Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland Wednesday 31 August

Forward Look                                

  • Government departments will have until the end of the week to submit their list of budget requests to the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure.

  • Former Minister of State for Agriculture, Dara Calleary TD has been appointed as Junior Enterprise Minister, replacing Robert Troy TD.

  • A forthcoming Department of Public Expenditure report into existing ethics legislation will recommend that candidates disclose business interests before running for office.

  • Energy Minister Eamon Ryan TD will announce a new ‘Energy Action Plan’ after Budget Day on 27 September, the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action has heard.

  • The Department of Agriculture has opened Stage Two of its Agri-Food Brexit Response Scheme. For more information, click HERE.

  • IDA Executive Director, Mary Buckley and Ibec Executive Director, Jackie King are frontrunners to replace outgoing IDA CEO Martin Shanahan from early 2023, according to media reports.

  • Next month, U.S. Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh and Congressman Richie Neal will address the Seanad to mark its 100th anniversary.

  • On Friday 2 September, the Central Statistics Office will publish national and international trade data for Q2.

  • On Friday 2 September, submissions will close for Dublin City Council’s Draft Development Plan: Stage 3. To respond, click HERE.

  • On Monday 5 September, the next meeting of Dublin City Council will take place. Cork City Council’s monthly meeting will take place the following day.

  • On Saturday 1 October, the next Ireland’s Future event will take place at the 3 Arena, Dublin. Actor James Nesbitt has been announced as a speaker alongside Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD and others. For more information, click HERE.

  • On Friday 28 October, Trinity College Dublin will host the Irish Start-up Conference 2022. For more information, click HERE.

  • Next month, taxi fares in the Republic of Ireland will increase by 12%, the first increase in five years.

Other Stories this week

  • Former Chief Financial Officer of Bank of Ireland, Myles O’Grady has been selected as Chief Executive.

  • Ibec has published its Budget 2023 submission. To view, click HERE.

  • Former Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach, Dermot McCarthy has been appointed to lead a review into Ireland’s energy security.

  • The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has set out proposals to increase electricity charges for larger companies from 1 October.

  • The employment level increased 8.7% year-on-year, according to data from the Central Statistics Office.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 8 September, British Irish Chamber Annual Networking Dinner.

  • 14 September, Dáil Éireann returns from summer recess.

  • 16 – 17 September, Dublin Economics Workshop Annual Policy Conference.

  • 22 September, IBEC President’s Dinner.

  • 27 September, Budget Day.

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference.

  • 30 September – 1 October, Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

  • 6 October, Construction Industry Federation Annual Conference.

  • 11 – 12 October, Hospitality Expo 2022.

  • 20 October, Dublin Chamber Annual Dinner.

  • 22 October, Fianna Fáil Taoiseach’s Dinner.

Consultations

Modern Slavery Statement

This statement is made on behalf of Brown O’Connor Communications pursuant to the section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Action 2015 and comprises our slavery and human trafficking statement up until the end of 2023.

OUR BUSINESS

Brown O'Connor Group Ltd (trading as Brown O’Connor Communications) is a full-service consultancy with a focus on a number of specialisms. We work with all types of clients including Businesses, Membership Bodies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Charities and Single Interest Groups.  

Our work reaches across sectors such as Health, Energy, Financial Services and FinTech, Legal, Extractive Industries, Victims and Survivors, Retail, Tourism/Hospitality, Construction/Property and the Public Sector.

OUR SUPPLY CHAINS

Our supply chains include: outplacement of IT services, plus outplacement of certain other routine tasks that are relevant to a communications agency such as NI, RoI and GB photography and graphic design.

OUR POLICIES ON SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. Our Anti-slavery Policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our business and in our supply chains. 

DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES FOR SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

As part of our initiative to identify risk and mitigate against such risks, we nominate senior representations of the business Chris Brown and Arlene O’Connor to oversee this process.

We have in place systems across our business; our trading partners; and our supply chains to:

·        Identify inappropriate employment practices.

·        Identify and assess other potential risk areas.

·        Mitigate the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring.

·        Monitor potential risk areas.

·        Protect whistleblowers. 

SUPPLIER ADHERENCE TO OUR VALUES AND ETHICS

We have zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. To ensure all those in our supply chain and contractors comply with our values we operate in line with principles of responsible sourcing, including paying employees much more than at the prevailing minimum wage applicable within the UK and Ireland. 

'We need more than Twitter diplomacy' writes Dr Anthony Soares, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies

As originally appeared in the Irish News, Saturday 27 August

Dr Anthony Soares, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies

Brexit and its resultant Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland have significantly strained relationships within Northern Ireland, on this island of Ireland, between these islands and with Europe. As the Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, I know that without proper, respectful, and constructive dialogue, solutions will not only be harder to come by, but risks leaving Northern Ireland increasingly isolated.

Since the 2016 referendum, the need for respectful and informed dialogue that mirrors the ethos of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement has become vital for those engaging in cross-border cooperation. As political sensitivities surrounding the Protocol rear their often heated head due to the current impasse at Stormont and the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill going through the UK Parliament, we are regularly reminded of the importance of generosity and curiosity as the basis for constructive debate and for cooperation across these islands.

Recently, we published our sixth quarterly survey on the conditions for North-South and East-West Cooperation. It found that the political context for cooperation has been negatively impacted by the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill. The clear message from civic organisations is that one way or the other, the political wrangling over the Protocol must be resolved.

Without a reset of relationships that focuses on honest and constructive dialogue, we will inevitably face even worse exchanges while we edge closer to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. This has been recognised by the House of Lords European Affairs Sub-Committee on the Protocol, which called for a reset of relations in its report published last month.

The challenge of rebuilding these relationships cannot be underestimated. The misinformation surrounding the Protocol, coupled with the new phenomenon of ‘twitter diplomacy’, has created a momentous task that would be dangerous to ignore.

Most importantly, a reset of relations will not be secured if sought exclusively by speaking with one particular actor, nor will it be found by looking exclusively within Northern Ireland. We must not act in isolation from the relations people here have with those in the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and further afield. Nor should the value of civil society groups participating in cross-border cooperation (North-South and East-West) be ignored.

It is this challenge that will be discussed when the 23rd Centre for Cross Border Studies Annual Conference convenes in person on the 29 and 30 September at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dundalk.

This year’s conference will focus on the new challenges and approaches to cross-border cooperation, mobility and relations by bringing together government officials, policy experts and leading academics across two days.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver an address alongside other keynote speakers including the British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, and Bernadette McAliskey.

As everyone influential in our society approaches the task of improving lives for our interdependent communities, we must recall the fundamental place of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and the totality of relationships it encompasses. It is these relationships that must be rebuilt upon a foundation of trust and factual dialogue.

To find out more about the Centre for Cross Border Studies and register for our highly anticipated Annual Conference, visit www.crossborder.ie.

'Fintech holds the careers of the future' writes Andrew Jenkins, Chair of the FinTech NI Association

As originally appeared in the Irish News, Tuesday 30 August

Andrew Jenkins, Chair of the FinTech NI Association

In the last few weeks thousands of students will have collected the results of the exams they sat just a few months ago. Whether it’s A-Level, GCSE or other, months and years of preparation will have gone in, with next steps and future career plans now a hot topic in many households.

Regardless of the outcome, results week can be an overwhelming time for students, teachers, parents, and guardians. One reason for this, and perhaps a positive one, is the sheer scale of opportunities that now exist in Northern Ireland.

We have a world-class, mature educational system that offers all levels of qualification in many disciplines. Routes into the professional world no longer follow the linear process of A- Level, university, and eventual employment.

Today there is a whole system of diplomas, higher-level apprenticeships, and skills academies to complement the traditional route.

This is a result of advancements in how we live and do business, something which we as a region have responded well to. Despite the pandemic, Northern Ireland continues to enjoy a boom period in technology as the industry grows both in size and economic contribution, leading the way on developments in payments and mobile banking to name a few.

Financial technology, the discipline which improves and automates the delivery of financial services, is key to this. Now worth over £392 million in annual value and employing over 7,000 people directly, it is a growing sector that is expected to create thousands more roles in years to come. 

For students, fintech is an opportunity to play a role in our economy of the future. A key priority area in the Department for the Economy’s 10X vision, the rapid growth of the sector has earned us recognition around the world, yet many of the people currently working in fintech may not have known it’s potential when at school themselves.

This is why STEM subjects are vital, and courses that inspire innovative thinking are important for local industry. Software development, blockchain, data science and cybersecurity are some of the most in demand disciplines in today’s sector, while problem-solving, disruptive thinking, high interpersonal skills, and an ability to adapt are the main soft skills that are beneficial in fintech.

This is what employers in the sector are looking for, and we as the independent industry association are working to ensure there is no shortage of qualified candidates to support further growth. The fintech sector is revolutionising the way we spend, manage, save, and invest our money, yet this potential relies on employees, and we must encourage more of our talented young people to pursue a future in the area.

This is a sector where curiosity is welcomed, challenge is encouraged and those who are willing to question and disrupt are being increasingly sought after for well-paid, dynamic roles.

A range of courses and qualifications provide a direct route into the sector, including at Ulster and Queen’s Universities, our further education colleges, and via the Department for the Economy’s Assured Skills Academies in local technology companies.

End of Summer Political Update - Stormont, Oireachtas, and Westminster

By Niall Fields, Client Manager

What’s happening locally?

In a normal year, the end of summer brings with it the return of MLAs to Stormont. In the ongoing absence of the Executive and Assembly, however, local power-sharing remains in cold storage over the DUP’s boycott of the institutions over the NI Protocol.

Moves are starting to be made to circumnavigate the boycott, however. Earlier this week, Department of Finance Permanent Secretary Neil Gibson used emergency powers to take control of Stormont’s finances in the absence of an agreed budget. Using Section 59 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the senior civil servant will now have the power to set out the cash and resource limits for public sector departments.

For most departments this new authorisation has been set at approximately 60% of Departments’ provision for the 2021-22 financial year. This will be reviewed at the end of October 2022. Mr Gibson, however, will not have the power to fund new policies in the absence of a fully functioning Executive. This means that he cannot distribute more than £400m of unallocated funds which Northern Ireland has received from the Treasury since the draft budget was published in March.

Health Minister Robin Swann has already warned that his department is facing a £400m overspend this year and has written to fellow ministers to outline the position. Economy Minister Gordon Lyons told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster that he thinks "that the UK government will have to step in at some stage and put a budget in place.”

The SDLP, as Stormont’s new official opposition, has called on caretaker ministers to convene a cost-of-living summit to collaborate and deliver solutions which can assist households. Parties, conscious of the difficulties which are sure to shock hundreds of thousands of workers this winter, are now keen to deliver solutions and supports which can help households.

This comes in the wider context of a growing wave of industrial action across almost every section of the economy and rapidly rising inflation, which some experts predict may peak at 18% in the new year. Local councils, nurses, teachers, postal workers, and other key public sector workers are all either threatening to strike or have taken industrial action in recent weeks.

However, in the ongoing absence of proper local decision making, little meaningful support can be delivered to households or businesses to ease the pressures of rising bills. Parties are set to meet with the Head of Civil Service Jayne Brady next Thursday, with the crisis set to top the agenda.

The return of the Executive appears no closer than it did at the beginning of the summer, with the DUP sticking rigidly to its boycott. Political insiders have intimated that February 2023 may be a possible date for return, however it remains a guessing game.

Key dates ahead

The final months of 2022 across Stormont, the Dáil, and Westminster will be heavily influenced and punctuated by four key dates – 5th September; 27th September; 28th October; and 15th December.

The first is the culmination of the Tory Party leadership race. The current polls have Foreign Secretary Liz Truss ahead of her challenger Rishi Sunak, promising to slash taxes to stimulate economic growth and tackle inflation. Ms Truss has so far promised little specific action on the cost-of-living crisis, however there are rumours she may deliver a targeted emergency budget to tackle the crisis.

Campaign insiders told the Financial Times this week that she is planning to take emergency action without an accompanying economic forecast soon after becoming Prime Minister, putting her on a collision course with fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility. The Sunak campaign has accused Truss of fiscal irresponsibility, however, by refusing to involve the OBR. Both candidates have also promised to retain the NI Protocol Bill which will disapply large swathes of the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The second date, 27th September, is the Irish Government’s budget for 2023. Brought forward by a few weeks due to the cost-of-living crisis, ministers have been asked to get their requests into the Finance and Public Expenditure Ministers this week. The latter, Michael McGrath, has been keen to manage expectations, telling his colleagues that “not everything can be a priority”. One certainty to be included, despite Mr Donohoe’s concerns, is a windfall tax on energy companies to support households with spiralling bills, after Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan let the cat out of the bag in a now-deleted tweet.

Ministers and officials have been engaging with independent TDs to secure their support ahead of the Budget to ensure it passes. However, with minds focused on the pressures hurting workers, will cross-border initiatives like the Shared Island Fund receive less generous allocations than in previous years?

Longer term, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has expressed his concerns about the State’s overreliance on corporation tax and has tasked officials with carrying out a review on Ireland’s reliance on such tax as well as solutions to easing this burden. Other bones of contention include welfare increases, green measures like scrapping VAT on retrofitting and cutting excise on petrol and diesel, and a new income tax rate, potentially of 30%.

28th October is the date by which an Executive must be reformed and a First and deputy First Minister must be nominated. If this date passes without progress, Secretary of State Shailesh Vara is obligated to call another Assembly election, something all parties (and voters) will be keen to avoid, especially with local council elections scheduled for May next year already.

Previous Secretaries of State have ignored these deadlines in the past to give the parties more space for negotiation in the hope that a deal can be agreed. It remains to be seen also whether Mr Vara will still be in post by the end of October, with paper rumours this week that the Sunak-supporting Secretary of State will be replaced by former Chancellor Sajid Javid if Ms Truss becomes Prime Minister.

And finally, 15th December will see the reins of Taoiseach handed over to Fine Gael Leader Leo Varadkar again. Micheál Martin’s term will end just before Christmas and will bring with it a likely reshuffle of ministers across the coalition’s government. Reports in the south have suggested the Fianna Fáil leader could take either the foreign affairs, business and enterprise, or finance portfolios. This would put Fine Gael supremos Simon Coveney and Paschal Donohoe at risk of being shunted out to a lesser department.

Other reports have suggested that Paschal Donohoe will remain as Finance Minister to ensure he keeps his powerful position as President of the Eurogroup, the grouping of Eurozone finance ministers. Might Micheál Martin, as reported by the Irish Daily Mail, be offered the presidency of the European Council? The longevity of the three-party coalition remains under strain having recently lost its working majority with the removal of the whip from Donegal TD Joe McHugh. The resignation of Junior Minister Robert Troy has used up even more political capital of both Varadkar and Martin who defended the minister to the hilt and claimed he had no reason to resign.

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland Wednesday 24 August

Forward Look                                

  • The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has published papers on housing and property as part of Spending Review policy analysis. To view, click HERE.

  • A review of the Government’s Statutory Framework for Ethics in Public Life will be published in the coming weeks, setting out proposals for legislative reform.

  • Opposition parties have called for Enterprise Minister of State, Robert Troy TD to make a statement regarding declaration of assets on the return of the Dáil, Wednesday 14 September.

  • Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council have unveiled a ‘City Edge Strategic Framework’, laying out a 50-year plan to transform west of the city. To view, click HERE.

  • The Department for Further and Higher Education will shortly publish an updated ‘National Access Plan’ for 2022-26 to improve access to higher education.

  • In autumn, the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, reforming the appointments process to any court in Ireland, will be introduced to the Seanad.

  • The process to appoint a permanent Chief Executive of Bank of Ireland is expected to continue into next year, according to media reports. An interim Chief Executive will be appointed next month.

  • On Tuesday 30 August, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) will publish labour market statistics for Q2 and the latest air and sea travel figures.

  • On Thursday 8 September, the European Central Bank is expected to announce a further interest rate increase.

  • On Thursday 13 October, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD will host an agri-food policy summit at Dublin Castle.

  • The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has appointed Maree Gallagher as President and Jeanne Kelly as Vice-President. The Chamber’s Annual Networking Dinner will take place on Thursday 8 September. For more information, click HERE.

  • Irish Times Editor Paul O’Neill will step down later this year. A recruitment process will begin immediately. Hugh O’Connell has been appointed Deputy Political Editor at the Irish Independent.

Other Stories this week

  • A review of An Bord Pleanála has been commenced by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) and will be completed by 30 November.

  • The Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure met with independent TDs for pre-Budget talks. The Coalition Government is currently one seat short of a majority.

  • The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has announced a new national electronic platform for public sector procurement.

  • Cork City Council has launched the first of three City Development Plans for 2022 – 2028 focused on job creation, housing and transport. To view, click HERE.

  • Eurozone inflation reached 8.9% in the year to July, according to European Commission data.

  • TikTok has agreed a deal to lease a new warehouse at Dublin’s docklands for 800 additional workers.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 8 September, British Irish Chamber Annual Networking Dinner.

  • 14 September, Dáil Éireann returns from summer recess.

  • 16 – 17 September, Dublin Economics Workshop Annual Policy Conference.

  • 22 September, IBEC President’s Dinner.

  • 27 September, Budget Day.

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference.

  • 30 September – 1 October, Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

  • 6 October, Construction Industry Federation Annual Conference.

  • 11 – 12 October, Hospitality Expo 2022.

  • 20 October, Dublin Chamber Annual Dinner.

  • 22 October, Fianna Fáil Taoiseach’s Dinner.

Consultations

An Taoiseach set to address Cross Border Conference

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is to address the Centre for Cross Border Studies Annual Conference on 29 September.

Prestigious Centre for Cross Border Studies set to host 23rd Annual Conference with leaders from UK, Ireland, and Europe

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to address the Centre for Cross Border Studies highly anticipated 23rd Annual Conference on 29 and 30 September at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk.

The Centre’s first in-person conference since the pandemic will focus on Commitment, Resilience and Perseverance: New challenges and approaches to cross-border cooperation, mobility, and relations, exploring pertinent issues in cross-border cooperation across two days, bringing together government officials, policy experts and leading academics.

The Taoiseach will deliver a keynote speech on 29 September focused on the Government’s commitment to work with all communities on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

The British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, and Bernadette McAliskey will also address the conference.

A business breakfast and three panels focused on cooperation, mobility and relations will take place on the 29 September with a dinner later that evening that will have Brian Rowan (author and former BBC correspondent) as a guest speaker. Technical workshops focused on practical issues affecting cross-border and all-island organisations will be held on 30 September.

The conference comes at a time when the Centre published the results of its sixth quarterly survey on the conditions for North-South and East-West Cooperation which found that the political and social context for cooperation has been impacted by the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.

Other speakers at the CCBS 23rd Annual Conference include:

  • Director of Public Policy at The Wheel, Ivan Cooper

  • Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Owen Reidy

  • Director of Trade at Flint Global, Sam Lowe

  • Vice President and Registrar at Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dr Sheila Flanagan

  • Executive Dean at Dublin City University Institute of Education, Professor Anne Looney

  • Research Fellow at Queens University Belfast, Dr Lisa Claire Whitten

  • President of the EU-UK Follow-up Committee of the EESC, Jack O’Connor

Dr Anthony Soares, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies

Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, Dr Anthony Soares said:

“A cornerstone of our political and social engagement is our Annual Conference that brings together influential individuals to discuss the need for cooperation based on mutual understanding. Through these discussions we encourage our stakeholders to use their different outlooks to identify solutions and opportunities for collaboration.

“Taoiseach Micheál Martin agreeing to address our conference is a clear testament to the high-quality research and discussions that the Centre provides. We look forward to listening to his timely contribution while we work with everyone to rebuild strained relationships.

“The Centre for Cross Border Studies high-quality research is recognised as an essential resource for policy-makers and decision-makers. Since our foundation we have sought to promote the prosperity of all through our engagement with prominent politicians, policy-makers, and academics.

“The next few months are a critical time. With relationships strained like never before, and with the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on the horizon it has never been as important to renew relationships with a sense of energy and focus for all of our people.

“The Centre offers great opportunities to those looking to get involved in a wider conversation about the key issues impacting this region. We encourage anyone interested in taking part in this conversation to attend, or sponsor, our Annual Conference to gain an understanding of how the Centre facilitates these important discussions.” 

The conference will also launch the renowned 2022 ‘Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland’ which brings together written contributions from academics and cross-border practitioners. As well as some of speakers at the conference, other contributors to this year’s edition include:

  • Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin, Etain Tannam

  • Research Assistant at the Constitution Unit, King’s College London, Conor J. Kelly

  • Immigration Project Coordinator at the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Úna Boyd

  • Lecturer at Cardiff University, Giada Lagana

  • Former Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Sir David Sterling

The Centre for Cross Border Studies is now offering new sponsorship opportunities for its Conference. The sponsorship packages provide a range of benefits and give organisations and individuals the opportunity to work with the Centre to enhance their own research and work.

Economy Minister congratulates students on Further Education success on results day

Visual Arts Student, Billie Atkinson; Creative Media Student, Rory McManus; Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA; Creative Media Student Conor Maguire and Hospitality Student, Kamryn McQuade.

Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, has met with Further Education students at South West College to pass on his congratulations as they received results today.

Across Northern Ireland, thousands of students from the six further education colleges have received results in A-Level, BTEC and Higher National Diplomas.

Attending South West College’s Erne Campus, the Minister also discussed with students and teaching staff the hundreds of opportunities open to learners seeking Higher Level options including Foundation degrees, Higher Level Apprenticeships, and HNDs in subjects such as Accountancy, Business Studies, Health and Life Sciences and Hospitality.

Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA said:

“I want to congratulate all those receiving their results today and for all their hard work and determination. The skills of our workforce are central to achieving our goal of making Northern Ireland one of the world’s elite small economies. I want to ensure learners have access to the qualifications employers need and support progression towards their chosen career pathways.

“I would encourage everyone to explore the opportunities and options available to them in both further and higher education or through training and apprenticeships. My Department offers free and impartial advice through our Careers Service and contact details can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/careers.”

Interim Chief Executive and Principal of South West College, Leo Murphy said:

“It was great to welcome the Minister to South West College today and for him to send his best wishes to all of our students who have done incredibly well in this year’s results. It is their hard work and dedication that should be rightly celebrated today.

“We are also encouraging all students receiving results today to consider their options at their local Further Education college. The courses and opportunities on offer this year to school leavers who choose to study at their local Further Education college are first-class and offer a promising next step in their education.

“Across Northern Ireland there are alternative routes to university degree or employment at local Further Education colleges and students can still reach their end destination by taking on a higher education course or foundation degree in a Further Education college first.

“Our ability to create courses in collaboration with industry, means that our learners leave college with the professional and technical qualifications they need to go straight into well-paid jobs and promising careers, or progress onto university with a well-rounded qualification already. Our accessibility means we are open to all kinds of learners from school leavers to those looking to re-skill or re-train.”

Chair of South West College’s Governing Body, Dr Nicholas O’Shiel said:

"The skills provided at SWC ensure Further Education college graduates have the fit-for-purpose competencies employers demand.

"So, with employers crying out for skilled workers, we are an increasingly relevant destination for school leavers, and I encourage all of them to look at what life-changing courses are on offer.

“This can be anxious time and young people and parents don’t always know what career courses or learning opportunities are available to them. Some people may have performed under their expectations, while others may be unsure about which route to take.

“It is vital that young people are aware of the range of options available, to help them make better, informed choices and I would encourage them to come along to their Further Education college to hear their options. Our goal is to make it easier and more accessible for school leavers to source all the information they need to make informed decisions about their future.”

To find out more information about the higher education options at local FE Colleges visit www.furthereducationni.com

Coleraine and Newtownards Win High Streets of the Year

The joint winners of High Street of the Year, Coleraine and Newtownards, join Chief Executive of Retail NI, Glyn Roberts and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lord Caine at the High Street Hero Awards.

Coleraine and Newtownards have jointly scooped the prestigious High Street of the Year award, battling High Streets across Northern Ireland for the coveted prize, while Wardens of Newtownards received the sought-after Overall Retailer of the Year award and Shauna Corrigan from McGrane’s in Keady being voted Northern Irelands best retail employee.

Over ten thousand votes were cast for Retail NI’s High Street Heroes awards, with old favourites and new faces picking up gold, silver, and bronze across a range of categories. The initiative shone a light on Northern Ireland’s independent retailers, with the public choosing their favourite retailers in an online vote.

In an exclusive reception at Hinch Distillery, retailers across the region were celebrated with Chill Off-Licence in Derry/Londonderry, Harkins Pharmacy in Maghera and Murrays Nearby in Cullyhanna all picking up gold. Northern Ireland Office Minister Lord Caine addressed the event.

High Street Heroes NI was a joint initiative from Retail NI and Belfast Live supported by Camelot and Voice for Locals.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lord Caine, who presented the award, said:

“I congratulate Coleraine and Newtownards on winning the prestigious High Street of the Year Award, which highlights how highly valued retailers in these areas are to their local communities.

“The UK Government is committed to making NI a better place to live, work, invest, and do business, and we will continue to support the growth of Northern Ireland’s high streets by building a stronger economy and through major investment such as the Levelling Up Fund and the upcoming UK Shared Prosperity Fund.”

Retail NI Chief Executive, Glyn Roberts said:

“The High Street Heroes Awards is a wonderful celebration of Northern Ireland’s independent retailers. The winners are based across Northern Ireland showing a brilliant regional response to the campaign and emphasising the community support for retailers.

“It has been a very difficult year for independent retailers, but this campaign has shone a light on how valued they are in their community, and the vital role they play in keeping the local economy alive. As they work to remain viable in this difficult business climate, it is only right that we celebrate and champion the sector.

“It is really good to see many independent retailers from some of our smaller rural towns getting the recognition they deserve at our High Street Hero Awards.”

Retail Director of Camelot, Jenny Blogg said:

“As the operator of the National Lottery Fund, we know the importance of local, independent retailers and the value they provide both customers and the economy. We are thrilled that we have been able once again to support this initiative and continue to promote the hard work and value of those who make our local high streets.”

Voice For Locals Founder, Jay Thattai, said:

"We all have our personal favourite local independent retailers close to where we live. It has never been more important to voice for locals and really show how important they are to communities across Northern Ireland. It is those retailers who encourage people into cities, towns and villages to enjoy the unique local choices, quality and personal touch on offer.”

"It is brilliant to see local consumers voting for their favourite independent retailers and being proud of the fantastic contribution they make to the high streets."

Northern Ireland raises £800k for DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal

Aina* (30), a mother and beneficiary of a cash distribution programme, with two of her children in Daykundi Province, Afghanistan on 28 May 2022. *Pseudonym used

The people of Northern Ireland have raised over £800,000 for families in Afghanistan facing acute hunger, cold, and lack of medical care as part of the DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal.

Launched in December to raise urgent funds for humanitarian response in the country, the appeal has raised an incredible £50 million in the UK, including £10 million matched by the UK Government.

This generosity has allowed DEC charities to provide a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people in Afghanistan, where drought, economic collapse and rising global food prices have pushed millions to the brink of famine.

In Northern Ireland, the DEC brings together the charities Concern Worldwide, Save the Children, the British Red Cross and Tearfund.

In the first six months of the appeal, DEC funds have supported: 

  • Over 243,000 people with cash assistance, giving them flexibility to meet their own family’s unique needs, for example to buy food, medicines or fuel.

  • Over 131,000 people with emergency food supplies including, for instance, wheat flour, vegetable oil, pulses, salt and rice.

  • Over 100,000 people with health services, including medicines, vaccines and maternal and newborn care.

  • Over 2,900 children under five and pregnant or lactating women with treatment for acute malnutrition.

Abdul-Karim* (56) walks with the help of a cane in the Daykundi Province, Afghanistan on 28 May 2022. * Pseudonym used

Despite this, a crisis of this magnitude is not quickly resolved. Some 18.9 million people - nearly half the population - are estimated to remain acutely food insecure, while 3.9 million children are acutely malnourished. 

DEC funds are continuing to support people in Afghanistan. As well as emergency support, the charity is helping to build for a more stable future, including funding water and irrigation schemes to help counter the drought, cash for work projects so breadwinners can support their families while doing work that benefits the community, and livelihoods initiatives and vocational training to help people get back on their feet. 

Kevin McCaughan, Senior Institutional Programme Funding Officer at the British Red Cross said:

“People in Afghanistan are facing unimaginable circumstances. We know through our own work in the country that the situation has been dire for many years, yet the last number of months have pushed many more into crisis. This money has gone a long way in providing cash assistance, emergency food supplies and access to healthcare, and we thank the people of Northern Ireland for their support.”

Salah Saeed, CEO of the DEC, said:  

"People in Afghanistan suffered a terrible winter and spring with millions struggling to feed their families. Donations to the DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal have helped provide a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of those most in need, providing food or the money to buy it. The funds are also helping provide specialist treatment for children and mothers suffering acute malnutrition. They've also provided much-needed medical care to at least 100,000 people who had nowhere else to go when they fell ill. Thank you so much to everyone who donated to this appeal. You have made a huge difference to so many people caught up in a crisis far beyond their control and desperately in need of help."