'Greater diversity vital ahead of 2023 elections' by Alison Allen, CEO, Northern Ireland Local Government Association

As originally appeared in the Irish News, Saturday 19 November

NILGA CEO Alison Allen

With all the recent talk of a potential fresh Assembly election being called by the Secretary of State, it would be easy to forget that there is a local government election in spring 2023. Next May, the people of Northern Ireland will go to the polls to elect 462 councillors across 11 council areas. Councillors play a vital role in their constituencies and local communities and, in many ways, they are the most accessible and visible of our elected representatives.

Elected members to our 11 local councils are based in their communities, delivering for their constituents on a daily basis. They are community activists and leaders who live in the villages, townlands, and suburban areas across the country. Our councillors represent our local communities, give them a voice, and defend their interests. However, while they may represent people from incredibly diverse backgrounds, different ethnicities and religions, abilities and sexual orientations, our councillors are not always fully reflective and representative of the rich diversity within Northern Ireland.

The 2021 census results published earlier this year show that Northern Ireland is more diverse than ever. People from a minority ethnic background have nearly doubled in number since the last census in 2011 and one in 15 people living here were born outside the UK or Ireland. We have a rich blend of religions and nationalities here and the 1.9 million of us who call Northern Ireland home have a diverse range of experiences, opinions, and views.

Ahead of next year’s elections, it’s crucial that our candidates and successfully elected representatives fully represent this rich diversity. The Northern Ireland Local Government Association has launched a new and exciting campaign – Be A Councillor, Make A Difference – to encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider making the leap into public life and frontline politics. This includes people of colour, those with caring responsibilities, women, young people, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with a disability.

This is a significant campaign and very timely as we approach the period when political parties are beginning to select their candidates ahead of next spring. We want to encourage as varied a cohort of candidates as possible. A more diverse and inclusive society brings benefits for all of us. More diverse politics brings better policies, better legislation, and greater inclusivity with wider perspectives on how to improve our communities for everyone in them.

NILGA has written to all the major local parties to encourage them to ensure they keep this at the front of their minds as they begin their selection processes. Facilitating and fostering proper diversity and inclusion among our parties and our candidates will help lead to a more inclusive society for us all. Our parties have an important role to play to make sure our elected representatives are as reflective of the people they serve as possible and NILGA will work closely with all parties ahead of May 2023 to make this a reality.

Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzzwords. Ensuring a commitment to both can bring untold benefits for everyone in our communities. Respecting the differences between us and reflecting the views, opinions, and experiences we all hold leads to a more cohesive society for everyone and ensures better policy and better laws for Northern Ireland.

Nearly half of micro and small businesses will not survive without proper support, new Enterprise NI survey finds

Enterprise Northern Ireland CEO Michael McQuillan

A major survey from Enterprise Northern Ireland has found that nearly half of micro and small businesses could face closure in 2023 without proper government support.

Over 600 businesses from across Northern Ireland and across all economic sectors responded to the NI Enterprise Barometer, the largest annual survey of micro and small businesses in Northern Ireland. The Barometer captures data, opinions, needs, and proposed solutions of local small, micro, and self-employed businesses.

47% of respondents stated that they will not survive the next 12 months without the right support in place, while 95% of businesses reported that their utilities and fuel costs have risen sharply throughout 2022. One in ten businesses are now also reporting severe cash flow pressures, up from just 3% at the beginning of this year.

The latest data also shows that economic growth is now slowing, with only 36% of businesses expecting to grow in 2023, compared to over 50% at the beginning of 2022. More significantly and worryingly, the number of respondents who expect their business to contract in the next year has doubled from 18% to 36%. 

Supported by Ulster Bank and the British Business Bank, this year’s Barometer sought to gauge the experience of small and micro businesses during the cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business crises, as well as their plans for the year ahead.

Michael McQuillan, Enterprise NI Chief Executive, said:

“The 2022 NI Enterprise Barometer presents a concerning snapshot of our local economy. As illustrated in these results, the current economic and fiscal environment is extremely challenging for small and micro businesses, from all sectors, across Northern Ireland. Macro-level events and challenges like the war in Ukraine and the global economic downturn are placing serious pressures on local businesses, combined with local political instability and uncertainty over post-Brexit funding.

“While not surprising, 95% of businesses experiencing a significant rise in their utilities and fuel expenses over the past 12 months is a stark figure and one which drives home the gravity of the situation businesses find themselves in. The rising cost-of-doing-business is having a severe impact on our local entrepreneurs. Without significant action in the coming weeks and months, businesses will go to the wall.

“Nearly half of our respondents have said they will not survive in the medium term without government support. Small and micro businesses make up the vast bulk of the local economy. The collapse of nearly half of these firms would have a catastrophic knock-on effect on the Northern Irish economy, communities, families, and households across the country.

“Respondents to the Barometer have been clear on the interventions and support they believe are necessary over the next 12 months. These include a reduction in VAT, a fundamental change to the business rates system to reduce the burden on small businesses, greater and easier access to finance for stability and growth, and lowering of the energy cap. In the absence of an Executive at Stormont, it’s crucial that the UK Government now steps in to protect the backbone of the Northern Irish economy and protect businesses, jobs, and households as we enter 2023.”

Maureen O’Reilly, Barometer Economist, also added:

“While last week’s Autumn Statement from the Chancellor was aimed at injecting stability into the economy once more, it did little to relieve the concerns of small and micro business owners in Northern Ireland. Our barometer shows that growth is slowing across the country and firms are now concerned about contractions within their businesses. Deteriorating growth, combined with rapidly rising inflation and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, is a dangerous mix.”

Speech and Language Therapists issue critical workforce warning

Ruth Sedgewick, Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have warned that the Speech and Language Therapy workforce in Northern Ireland is at a critical juncture.

The warning comes as the Speech and Language Therapy workforce meet on Thursday for its hub leadership conference at the Titanic Centre in Belfast.

RCSLTNI is calling on the Department of Health to set out how it plans to address the challenges facing the profession. Demand for services is unsustainable without measures to grow the SLT workforce. This includes commissioning more undergraduate places in NI as well as developing apprenticeships and alternative routes in the profession. Many of the challenges facing the profession were predicted, and measures to mitigate these were outlined in 2018 Workforce Strategy.  This report has yet to be implemented in full. 

Speech and Language Therapy vacancies across all five trusts and in schools in Northern Ireland remain unfilled due to a lack of investment in the workforce.

The body remains very concerned that the current and projected shortfall in speech and language therapists will especially impact children over the coming years. This warning follows on the back of evidence that SLT services for children in the community are hugely overstretched. As highlighted in a recent report by the Northern Ireland Children’s Commissioner, there has been an 87% increase in the numbers of children waiting for speech and language therapy in the community, compared to the same month in 2021.

The body also raised concerns in August regarding the need to ensure there is greater support for pupils with speech, language and communication needs associated with their special education needs (SEN). Additional funding from the Department of Education for SEN services in September was welcome, however the historical funding gap remains following years of underinvestment.

(L-R) Kamini Gadhok, CEO of the Royal College of Speech Language Therapists; Robin Swann MLA and Ruth Sedgewick, Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI.  

Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI, Ruth Sedgewick said:

“We are putting those in Northern Ireland with speech, language, communication and swallowing needs at a disadvantage if investment is not made to the SLT workforce in Northern Ireland. Our members have reported that they are under extreme pressure in recent years to meet the growing demands for speech and language therapy services. This simply cannot continue.

“In contrast to other parts of the UK, Northern Ireland has failed to take any specific measures to mitigate the impact of COVID on children’s early language development. We are now seeing the increases in children being referred to SLT with delays and significant needs have taken longer to identify. This is one of the issues that will be impacting on longer waiting lists.

“As with many areas of the health and social care system, the Speech and Language Therapy workforce is at a critical juncture. We have made it clear to the Department of Health that greater investment, and increased SLT training places, must be made available to ensure all those living with a speech, language and communication need have access to essential treatments – especially our children with special educational needs. Closer cooperation between Health and Education is welcome and must continue to ensure services are meaningful and children are not left behind here.

“While we recognise that the political limbo in Northern Ireland makes it difficult for funding decisions to be made, people who need speech and language therapy should not be collateral damage.

“We are calling on the Departments of Health and Education to ensure that all those who need speech and language therapy are not failed, and the right funding and support is given to our profession to ensure services are delivered on a sustainable footing.”

'Bleak outlook' for business and personal finance following Autumn Statement says Angela Keery, Head of Tax at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

Head of Tax at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Angela Keery.

Reacting to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Head of Tax at Belfast accountancy and advisory firm Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Angela Keery said:

“The Autumn Statement is confirmation of the bleak outlook we face both in terms of business finances and our personal, take-home pay packets. Individuals and business owners will now feel their tax obligations increase, with companies in Northern Ireland in particular making no major gains from the announcement.”

“The Chancellor’s move to maintain current personal tax thresholds, essentially bringing more people into higher tax brackets by extending the freeze until April 2028, may not cost individuals anything in the short term but mitigates any small boost they may have gotten from a pay rise awarded by their employer in line with inflation. Cuts to the tax-free dividend allowance to £1,000 in April 2023 and again to £500 in 2024 mean business owners and directors will face increased tax burdens as they pay themselves. Capital Gains Tax exemptions will also drop by more than half to £6,000 in 2023, and again to £3,000 in 2024, meaning the disposal of assets will become a tax-heavy and much less attractive option also.”

“Whilst the personal tax threshold and basic rate bands are frozen, there is a drop in the taxation threshold for top earners to £125,000, ensuring more of the highest earners contribute the top 45% level of income tax. What will be popular from today’s statement is the increase in the National Living Wage to £10.42. Also more palatable in today’s high-inflation economy is the move to expand the windfall tax on the energy industry. This increases the tax burden on those who are generating more profits and is a generally well received way of raising an additional £14bn in tax revenue next year alone.”

“With no significant takeaways for Northern Ireland, however, what’s vital now is that business owners and individuals alike take time to digest this information, assess their financial situation and set a realistic, achievable budget for the coming months that accounts for continuing inflation and rising energy costs, seeking informed and reliable business advice where feasible.”

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland Wednesday 16 November

Forward Look

  • The Government is set to publish its Gambling Regulation Bill which implements an advertising blackout between 5.30am and 9pm for gambling products and services. A new Gambling Regulator Authority will enforce new advertising and sponsorship rules across all media and overhaul licensing laws for the gambling industry.

  • A white paper regarding revisions to the State’s enterprise policy could be brought forward as soon as next month following considerable job losses in the Irish Technology Sector.

  • The Irish Examiner is reporting that Fine Gael wants current Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney TD to take the ministerial post in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

  • It is also reported that Fianna Fáil is seeking the Department of Justice and will demote Stephen Donnelly out of the Department of Health.

  • Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he would be in favour of a transfer pact with Fianna Fáil at the next general election.

  • Bank of Ireland’s net interest income has risen by 3% and is expected to rise further to between 6-7% by the end of the year.

  • An Bord Pleanála’s board will increase to 15 members under new draft legislation to reform the planning appeals body.

  • The Department of Justice have opened a stakeholder consultation on the Review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme. The link to read more is here.

  • An election to fill a place on the Fianna Fáil Ard Comhairle must be held before the end of the month.

  • The High Court has ruled that the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with Canada is unconstitutional. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD has expressed Fine Gael's determination to ratify the convention without a referendum and will instead seek to amend domestic legislation.

  • The Central Statistics Office will publish its updated house price data today. Tomorrow, the CSO will release a breakdown of inflation by household type.

  • The Credit Guarantee Bill is expected to pass the Dáil today and the Incitement to Violence bill will also reach its second stage.

  • The Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment will discuss the issues facing small businesses today.

  • The Committee on Budgetary oversight will also meet with representatives of OECD and Irish Tax Institute to discuss the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Report today.

Other Stories this week

  • Over 430 organisations have been awarded a total of €4 million in funding from the Night-Time Economy Support Scheme.

  • A planned investigation of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar by the Standards in Public Office regarding a breach in the Standards in Public Office or Ethics Acts will not take place.

  • A total of 62,425 thousand Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland since the Russian invasion.

  • Bank of Ireland has named its former Chief Financial Officer, Myles O’Grady, as the organisation’s new CEO.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 16 – 17 November, Data Centres Ireland Conference, RDS, Dublin

  • 18 November, IBEC Technology Ireland Industry Awards, The Mansion House, Dublin

  • 7-8 December, Dublin Chamber London Trade Mission.

  • 17 December, Leo Varadkar TD becomes Taoiseach.

Consultations

Major fraud conference takes place in Belfast as figures show scams are skyrocketing

(L-R) Laura Dunseath, Barrister and Legal Director, Eversheds Sutherland; keynote speaker Emma Luxton, Head of Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance, Serious Fraud Office; Bill McCluggage, Chair, NI Fraud Forum; Ashok Thomas, Corporate Finance and Management Consulting Director, FPM; and Owen Poole, Customer Success Executive, Altia.

The first ever Northern Ireland Fraud Forum Annual Conference took place in Belfast this morning as newly published figures show fraud is becoming much more prevalent during the cost-of-living crisis. 

Held at the Hilton Hotel Belfast, the conference brought together private, public, and third sector organisations from across Northern Ireland. Taking place during International Fraud Awareness Week, the conference followed a successful launch of the body back in April this year and a number of masterclasses on fraud and financial crime for members throughout the year.

The Northern Ireland Fraud Forum was established earlier this year and is an innovative private-public-third sector partnership which aims to spread awareness of the dangers of fraud and white-collar crime in Northern Ireland. The body is comprised of private sector industry professionals like Eversheds Sutherland, Grant Thornton, and FPM-AAB, as well as representatives from public organisations like HMRC and the PSNI.

The inaugural NI Fraud Forum Conference came as new data published by Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, revealed that cases of fraud have continued to soar during the cost-of-living crisis across the UK. In the first nine months of 2022, over 309,000 cases were recorded to the National Fraud Database, a 17% rise compared to last year. This also marks an 11% increase on pre-pandemic levels.

Today’s conference featured a keynote speech from Emma Luxton, Head of Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance at the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.

Other speakers included Mike Haley, CEO, Cifas; Robert Brooker, Chair, London Fraud Forum; Matthew Howse, Dispute Resolution and Litigation Partner, Eversheds Sutherland Belfast; and Laura Dunseath, Barrister and Legal Director, Eversheds Sutherland London; and Chris Wynne, Head of Financial Crime Prevention, Danske Bank.

Keynote speaker Emma Luxton, Head of Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance, Serious Fraud Office, and Bill McCluggage, Chair, NI Fraud Forum.

Bill McCluggage, Chair of the NI Fraud Forum, said:

“Today’s inaugural Northern Ireland Fraud Forum Annual Conference has come at a very significant time. As recent Cifas figures have shown, incidences of fraud are rising rapidly at a time when businesses and households are financially vulnerable. Firms are trading in particularly volatile and challenging times with rising costs, spiralling inflation, hikes in interest rates, and a looming recession, while households and workers have seen their disposable incomes decimated. 

"According to the National Crime Agency, fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK. Fraud offences reported to the National Fraud Investigation Bureau rose by 17% between March 2021 and March 2022, and the number of annual reported fraud cases has now reached a staggering 936,276 offences.  The experience of businesses, organisations, and citizens in Northern Ireland is no exception and surely it is now time to collectively do more to challenge this crime epidemic.

“It’s clear that fraud is rising at an alarming double-digit rate and all of us are vulnerable to phishing attacks, scams, and fraudsters who are intent on hurting people financially. One of the Forum’s main aims is to raise awareness of fraud and we achieved that today. It was fantastic to be able to bring together representatives from the private, public, and third sectors to outline the current fraud environment and help organisations prevent costly and potentially permanent damage to their operations. This is an uncertain time for organisations of all kinds. Initiatives like the NI Fraud Forum are crucial in combatting white collar crime, fraud, and financial scams.”

AI Con returns to examine application of Artificial Intelligence across society

Picture at the launch of AI Con 2022 are; Tom Gray, Kainos, William Reeves, Managing Director of Digital Catapult NI, Ruth McGuiness, Kainos, and Michaela Black, Ulster University.

AI Con, the leading Artificial Intelligence conference hosted by Kainos, returns next month to examine the application of the technology in society and its role in securing a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future.

Taking place in person at Titanic Belfast on Thursday 01 December, AI Con will also be broadcast live for over 300 attendees including those involved in AI application, policy, and regulation across Europe, the UK, and the US.

The conference will explore the continued evolution of AI as it heads towards mainstream adoption, and ways to responsibly and sustainably harness it’s potential to support progress across all areas of business and public life.

Robert Smith, Director of AI and Data Science at Digital Catapult UK, will deliver the keynote address to over 300 attendees. A widely respected leader in the field of AI, Robert authored Rage Inside the Machine which was shortlisted for the 2020 Business Book Awards, and has worked for over 30 years to improve the effects of AI on society.

At Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, Robert works with high-growth potential start-ups and sits on the AI Ethics Committee, working to ensure responsible and ethical development of AI-enabled products and services.

Speakers at the full-day conference, which is sponsored by Ulster University, Digital Catapult, Matrix NI, Allstate NI and Innovate UK, include Jacob Turner, a leading barrister and internationally recognised expert on the governance of AI and author of Robot Rules: Regulating Artificial Intelligence.

A UNESCO and UN Human Rights Council speaker, Jacob advises on some of the leading Artificial Intelligence cases and consults with governments, including advising the Chinese government and military on the implications of AI on national security.

AI Con Hosted by Kainos will convene those involved in policy, regulation, application, and every senior technology role in between to get to the heart of AI’s relationship with data usage and privacy when it takes place in Belfast next month.

The virtual conference will also be streamed live around the world. For further information or registration details please visit: https://ai-con.ai/

Speaking at the launch of AI Con Hosted by Kainos, Ruth McGuinness, Data & AI practice Lead at Kainos said:

“AI Con has been a significant resource for those in the field for many years and I am thrilled to have played a part in curating the conference this year. Artificial Intelligence has expanded across all sectors to become a clearly recognised asset in many areas, from business and education to health. This year, we will investigate this acceptance and consider what’s needed to further public trust and integrate the technology responsibly and sustainably to improve and enhance more areas of life.”

“We are thrilled, given this new approach, to welcome Robert Smith from Digital Catapult UK as our keynote speaker. We look forward to his expert insight that will no doubt provide the perfect platform to bring debate, discussion, and ideas to a large audience on how best we can ensure ethical development and deployment of AI products and services.”

Robert Smith, Director of AI and Data Science at Digital Catapult UK added:

“It is a privilege to deliver a keynote address at AI Con Hosted by Kainos. The effects of Artificial Technology are obvious right across society, which in many ways permeates all our lives irrespective of location or lifestyle. We as a sector therefore have a responsibility to act ethically and sustainably as we develop it. Collaboration is the best way to do this and coming together with senior professionals in all areas of AI will be particularly beneficial following the pandemic. I look forward to not only delivering my keynote address but engaging with the wider AI Con community when we unite in Belfast next month.”

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland: Wednesday 9 November

  Forward Look

  • The Government has announced it will nominate current Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe TD for a second term as Eurozone President. If re-elected, he will continue to carry out this role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

  • A planned register of short-term leases and holiday homes as a part of the Government’s housing plans has been delayed by a further five months.

  • Irish inflation figures for October will be published tomorrow. Whilst it has dropped over the last two months in Ireland, prices continue to rise in other major Eurozone countries, signalling the ECB’s policy might diverge from Irish conditions.

  • Concerns are growing regarding Ireland’s tax revenue following a series of mass lay-offs at tech firms including Twitter and Facebook that have been responsible for high overall employment and wage increases in high salary jobs in the Irish economy.

  • An Irish delegation is attending COP27 in Egypt this week including Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Ministers Eamonn Ryan TD, Simon Coveney TD, Colm Brophy TD.

  • IBEC’s latest Quarterly Economic Outlook has projected the economy’s growth rate will fall to 2% in 2023 and warns of instability in the financial markets.

  • Annual Tax Revenue is set to hit a record high of €80bn, according to the Fiscal Monitoring Report by the Department of Finance.

  • Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD announced his intention to dispose of approximately 8% of the Irish States shareholding in AIB Group plc.

  • Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys TD is likely to propose changes to the current welfare system before Christmas, including a move to link jobseekers benefit to previous earnings.

  • Today, the Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment will meet with representatives of Enterprise Ireland to discuss issues facing trade in Ireland and supports available to businesses.

  • Today, Committee on European Union Affairs will discuss the state of play regarding UK-EU relations and the implementation of the Northern Irish Protocol with relevant academics.

  • Today, the Dáil will debate the Finance Bill 2022 and the Credit Guarantee bill will reach its second stage.

  • On Thursday, Oral Questions for the Minister for Transport and Minister for Finance will take place.

 

Other Stories this week

  • Permanent TSB has completed its acquisition of €6.2 billion of Ulster Bank’s loans.

  • Ryanair posted its largest ever after-tax profit for the first half of its financial year this week. It recorded a profit of €1.37bn from March to September this year.

  • Governor of the Central Bank Gabriel Makhlouf has called for tighter regulation of “hidden leverage” in the fund sector to mitigate risks to the global system.

  • The Business Post has found the number of new homes being built in Ireland has fallen by 14% from last year.

  • Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis took place on Saturday. The theme of the Ard Fheis was ‘Time for Change’.

 

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 11 November, Small Firms Association Annual Lunch.

  • 16 November, Ibec Financial Services Ireland Dinner.

  • 16 November, LVA and VFI Irish Pub Awards.

  • 7-8 December, Dublin Chamber London Trade Mission.

  • 15 December, Leo Varadkar TD becomes Taoiseach.

Consultations

                              

Major fraud prevention conference announced for Belfast

Bill McCluggage, Chair of NI Fraud Forum, and Matthew Howse, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland

The first ever Northern Ireland Fraud Forum Annual Conference will take place in Belfast on 15 November.

Held at the Hilton Hotel Belfast, the conference will bring together private, public, and third sector organisations from across Northern Ireland. Taking place during International Fraud Awareness Week, the conference follows a successful launch of the body back in April this year and a number of masterclasses on fraud and financial crime for members throughout the year.

The Northern Ireland Fraud Forum was established earlier this year and is an innovative private-public-third sector partnership which aims to spread awareness of the dangers of fraud and white-collar crime in Northern Ireland.

The body is comprised of private sector industry professionals like Eversheds Sutherland, Grant Thornton, and FPM-AAB, as well as representatives from public organisations like HMRC and the PSNI.

The inaugural NI Fraud Forum Conference will feature a keynote speech from Emma Luxton, Head of Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance at the Serious Fraud Office, who will outline the current fraud landscape across the UK, the government’s and the SFO’s priorities, and examples of positive outcomes with the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland.

Other speakers include:

  • Mike Hayley, CEO, Cifas, the UK’s largest cross-sector fraud sharing organisation (Discussing Cifas’s latest fraud data)

  • Robert Brooker, Chair, London Fraud Forum (Discussing the establishment of a UK-wide Fraud Forum)

  • Art Mitchell-Urwin, Operations Manager, Cabinet Office PSFA (Discussing the role of the recently formed Public Sector Fraud Authority)

  • Matthew Howse, Dispute Resolution and Litigation Partner, Eversheds Sutherland Belfast; and Laura Dunseath, Barrister and Legal Director, Eversheds Sutherland London (Discussing recent legal developments in the anti-fraud landscape)

  • Chris Wynne, Head of Financial Crime Prevention, Danske Bank (Discussing tackling financial crime and raising awareness)

  • Kevin Newe, Assistant Director, Illicit Finance Strategy Lead, HMRC (Discussing the Economic Crime Plan 2.0)

  • Ronan Convery, Senior Empowerment Officer, Consumer Council (Discussing their research on fraud across NI)

  • Wayne Denner, Author and Online Safety Trainer (Discussing online fraud awareness amongst young people)

  • Aidan Larkin, CEO, Asset Reality (Discussing cryptos and NFTs)

Bill McCluggage, Chair of the NI Fraud Forum, said:

“The Northern Ireland Fraud Forum are thrilled to be hosting our first ever Annual Conference later this month at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast. This comes at a significant period for businesses, organisations of all kinds, and citizens. Firms are trading in particularly volatile and challenging times with rising costs, spiralling inflation, hikes in interest rates, and a looming recession. Threats like fraud and white-collar crime can present often fatal challenges to small and independent businesses which, in turn, threaten livelihoods and workers.

"According to the National Crime Agency, fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK. Fraud offences reported to the National Fraud Investigation Bureau rose by 17% between March 2021 and March 2022, and the number of annual reported fraud cases has now reached a staggering 936,276 offences.  The experience of businesses, organisations, and citizens in Northern Ireland is no exception and surely it is now time to collectively do more to challenge this crime epidemic.

“Trade body UK Finance estimates around £7bn is lost to economic crime in the UK every year. The latest statistics from the Republic of Ireland from September also show that fraud crime there has soared by 43% in the last year, driven primarily by banking and online fraud. Fraudsters and criminals are becoming savvier and craftier in their defrauding attempts, with people increasingly bombarded daily by fraudulent texts and phone calls seeking to defraud people and businesses out of their hard-earned money. It’s therefore crucial that businesses, organisations, and households are equipped with the tools and techniques to spot fraud and mitigate against it.

“The NI Fraud Forum Annual Conference will bring together private, public and third sector organisations to outline the current fraud environment, share tips and best practice, and help organisations prevent costly and potentially permanent damages to their operations.”

The inaugural NI Fraud Forum Annual Conference will take place at the Hilton Hotel, 4 Lanyon Place, Belfast on 15 November between 8.30am and 3pm. To sign up and for a full list of speakers and relevant information, please visit https://www.nifraudforum.co.uk/7-2/events/

World Premiere of Ballywalter opens the 22nd Belfast Film Festival

(L-R) Writer of Ballywalter, Stacey Gregg; Star of Ballywalter, Patrick Kielty and Director of Ballywalter, Prasanna Puwanarajah.

Belfast Film Festival returns with a jam-packed festival showcasing a wealth of local talent, whilst also shining a spotlight on the best international films of the year, with particular focus on emerging filmmakers, the stars of the future.  There are 116 films screening over the next 10 days, from 32 countries around the world, making the festival both a celebration of Northern Ireland and a window out onto the world for their eternally curious and adventurous audience. 

The festival kicked off last night with a star-studded premiere event at Cineworld Belfast, featuring the homegrown drama Ballywalter, staring Patrick Kielty in his debut acting role.  A host of local talent from both behind and in front of the camera were on the red carpet.

Ballywalter is directed by Prasanna Puwanajarah, actor/director soon to star as Martin Bashir in the new series of The Crown.  The film was written by East Belfast writer Stacey Gregg.

Kielty plays a man attending a weekly stand-up comedy course who develops a touching friendship with a down-on-her-luck taxi driver (Seána Kerslake). The gala event will be hosted by Tara Lynne O’Neill, star of Derry Girls. 

The festival is packed with premieres including local actor-turned-director, Tony Devlin’s first feature, The Quarry; She Said, the facts-based story of New York Times journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who wrote the article which ignited the #MeToo movement; No Bears the Venice prize winner from imprisoned Iranian director Jafar Panahi; and the UK/Ireland premieres of delightful bittersweet Ukrainian comedy Luxembourg Luxembourg, and Mark Cousins’ acutely timely documentary on the rise of Italian fascism, The March on Rome. 

The line-up includes several special locally-focussed events such as:

  • ‘Vox Populi’, an installation of UTV archive film at the iconic former Bank of Ireland building.

  • ‘The Secret Life of a Film Critic’: A celebration of Brian Henry Martin’s 30-year career.

  • ‘The Weird and the Eerie’: An audio-visual, hauntological experiment which delves into the Northern Irish televisual archive of the last century and brings back the stranger and more macabre elements of life in the six counties. Belfast’s own Vendetta Suite will provide musical accompaniment.

This year‘s festival also sees the launch of a new international competition of eight first or second features from around the world, judged by a jury comprising BAFTA and Academy-Award-winning director Andrea Arnold, renowned actor Stephen Rea and producer/consultant Catherine Bray.

(L-R) Writer of Ballywalter, Stacey Gregg; Star of Ballywalter, Patrick Kielty; Director of Ballywalter, Prasanna Puwanarajah and Director of Belfast Film Festival, Michele Devlin.

Director or Belfast Film Festival, Michele Devlin said: 

“This year’s festival contains an impressive line-up of guests including Oscar-winning director Andrea Arnold and multi-award winning actor Stephen Rea. Alongside a spotlight on Ukraine and a wonderful array of international premieres, from major Cannes festival prize winners to exciting off-the-beaten-track discoveries, we have a programme that celebrates indigenous talents from short to feature, and from archive to XR. 

“We celebrate the past with our Vox Populi archive installation, the first ever event to be held in the historic Bank of Ireland, Royal Avenue, site of the planned new “Belfast Stories” centre; and we embrace the future with our focus on immersive and virtual reality film making in the city’s inaugural XR festival.”