which strengthen the Chamber and offer real expertise for our members. Greg and Malachy are distinguished leaders in their respective fields, namely regtech and fintech, and education, skills and training, and the Chamber will benefit greatly from their insights, skills, and connections. I also want to thank both George Fleming and Donna Moran for their immense contributions to the Chamber and the economic vibrancy of the North West over a number of decades. Their experience and insights have been invaluable as directors of the Chamber.

“As we recover from the pandemic, and in the mouth of an Assembly election, it is vital for the North West economy and business community that our organisation is as strong as possible as we deliver for our members and local businesses. It is welcome that local leaders like Greg and Malachy are involved in making the North West a leading location to live, work, and do business.”

Greg McCann, Executive Director of FinTrU North West, added:

“I am thrilled to be joining the Chamber’s board of directors. The Chamber has been at the forefront of promoting the North West as a place to invest and do business over the past number of years. FinTrU set up base in the city in 2018 and we haven’t looked back since. The region is rapidly gaining a reputation for industries like tech, fintech, and regtech and there’s a growing talent base in these sectors. Through my role with the Chamber, I will continue to promote the area as a leading location on the island of Ireland for investment as we work to bring more job creation and economic development to the North West.”

Professor Malachy Ó Néill, Director of Regional Engagement at Ulster University, also said:

“It’s an honour to become a director of the Chamber. Our region is filled with talented and successful leaders and businesses. The North West has proven to be a collaborative and innovative region over the past decade, with local educational institutions like Ulster University and North West Regional College working hard to produce skilled and qualified graduates ready to boost the local economy. The £250m City Deal is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure our region has the skills necessary for new and emerging industries like AI, diagnostics, health and life sciences, and tech, and Ulster University at our Magee campus are proud to be leading on many of the Deal’s key projects. The Chamber, as the largest business organisation in the North West, is well placed to help drive the economic success of our region in the coming years and I am keen to play my part in ensuring this part of the island of Ireland thrives as we exit the Covid pandemic.”

First ever Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium takes place in Belfast

Finance Partner at A&L Goodbody Chris Jessup, CEO at Fintech Nexus Bo Brustkern, Financial Services Sector Lead at Invest NI Karen Bradbury and Andrew Jenkins, Chair of FinTech NI and HMT FinTech Envoy for Northern Ireland.

The first ever Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium has convened in Belfast to celebrate an industry that contributes £392 million in GVA to the local economy.

The two-day event hosted by FinTech NI, the independent voice of fintech in Northern Ireland, brought together fintech leaders from across the UK with the chief executives, funding organisations, educational institutions and professional services that support the fintech ecosystem in Northern Ireland.

Hosted by FinTech NI, the independent voice of fintech in Northern Ireland, the symposium brought together over 70 delegates to examine how the sector is heading towards the creation of thousands more jobs and the attraction of over £25 million in Foreign Direct Investment to Northern Ireland.

Addressing a pre-event reception of technologists and business leaders on Tuesday, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA said the region is building a “global reputation in fintech”, underpinned by a highly skilled and adaptable workforce and “business friendly culture with innovation and collaboration at its core”.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA addresses the NI FinTech Symposium

The summit featured sessions with fintech leaders in Northern Ireland, Scotland, the North of England and the West Midlands. It also heard from Innovate Finance, the industry body for fintech in the UK, and explored the areas that will strengthen the local sector, including progressing the local investment landscape and safeguarding the skills and talent pipeline.

A panel discussion of local business leaders also took place, featuring contributions from Head of Ventures at Deloitte Roisin Finnegan, Co-Founder of ESTHER Carol Rossborough, Professor in Financial Technology at Ulster University Daniel Broby and Finance Partner at A&L Goodbody Chris Jessup.

The Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium 2022 was supported by A&L Goodbody, Invest NI, Deloitte and Fintech Nexus.

Head of Ventures at Deloitte Roisin Finnegan, Co-Founder of ESTHER Carol Rossborough, Professor in Financial Technology at Ulster University Daniel Broby and Finance Partner at A&L Goodbody Chris Jessup.

Speaking after the event, Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA said:

“The world might be changing rapidly, but we can always rely on the vibrant business community in Northern Ireland to continue innovating and positioning our region as one of the world’s elite small economies. Nowhere is this clearer than in fintech, a sector that has grown significantly in recent years to become a key priority area.”

“It is sectors like fintech that are at the heart of our economic vision, the 10x Economy, and have the potential to be a window of opportunity for Northern Ireland. It is fantastic to see the FinTech NI Association bring the sector together to celebrate all that’s been achieved to date, and more importantly set out the steps to becoming a stronger, more vibrant community that will have benefits right across society.”

Andrew Jenkins, Chair of FinTech NI and HMT FinTech Envoy for Northern Ireland said:

“The FinTech NI Association is thrilled to have been joined by over 70 delegates at the first ever Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium 2022. This was an opportunity to unite the sector, celebrate our achievements and showcase our potential both locally and to the rest of the UK. We are thrilled to have been joined by fintech leaders from regional hubs around the UK, as well as representatives from our ecosystem of start-up fintechs and established financial services institutions here.”

“FinTech NI exists to promote the region as a leading global fintech hub, and today’s event will be the first of many as we seek to implement our three-year strategy and take the fintech sector to the next level. We would also like to thank A&L Goodbody, Invest Northern Ireland, Deloitte and Fintech Nexus for supporting the first ever Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium.”

Chris Jessup, Finance Partner at A&L Goodbody said:

“The fintech sector has grown considerably in the last five years, and there is no doubt it is on course for further expansion and development. Though this success is beneficial right across the wider business landscape, it is also the same issues of skills, access to finance and business infrastructure that impact us all. That is why it is important the sector comes together, particularly with leaders from across the UK to collaborate and share. It is for this reason that A&L Goodbody was thrilled to be the Platinum Partner of the Northern Ireland FinTech Symposium 2022.”

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 28 March 2022

Forward Look                                

  • The Assembly dissolves on Monday ahead of May’s election.

  • The SDLP Conference takes place today at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy.

  • The State Opening of Parliament will take place on Tuesday 10 May.

  • The Fiscal Commission will recommend partial devolution of fiscal powers to the Executive, including control over income tax rates, when it publishes its final report in May.

  • The Executive will receive an additional £47m through the Barnett formula next year following the Chancellor’s Spring Statement.

  • A five-year reconstruction plan for high streets, which includes reform of business rates and planning policy, has been published by the Executive’s High Street Task Force. To view: LINK

  • The Public Accounts Committee has recommended a commission be established to undertake a strategic review of Northern Ireland’s planning system.

  • Health Minister Robin Swann MLA has published a new 10-year Cancer Strategy. To view: LINK

  • Eight Bills, including the Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill, have passed their Final Stages this week and now await Royal Assent.

  • Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA has published a new Skills Strategy. To view: LINK

  • The Assembly has voted to extend the Health Minister’s emergency Covid-19 powers by six months until 24 September.

  • The Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 has been repealed, meaning future General Elections will be called at the request of a Prime Minister and not on a set timetable.

  • Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis MP will brief the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on Monday.

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address both Houses of the Oireachtas on Wednesday 6 April.

  • Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD and NIO Minister Conor Burns MP will address the Retail NI Future High Streets Summit on Wednesday.

  • Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Colum Eastwood MP, and Doug Beattie MLA will take part in the NI Chamber’s 5 Leaders 5 Days series next week. To view: LINK

Other Stories this week

  • Mark Logan MP has been appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns MP.

  • Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA has announced £170m in City Deal funding for innovation projects at Queen’s University Belfast.

  • Seanín Graham has been appointed as Northern Correspondent for the Irish Times.

  • The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference took place in Dublin on Wednesday.

  • Ivana Bacik TD has been appointed as the new Irish Labour Party leader.

  • A Lords Sub-Committee on the Protocol report has stated the EU should go further on pre-legislative consultation with Stormont on new trade rules.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 30 March, Retail NI Future High Streets Summit, Titanic Belfast

  • 28 March – 5 April, NI Chamber 5 Leaders 5 Days, Europa Hotel

  • 7 April, BelTech 2022

  • 5 May, Northern Ireland Assembly Election

  • 10 May, State Opening of Parliament

  • 26 May, Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 30 June, Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards, Titanic Belfast

Consultations

Gym usage in Belfast at an all-time high as public priorities shift to health

Gym usage has reached an all-time high in Belfast as the public focus shifts to health and wellbeing in the wake of Covid-19, according to social enterprise GLL.

Membership numbers at the organisation, which operates 15 leisure centres across the city under the Better brand, surpassed pre-pandemic levels to reach 20,000 last month.

Two years after the onset of Covid-19 sparked a cycle of repeated closures and restrictions at gyms and leisure centres in Northern Ireland, the number of individuals investing in their mental and physical wellbeing is at its highest ever in Belfast, back from a low of 12,000 mid-pandemic.

The Better leisure centres in Belfast have seen a 120% return to activity when compared to 2019, which includes the use of its gyms, fitness classes, swimming pools and other sports facilities.

Announcing the figures, the social enterprise says the people of Belfast are some of the most committed to their health and wellbeing in the UK, as centres right across the city see a rise in demand.

The return rate of 120% in Belfast is the highest in the UK, and Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre in the east of the city now has the fourth highest pre-paid leisure membership of GLL’s full UK operation.

GLL is responding to this public commitment to live active, healthier lifestyles by adapting its operations to meet demand. Refurbishments at Olympia Leisure Centre in the south of the city have boosted the gym’s capacity, while changes to pool and swimming lesson schedules have ensured more children and young people are learning to swim.

 Regional Director at GLL Gareth Kirk said:

“Belfast is back better than ever before following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, and nowhere is that clearer than in the numbers we are seeing in our leisure centres. We are thrilled that so many individuals and families have committed to live healthier, more active lifestyles, and we enjoy being here for them as they do so. The growth in our membership base is a direct reflection of the desire among people to get active, improve their health and look after their mind, and we are in no doubt there is an element of post-Covid recovery to this.”

“There is no escaping the difficulties many people will have faced throughout the pandemic with less opportunities to work out in the gym or enjoy a swim, activities that we know are great for both the body and mind. With the pandemic now hopefully in the past, we are working to get more people and families active and improve the health and wellbeing of the population, which we hope will in turn ease the pressure on physical and mental health services in Belfast. We have identified some groups, particularly older people, where the return isn’t as quick, and we are working to ensure they know we are open, available, and here to support their health and wellbeing journey when they are ready.”

Chair of Belfast City Council’s People and Communities Committee Councillor Fred Cobain said:

“It is brilliant news that record numbers of people are using our leisure centres. Improving the health and wellbeing of our citizens is one of the key priorities identified in the Belfast Agenda, the city’s community plan, so these figures show that real progress is being made.”

“By investing £105 million in our leisure estate through the Leisure Transformation Programme – the biggest investment of its kind in the UK - Belfast City Council has led by example and demonstrated our commitment to improving people’s health and fitness. Improving the programmes and services offered in our centres is also a vital aspect of transforming leisure, so I would like to commend GLL, our partners in leisure, on the strides they have made in making more people more active, more often.”

#AE22 Brown O'Connor NI Assembly Election 2022 Constituency Profile: Belfast North

#AE22 Constituency Profile: Belfast North

ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY

  • Belfast North is 100% urban according to NISRA's definition, and is the third smallest constituency by area.

  • Many of the city’s peace walls run through north Belfast.

  • It’s the most deprived constituency (using NISRA’s measure of the proportion of super output areas (SOA) in each constituency which lie within the top 10% most deprived SOAs in Northern Ireland).

  • Belfast North has the highest unemployment in Northern Ireland according to latest experimental claimant count.

  • The 2011 Census reports that 46.9% of Belfast North population was from a Catholic community background, and 45.7% Protestant.

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

  • DUP suffered a high profile loss in 2017 with the defeat of Nelson McCausland.

  • The combined Unionist share was 42.8% versus 42.5% for Nationalism. Yet Nationalists won three out of five seats in 2017.

  • In fact, nationalists have held 3 seats in Belfast North since 2003 (2 Sinn Féin and 1 SDLP).

  • Fourth lowest constituency turnout in 2017 Assembly election.

  • The results came in a rush in 2017, with two (DUP) candidates elected in stage 6, and the remaining three elected under quota in stage 7.

SINCE 2017

  • One of only four constituencies which started and finished the term with all 5 MLAs who had been elected in March 2017

  • Both sitting DUP candidates are standing down: deputy leader Paula Bradley and William Humphrey.

  • TUV are running a candidate in the constituency; they didn’t stand in the 2017 Assembly election.

  • Former PUP councillor and Assembly candidate Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston is running for the UUP in this election.

THE DAY OF THE COUNT

  • Expect a repeat of 2017 with no candidate being elected over the quota in the first stage given the well-balanced and competitive field.

  • Sinn Féin’s vote balancing has improved, but in previous elections Gerry Kelly has always polled more than running mate Carál Ní Chuilín.

  • Alliance will be hoping for strong transfers from excluded Green and UUP candidates.

COMMENTARY

The North Belfast area is incredibly competitive in local, Assembly and Westminster elections. Two deputy leaders are seeking election, though DUP’s Paula Bradley is not standing.

The party suffered setbacks in the constituency with big-name losses such as Nigel Dodds and Nelson McCausland. Going into this election, the DUP hold two relatively safe Assembly seats and are not trying to regain a third. With both sitting MLAs standing down, the DUP are running two council group leaders: Brian Kingston (Belfast City Council) and Phillip Brett (Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council).

While other unionist parties are running higher profile campaigns in the constituency this year, they are unlikely to be competitive unless unionist turnout improves. Former PUP candidate Julie-Anne Corr Johnston is running under the UUP flag, while Ron McDowell is running for the TUV.

The Infrastructure Minister and SDLP deputy leader, Nichola Mallon, should be able defend her seat without any great problems. Green Party deputy leader Mal O’Hara will still be well shy of a quota, but will be hoping to boost the party’s share for local government elections in 2023.

The real battle is between Sinn Féin and Alliance. Narrowly missing out on a seat in 2017, Councillor Nuala McCallister is running again and hopes to capitalise on the Alliance surge that swept across Belfast in 2019. Her success would most likely come at the expense of one of the sitting Sinn Féin MLAs, Gerry Kelly or Carál Ní Chuilín. Belfast North is one of Alliance’s top targets for a gain. Missing out here would indicate lower chances of gains in other constituencies.

PREDICTIONS

  • Two DUP seats with one SDLP and one Sinn Féin.

  • The last seat will be a tight battle between Sinn Féin and Alliance.

NEW JOB: Senior Consultant, Corporate Communications with Brown O'Connor Communications - CIPR Small Consultancy of the Year

Job Specification: Senior Consultant – Corporate Communications

Brown O’Connor Communications - CIPR Northern Ireland Small Consultancy of the Year 2021/2022

Position: Senior Consultant

Experience: Min 5 years (1-2 years management experience essential)

Area: Corporate / Business Communications

Salary: £40k - £50k (Dependent on Experience)

Based: Adelaide Street, Belfast City Centre

The Person

Brown O’Connor Communications, the CIPR Northern Ireland Small Consultancy of the Year, is seeking a talented and ambitious Senior Consultant to join the team in the area of Corporate Communications.

This is an exciting and demanding role within a leading consultancy and requires a resilient individual with demonstrable client management and leadership ability.

You may be already working in corporate communications in an agency; as an in-house communications manager; in politics; or as journalist.

You will have a deep professional interest in business, the media and politics and have a detailed understanding of the role that media relations, public affairs, and stakeholder relations plays.

You will also have the skill and determination to secure front-page coverage, driving forward some of the most important and exciting business and corporate stories in Northern Ireland and beyond.

About Brown O’Connor Communications 

CIPR Consultancy of the Year Judging Panel – “the agency may be relatively young, but it’s building a stellar client list”

Brown O’Connor is an ambitious and trusted public affairs led communications consultancy based in Belfast City Centre. We help our clients gain impact and outcomes through specialist insight and influence with editors, ministers, and commercial decision makers. 

We have a track record for managing and delivering complex communications programmes for some of the UK and Ireland’s leading businesses, professional services, charities, trade bodies, interest groups and public-sector organisations.

Our central office is based in Belfast City Centre managing clients based in Northern Ireland, GB, Republic of Ireland and the US.

We are highly regarded for our specialist Public Affairs and Corporate Communications services which includes Crisis Communications, Property and Planning Communications, Litigation Communications, Event Management, Political Monitoring and Communication Strategy Development.  

Senior Consultant Role Specification

Strategic Counsel

  • Proven client handling skills with experience in managing large accounts, providing proactive strategic advice and great ideas.

  • Ability to manage a high level of client interaction and be able to design and implement strategies.

Day to Day Delivery

  • Proven ability to work in a fast paced, often pressurised, outcome orientated environment.

  • Write strong editorial content on behalf of clients including press releases, opinion/platform pieces and blogs and ensure coverage across a range of media outlets.

  • Manage an entire range of suppliers such as photographers, graphic designers, videographers, economists and sectoral experts integral to the successful delivery of client activity campaigns.

  • Be able to create engaging social media content across multiple platforms.

  • Forward plan to ensure smooth running of client campaigns on time, and within budget.

New Business Development

  • Take a leading role in new business development and organic growth opportunities alongside company directors and be comfortable in pitching and proposal development.

  • Management of successful tender writing from start to submission.

  • Experience in converting new business opportunities.

People Management

  • Line management duties with wider members of team.

  • Understanding of team utilisation and requirement to work efficiently and profitably.

  • Manage team members on client accounts to ensure work is carried out successfully and within allocated budgets.

  • Work as a team player with Brown O’Connor colleagues to ensure success across client accounts.

  • Deliver outcomes for clients and work to raise their profile in the media and with key stakeholders in a positive way.

Criteria

  • Min 5 years working in the areas of Corporate Communications or within a communications environment (Agency experience preferred).

  • 1-2 years management experience.

  • Third Level Degree or equivalent in the preferred areas of Communications, Law, Politics, Business, Social Science or Humanities.  

  • Strong writing and editing skills with ability to deliver attention-grabbing media material, client correspondence and reports.

  • An excellent communicator both written and oral.

  • Commercially and politically aware.

  • Outstanding organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects at the same time.

  • Strong initiative, leadership skills and work ethic.

  • Ability to hustle to make things happen.

  • Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required by client and other activity. 

  • Clean driving licence and access to a car.

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience in working in a similar communications role in the Republic of Ireland.

How to Apply

To apply, in strict confidence, please send your detailed CV and the completed answers to the three set questions below, by email, to Brown O’Connor Communications at hello@brownoconnor.com by 5pm Friday 29th April 2022. Please state your name and ‘Brown O’Connor SC 2022’ in the subject line.

Application Process

  • Initial shortlisting

  • Two stage interview

QUESTION 1: Please outline, with examples, how you meet the Criteria as outlined in the Job Specification (Word Limit 300).

QUESTION 2: Please detail, with examples, your experience of strategic communications development, planning, implementation and the outcomes delivered. (Word Limit 300).

QUESTION 3: Please describe your experience, with examples, of budgetary control and planning and management of staff.  (Word Limit 300)

 

'Stark headlines but little substance in Spring Statement' writes Angela Keery, Head of Tax at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

As originally appeared in The Irish News, Thursday 24 March 2022

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's Spring Statement was delivered to the backdrop of a deepening cost of living crisis. And while it brought relief in the form of a reduction in fuel duty, this is a modest saving at best and comes at a concerning time for many.

In reality, yesterday's headlines show support for families and businesses, but do little to ease the pressure. With costs rising to unprecedented levels and previously announced tax increases yet to take effect, the pending rises will in most cases outweigh any tax savings announced at the despatch box.

With the impact of Brexit and Covid, many are already facing significantly increased costs. This is both in business and personally, as companies are forced into the position of passing their own increased cost bases, particularly in terms of energy bills, on to the consumer.

Then we have the multiple tax increases announced last autumn that are due to come into play next month. Businesses are preparing to mitigate these measures, which include the health & social care levy, a 1.25 per cent increase on dividends and national insurance contributions that will be payable by both employer and employee.

Some had indicated their hopes for an extension to the reduced VAT rate of 12.5 per cent past April, but the rate will return to 20 per cent next month. Plastic packaging tax will also go ahead, and the increase in corporation tax to 25 per cent will happen in April 2023.

The statement delivered in the face of these challenges yesterday was helpful, yet it is unlikely to make any significant dent.

In real terms, the reduction in fuel duty of 5p per litre until March 2023 is a modest saving of £50 to £60 for the average family car each year, and comes as the government generates more in fuel duty than it did this time last year.

The national insurance threshold will increase in July, aligning it with the personal allowance for income tax purposes. This is a potential saving of £375 per year per employee. The health & social care levy is however payable from April, and the Chancellor announced that, when taking the two measures together, 70 per cent of people would be better off.

The final significant announcement of cutting the lower rate of income tax from 20 per cent to 19 per cent in 2024, will again have a maximum benefit of £375 for those earning over £50,000. This is a welcome reduction, but again is unlikely to be enough for the many facing increased costs in all areas.

One headline that did come as a surprise was the VAT relief on solar panels, insulation and heating pumps. Applicable in Great Britain only, this has made the political situation around the NI Protocol even more difficult as it cannot take affect in Northern Ireland and comes amid a series of other announcements that will do little to ease the pressure here.

Angela Keery is head of tax at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore, which provides accountancy and business advisory services to clients in the private, public and voluntary sectors including audit & assurance, taxation, restructuring & insolvency and consulting

#AE22 Brown O'Connor NI Assembly Election 2022 Constituency Profile: Strangford

#AE22 Constituency Profile: Strangford

ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY

  • This largely rural constituency wraps around Strangford Lough and includes the urban populations of Saintfield, Comber, Newtownards, Portaferry and Strangford.

  • Across the 18 constituencies, the 2011 Census reports that Strangford has the third largest population proportion from a Protestant community background (73%).

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

  • Since 2003, the constituency has elected 1 Alliance MLA and the remaining 4 or 5 seats have been split between the UUP and DUP.

  • The SDLP are the perpetual runners up, missing out on the last seat.

  • Strangford is a DUP stronghold, their best constituency in 2017 with 3 serving ministers returned.

  • Strangford had the third lowest voter turnout (60.9%) in 2017.

SINCE 2017

  • Four of the MLAs elected in 2017 are still in the Assembly: Kellie Armstrong (Alliance), Michelle McIlveen (DUP), Mike Nesbitt (UUP), Peter Weir (DUP).

  • The DUP’s Simon Hamilton resigned in September 2019 and is now chief executive of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce. Harry Harvey was co-opted as his replacement.

THE DAY OF THE COUNT

  • Strangford was one of the longest counts in 2017 requiring 12 stages of exclusions and transfers to elect its 5 MLAs. None of the candidates breached the quota with their first preference votes.

  • It took 4 stages before Kellie Armstrong reached the quota in 2017. It could take even longer this year for the first candidate to be elected.

  • Once the smaller parties and independent candidates are out of the picture, watch out for the order of exclusions. The early exclusion of the second Alliance candidate would keep SDLP’s Conor Houston in the race for longer.

COMMENTARY

All 5 sitting MLAs are running again. A total of 12 candidates are running, including independent unionist councillor Jimmy Menagh.

Peter Weir squeaked into the last seat in 2017 under quota, with just 225 votes separating him from the SDLP’s Joe Boyle. His seat will be in the direct sight of newbie SDLP candidate, Conor Houston, who is trying to become the first Nationalist to win a seat in the constituency.

However, it’s a very competitive field, with Alliance running two candidates for the first time to capitalise on their recent strong electoral results, and the UUP’s Philip Smith trying to recapture the second UUP seat he lost in 2017.

If the DUP retained all three seats, that would bolster their race to be the largest party or part of the largest designation in the new Assembly.

PREDICTIONS

  • Four of the five seats are easy to call. The DUP will hold two along with one apiece for the UUP and Alliance.

  • The final seat is a battle between DUP and SDLP – too tight to call – though an Alliance surge or a significant unionist swing from DUP to UUP would point to strong results across the board for those parties.