Aircoach celebrates 30,000 passenger landmark

Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Aircoach

Aircoach, Ireland’s leading private bus and coach operator, has hit 30,000 passengers on its new 705X North West Service.

The service connecting Derry/Londonderry to Belfast International Airport, Dublin Airport and Dublin City Centre has serviced over 30,000 passengers since its launch in January helping to bring people to work, students to university and new visitors to the region like never before.

This landmark follows on from the company acquiring the much-loved North West passenger company, Airporter, in October.

The new service brought a wide range of benefits to passengers including:

·        Routes running seven days a week beginning at 01:05am daily.

·        Stops at Foyleside Coach Park, Drumahoe Park and Ride, Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Centre, Dublin Airport and Dublin City O’Connell Street.

·        Reduced fares between Derry/Londonderry and Belfast International Airport by up to £13 based on a return fare.

·        As well as contactless payment, free wi-fi onboard, the Aircoach Advantage loyalty program and flexible booking options.

In the coming weeks the company will launch its new mobile app designed with innovation and user friendliness to the forefront. The app will focus on simplifying the customer booking experience while providing route tracking functionality

Tickets for the new service can be purchased via the Aircoach website or on board through a contactless payment system.

Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Aircoach said:

“We are thrilled to have hit this important milestone for our 705X service in the North West. Since the first day of the route, we have been blown away with the response from local people and are excited to build upon its success.”

“As a native of the North West I know first-hand how difficult it is to reach other travel and economic hubs on the island of Ireland and further afield. Aircoach want to ensure that the by gone days of travel detachment for the region never return by working with our partners to potentially design new routes and further develop the 705X service.”

“The recent opening of the Dungiven to Derry/Londonderry section of the A6 will increase the viability of the service like never before to allow us to achieve many more significant passenger landmarks in the near future.”

New Brexit deal offers Northern Ireland unique opportunity, says Manufacturing NI

(L-R) Sheena Bohan, Atradius; Chris Guy, Mills Selig; Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI; Nigel Birney, Lockton; Joanne McEvoy, InterTradeIreland; Gavin Campbell, Barclays; William Taylor, KPMG; Gareth Hagan, OCO Global; Mary Meehan, Manufacturing NI; and Patrick Moore, Flexsource.

The Windsor Framework secures Northern Ireland’s unique economic opportunity which must be grasped, the head of Manufacturing NI has said.

Speaking at the launch of Manufacturing Month 2023 at Hinch Distillery, Manufacturing NI Chief Executive Stephen Kelly said the new deal struck between the UK and the EU provides, if properly maximised, the basis to bring prosperity and economic growth across Northern Ireland.

Manufacturing Month 2023 was officially launched at an event, the major annual initiative which celebrates our local manufacturing and engineering firms. The month is backed by some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and organisations including Atradius, Barclays, CPL, InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland, KPMG, Lockton, and Mills Selig.

Led by representative body Manufacturing Northern Ireland, the entire month of May is dedicated to highlighting the companies, workers, and leaders who make the Northern Irish manufacturing sector the global success story it is. The month includes a busy programme of events, webinars, content from the sector, the flagship ‘Anchor High’ leadership summit, and the Manufacturing Hall of Fame dinner in the Guildhall in Derry on 31 May.

The launch event brought together business leaders, politicians, manufacturers, and educators from across Northern Ireland. Sponsored by OCO Global, ‘Welcome to the World’s Most Exciting Economic Zone?’ was trade and investment focused and explored the potential offered by the Windsor Framework and the country’s economic transformation since the signing of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

(L-R) Mary Meehan, Manufacturing NI; Mark O’Connell, OCO Global; Gareth Hagan, OCO Global; and Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI.

Speaking at the Manufacturing Month launch event at Hinch Distillery, Manufacturing NI Chief Executive Stephen Kelly said:

“In recent weeks we have had Prime Ministers and Presidents travel to Northern Ireland, accompanied by the world’s media, promoting the globally unique trade and investment opportunity which the Windsor Framework secures.

“We all share an ambition to make this a prosperous place and more prosperous people, so it is crucial that our political, policy and business leaders take this opportunity and fully maximise the benefits of dual-market access.  Our manufacturers are already proving that this opportunity is real by securing record exports, driving prosperity and economic growth for our businesses, our workforce, and for communities across in Northern Ireland.

“This Manufacturing Month, we are demonstrating the unique role that our manufacturers perform in solving problems for customers across the globe whilst delivering more and better jobs in every city, town and townland here at home.”

Gareth Hagan, CEO of OCO Global, also added:

“Research by OCO Global has proven the economic boost that has been delivered since the Good Friday Agreement for Northern Ireland. It’s undeniable that peace has brought increased investment, more jobs, a huge boost to industries like tourism and hospitality, and made our country a much more attractive place to live, work, invest, and do business.

“Dual-market access is the next piece of the puzzle for Northern Ireland. If we can successfully maximise this unique position we find ourselves in, the evidence is there that says we can grow our economy by up to 50%, create over 30,000 new jobs, and welcome millions more visitors every year. Our manufacturing and engineering sector is one of the most likely to benefit from this dual-market access also, trading their goods all around the globe and attracting new foreign investment. We were delighted to support today’s event and set the scene for the month ahead, providing a positive and optimistic view of the potential benefits of the new Windsor Framework.”

Local Government Election Briefing Series 2023: Fermanagh and Omagh District Council

KEY POINTS 

• Highest turnout (62.4%) of any council area at last election

• One of only two councils where the UUP outpolled the DUP in 2019

• Sinn Féin dominates the nationalist majority of seats on the council

ABOUT THE COUNCIL AREA

The new council was a simple merge of the old Fermanagh District Council and Omagh District Council. Geographically it covers the largest area (21 times the footprint of Belfast City Council) and has one councillor for every 2,923 people (the highest representation for any council in NI).

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

• Sinn Féin has been the largest party on this council since its inception

• Deborah Armstrong pipped her DUP colleague David Mahon to the last seat in Erne North by 27.02 votes

• Cross Community Labour Alternative won their only 2019 council seat in the Enniskillen DEA 

• Alliance secured a seat for the first time in at the last election

• 4 independents were elected in 2019

• Aontú recorded their highest share of the vote (2.1%) in this council, though all four candidates were quickly eliminated, and none received more than half a quota of first preference votes

SINCE 2019

• Deborah Erskine was co-opted into the Assembly in September 2021

• Sinn Féin councillor Sean Donnelly died in December 2021 

• Former UUP MLA, Rosemary Barton was co-opted back onto council in November 2022

• A number of other councillors resigned and were replaced by co-option.

COMMENTARY

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council can boast the most engaged electorate in all of Northern Ireland with a turnout rate in 2019 that was a full 10 percentage points higher than the NI average. This council area has led Northern Ireland in turnout since its creation in 2014, always above 60%. 

Sinn Féin are the largest party on the council with 15 councillors. The party won the plurality of the vote in every DEA in 2019, even though their overall vote and seat count were down on 2014’s results. Four out of the party’s five candidates running in Mid Tyrone were elected with a combined 3.7 quotas of first preference votes (though their lowest placed candidate was first to be eliminated).

At the last two elections, the UUP have come home with nine seats – the second largest party on council – well ahead of the DUP’s five, making this one of just two local authorities (Newry, Mourne & Down is the other) where the UUP bested the DUP.  Fermanagh has been home to household names within unionism such as Arlene Foster, Tom Elliott, Harry West and Basil Brooke. Despite their high seat total, the UUP only polled 335 votes more than the DUP across the council’s seven DEAs, so watch closely to spot any shift of power within unionism when the results come in after May 18th. 

At the last poll, the SDLP held just five of the eight seats they’d won in 2014. The party suffered particularly in the Omagh area with the loss of two high profile former councillors who ran as independents, one of whom, Josephine Deehan, won her seat. Alliance were also able to capitalise on the division in this DEA and their first ever councillor elected in the region at the SDLP’s expense. 

An unaligned independent did damage in Mid Tyrone, with Emmet McAleer stealing a seat from the SDLP which the party would be keen to win back. Likewise, Sinn Féin dropped a seat to an independent in Erne East, and another to Cross Community Labour Alternative in Enniskillen who will need to consolidate their vote if they hope to retain it for a second term.

Local Government Election Briefing Series 2023: Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

KEY POINTS 

• One of the few councils that saw the UUP increase their seats in 2019.

• The DUP are the biggest party on this council, which has the second biggest majority of unionist councillors in NI.

• In 2019, the Greens and Sinn Féin won seats for the first time on this council.

• The TUV lost their only seat in 2019.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL AREA

Geographically, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is shaped like a hen: the consequence of amalgamating four fifths of the old Lisburn City Council with a little under two thirds of Castlereagh District Council. For five years in a row, across all 11 councils, Lisburn and Castlereagh has had the highest Gross Disposable Household Income per head, totalling £19,795 in 2020.

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

• In 2019, the DUP took 36.7% of first preference votes, massively above their Northern Ireland-wide share of 24.1%. 

• Alliance achieved the second highest share in 2019 (23.6%) but came third in seats. 

• 11 out of 12 UUP candidates won in 2019, increasing their seat count by three and improving their vote share (17.6% up from 16%) in results that bucked the NI-side trend.

• The SDLP (8.7%) polled above Sinn Féin (5.4%) in 2019, though both parties won two seats.

SINCE 2019

• Within nine months, Alliance’s Tim Morrow resigned and handed the reins to Sharon Lowry.

• Nathan Anderson (formerly DUP) now sits as an independent.

• Si Lee (formerly Green Party) defected to the SDLP.

• David Honeyford and Sorcha Eastwood were elected to the Assembly in May 2022.

COMMENTARY

Results from Lisburn and Castlereagh may foretell the story across Northern Ireland, namely the battle within unionism, within nationalism, and any further rise of support for Alliance. 

Both former councils – Lisburn and Castlereagh – were unionist strongholds, and the new council has remained strong territory for the DUP. In 2014, the party was just shy of an overall majority on the council (20 out of 40 seats), but in 2019 it suffered a loss of five seats. Even with these losses the DUP remained the largest party on the council and will still have the largest clout after May’s election.

The UUP have a solid base of support with 11 councillors elected in 2019, up from eight in a showing that went against the party’s Northern Ireland-wide downward trend. The DUP are entering at a low ebb from their disappointing 2019 result. They will be hoping they can halt the UUP and potentially gain back lost ground in Lisburn North and Lisburn South. The big unknown within unionism is the TUV, who lost votes in 2019 but have performed well in other elections in the area in the meantime. 

Alliance nearly doubled their vote share in 2019, but only picked up two extra seats due to running insufficient candidates to soak up excess quotas of votes. Now second largest in terms of votes, but third in seat numbers, Alliance are looking to build on their continued momentum since 2019, most likely cannibalising some of the UUP’s gains in the last election. 

Shifts are to be expected within nationalism. The SDLP lost a seat in 2019, and Sinn Féin may well rise above them in terms of first preference votes and seats in May 2023. Former SDLP MLA Pat Catney who had been expected to challenge for his old seat in Killultagh is instead running to retain the Lisburn North seat held by Johnny McCarthy (originally elected as NI21’s only successful candidate in 2014 before joining the SDLP). Sinn Féin are also targeting this seat to build on their 0.6 quotas of first preferences in 2019. In Castlereagh South, John Gallen is seeking re-election alongside his SDLP running mate, former Green Councillor, Si Lee. Given the SDLP’s performance in 2019 (1.3 quotas), even if Lee retains a portion of his Green vote (0.6 quotas), holding both seats will be a stretch without an increase in support or turnout.

Manufacturing Month returns as Manufacturing NI celebrates 20 years in business

(L-R Back row) Nigel Birney, Head of Trade Credit at Lockton; Andrew McBurney, Commercial Manager at Atradius; John Mathers, Corporate Development Director at Barclays; Barry Winkless, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of the Future of Work Institute at CPL; William Taylor, Strategy Director at KPMG and Chris Guy, Managing Partner at Mills Selig. (L-R Front row) Grainne McVeigh, Director of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Life Sciences at Invest NI; Mary Meehan, Deputy Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI and Alison Currie, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at InterTradeIreland.

Manufacturing Month, the annual major initiative which showcases the success and strength of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing and engineering sector, returns this May.

Led by representative body Manufacturing Northern Ireland, the entire month of May is dedicated to highlighting the companies, workers, and leaders who make the Northern Irish manufacturing sector the global success story it is. The month includes a busy programme of events, webinars, content from the sector, the flagship ‘Anchor High’ leadership summit, and the Manufacturing Hall of Fame dinner in the Guildhall in Derry on 31 May.

This year’s Manufacturing Month will also mark the 20th anniversary of Manufacturing Northern Ireland, formed in the North West in the early 2000s to provide the local manufacturing and engineering sector a strong, collective voice on issues which affected them. The organisation has flourished since then by delivering when it mattered most on issues as varied as Brexit, Covid, skills, business rates, access to labour, and investment.

The month is sponsored by some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and organisations including Atradius, Barclays, CPL, Intertrade Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, KPMG, Lockton, and Mills Selig.

Manufacturing Month was first launched pre-Covid in March 2020 and brings together manufacturing firms, industry leaders, policy and key decision makers, schools, and young people to recognise the strengths of the sector, the great careers which are enjoyed and are possible, and celebrate the contribution local firms make to our economy and solving problems globally.

(L-R) Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI and Mary Meehan, Deputy Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI

Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, Manufacturing NI said:

“It is particularly timely that Manufacturing Month 2023 comes as we have been commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Global eyes have been fixed on this place for the past month, politicians and leaders from across the world have heralded the progress we have made since 1998, and they have spoken of our untapped economic potential. Our local manufacturing and engineering sector is at the forefront of that positive economic story we have to tell here in Northern Ireland.

“Manufacturing Month is an opportunity to recognise and properly mark the contribution made by our makers and innovators. The sector is directly responsible for over 11% of all jobs but fully support thousands of others meaning that 1 in 4 families in Northern Ireland rely on a manufacturing wage. Even with the challenges which have faced our local companies over the past few years, with record inflation and prices of everything from materials to energy going through the roof, our sector is buoyant and increasingly capturing opportunities.

“As the sector evolves and becomes more sophisticated through automation and digitisation, Northern Ireland will remain at the cutting edge of the global manufacturing industry. We have a potent mix of highly successful indigenous companies and foreign investors who have made Northern Ireland their home. This is, in large part, down to our skilled talent, strong pipelines from our excellent educational institutions, and the innovation of our local manufacturing leaders.

“This Manufacturing Month, we are looking to the next 25 years, aiming to map out a path for our local manufacturers to remain competitive globally and become more sustainable in an evolving economy. We want to ensure that our sector remains a key contributor to the regional economy of Northern Ireland and continues to be considered an attractive career choice for our very best and brightest.”

Local Government Election Briefing Series 2023: Ards and North Down Borough Council

KEY POINTS 

• Lowest turnout by far (43.6%) of any council area in 2019.

• Best performing council area for the Green Party (10.2%).

• Biggest swing to the Alliance Party of any council area in 2019. 

• Lowest combined vote share (3.9%) for nationalism at last election.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL AREA

Ards and North Down Borough Council combines most of the old North Down District Council with the former Ards District Council. It wraps around two thirds of the Strangford Lough shoreline, with the whole peninsula from Portaferry up to Bangor, across to Holywood, down into Newtownards and – on the western shore – stretching down as far south as Killinchy. Demographically, it’s got the lowest proportion of under 40s and the highest proportion of over 65s of any council in Northern Ireland. 

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

• The unionist majority of councillors dropped from 27 to 23 (out of 40) between the last two elections.

• SDLP’s Joe Boyle holds the only nationalist seat on the council.

• Has never elected a Sinn Féin councillor, with the two candidates picking up just 267 votes in 2019.

SINCE 2019

• Two DUP councillors now sit as independents (Bill Keery and Wesley Irvine). Stephen Cooper (formerly TUV, and a very competitive candidate for Strangford in the 2022 Assembly election) is now an independent.

• Carl McLean resigned from the UUP and, after a week as an independent, joined the DUP. Stephen Dunne (DUP) was co-opted to the Assembly in July 2021.

• Andrew Muir was co-opted to the Assembly in December 2019. Connie Egan and Nick Mathison were elected to the Assembly in May 2022.

• Rachel Woods has gone full circle, elected as a councillor for Holywood and Clandeboye in May 2019, being replaced (twice) while she was co-opted as a North Down MLA, and finally returning to council last September after losing her Assembly seat in May 2022.

• Popular independent Jimmy Menagh died and was replaced by Steven Irvine. A number of other councillors resigned and were replaced.

COMMENTARY

Ards & North Down is a barren council for nationalism, with just one councillor from the SDLP (Joe Boyle, their only candidate in 2019 having run three in 2014) holding a seat. The combined nationalist vote was less than 4% in 2019, down from around 5% in 2014.

23 out of the 40 seats in the last election were taken by unionist candidates (down from 27 in 2014). The DUP have led the pack since the new authority was created. In 2019, the DUP shed seats to the Alliance Party, losing vote share in every DEA except Ards Peninsula. The most pronounced drop was a 5-percentage point fall in Holywood and Clandeboye.

Support for the UUP also fell back in 2019, losing one seat. The two main unionist parties fell prey to the Alliance surge, who gained three seats and a nine-percentage point swing to them on first preferences to control a quarter of the council’s 40 seats. On paper, Alliance’s best chance for growth is by picking up a third seat in Bangor West where they polled strongly in 2019. Three candidates are being run in Bangor Central (where their single candidate won her seat with 1.3 quotas of first preferences in 2019) with a chance of winning two. 

More than a third of the council chamber are ‘other’ rather than unionist or nationalist. It’s a Green heartland and the seed of the party’s 2007 breakthrough to the Assembly. Winning 10% of first preference votes in 2019 was their strongest showing anywhere in Northern Ireland. The party holds three council seats locally (all over or just a handful of votes shy of a quota) and only missed out from picking up a fourth by 71 votes in Bangor East & Donaghadee at the last election. However, watch to see whether the Greens lose significant vote share to Alliance in a repeat of the 2022 Assembly election.

Ards and North Down is a fertile ground for independents, with three elected in 2019 and a total of six outgoing councillors now designating as independent at the time of writing. Jimmy Menagh topped the poll in Newtownards with more than two quotas of first preferences in 2019. His replacement Steven Irvine is running this May.

MIT’s brightest young technology innovators will gather in Donegal for two-day conference

(L-R) Adam Goodall, Investment Project Manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council; Amy Dickson, Events Coordinator at Aisling Events; Councillor Liam Blaney, Mayor of Donegal County Council and Micheál Ó Dubhir, Development Officer at Udaras na Gaeltachta.

A world-leading technology conference that showcases Europe’s brightest young tech stars will be hosted in Donegal next month.

On May 11-12, MIT’s Innovators Under 35 will bring Europe’s most aspiring young innovators to Gaoth Dobhair, on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way to showcase their work and demonstrate how they are already helping to make the world a better place through pioneering advances in technology.

The MIT Innovators Under 35 has been celebrating young changemakers for more than 20 years and will also feature some of the world’s leading technologists, with biomolecular physicist Georgios Nounesis, Director of the Greek National Centre for Scientific Research, ‘Demokratis’, delivering a keynote to the final list of Young Innovators.

Georgios and the young innovators will also be joined by distinguished leaders in innovation and tech from Italy, Andorra, the USA, Sweden and Holland including Vanesa Aroyo, Head of the Innovation Agency in Andorra and author Nicklas Bergman who sits on the Investment Committee of the European Innovation Council Fund.

Notable alumni of MIT’s Innovators Under 35 include Google Founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, CRISPR Technology Pioneer Feng Zhang and Tesla Motors Co-Founder JB Straubel.

The festival is sponsored by Údarás na Gaeltachta, the North West City Region Councils of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council, NUI Galway, Catalyst, Randox, Optum, Ulster University, Unosquare and Atlantic Technological University. 

The focus of this year’s festival will look at how technology can make society a better place and help generate economic growth in areas including biotechnology and medicine, computer and electronics, hardware, software, Internet, artificial intelligence, robotics, telecommunications, nanotechnology and materials, energy and transportation.

The festival will also showcase the wildness and beauty of Gaoth Dobhair and the surrounding Gaeltacht area that is playing host to this year’s visitors. The 175 attendees will see how truly remote the Gaeltacht area is, but how the modern advances in technology mean that a place as remote as Gaoth Dobhair can also be as connected as any major world city.

Connla McCann, Director of Aisling Events which is hosting the festival said:

“Gaoth Dobhair is an area of rich heritage and culture right at the heart of the largest Gaeltacht in Ireland. Despite being located on the Atlantic’s Edge the area can now also boast some of the strongest broadband connectivity on the island of Ireland and a range of European-class companies at its business park. It’s digital Gteic hub provides accommodation for tech workers and entrepreneurs who can deliver services for global companies while still living under the shadow of the Errigal. It’s a treat to be bringing the most brilliant young innovators across Europe to a region which is demonstrating that innovation can happen on the road less-travelled.”

Long-term planning critical as staffing pressures continue - Michael Branniff, Business Services Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

As first appeared in The Irish News, Tuesday 18 April 2023

Michael Branniff, Business Services Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

After entering 2023 with a depressing economic outlook, the markets remain unsteady as we make our way through spring. Inflation is not on the downturn yet, overheads remain high for businesses right across the board, and the low supply of labour is a pressing concern.

Despite this, there is some optimism that the long-term economic outlook is brighter, which is welcome following a particularly precarious winter. While it would be foolish to predict too far in advance, it appears that energy costs have hit their peak and consumer confidence is on the up.

Businesses now need to find a balance between reacting to immediate challenges while also planning for the future. The cost-of-living crisis, war in Europe, Covid-19 support package repayments and a severe squeeze on household incomes and corporate balance sheets have not left us and should be built into budgets and forecasts for the years ahead.

Getting your staffing right is one of the best ways to plan ahead, yet staffing is the exact challenge that businesses right across Northern Ireland are facing. Be it hospitality, construction, engineering, or professional services, we are seeing massive constraints on talent and supply, and the attraction and retention of staff has become a major issue for the businesses we work with.

The competitive labour market is inflating salaries, and this wage war is beginning to harm some companies. Staff shortages are holding companies back from taking on more work and ultimately developing and expanding. Those businesses predominantly paying staff at the National Minimum and Living Wage levels are also preparing for the significant scheduled uplift in costs this month.

Looking ahead with this in mind, local business owners and managers are best placed to keep a steady head and invest time in making detailed projections. The positive outlook that is beginning to emerge will hopefully bring with it a boost in consumer confidence, but in the meantime, the basic principles of cashflow management and responsible accounting remain.

Preparing projections for two to three years in advance may seem unrealistic given that the direction of travel could change tomorrow, but it is an important exercise for two main reasons.

Firstly, accurate and long-term planning allows you to stave off any issues well in advance. We know that energy prices will remain relatively high compared to previous years next winter, therefore budgeting for what your business will experience in the next one, two, to three years will help you make better decisions.

Secondly, live accounts and projections will stand you in good stead if you do require additional support. Given the jumps in interest rates in the last six months, having a trail of complete accounts and projections will make it easier when in discussions with lenders.

Ultimately, it is when armed with reliable, up to date information that business owners make the best decisions. There is merit in experimenting with different long-term financial models and there is a wealth of bespoke advice and guidance out there for every sector should you require it.

Local Government Election Briefing Series 2023: Belfast City Council

KEY POINTS 

• Diverse with outgoing councillors spread across eight parties. 

• The only council currently without an overall unionist or nationalist majority.

• 17 of the outgoing councillors – just shy of a third – do not designate as unionist or nationalist. 

ABOUT THE COUNCIL AREA

Back in 2014, the reform of local government saw Belfast City Council expand to include a fifth of the old Lisburn City Council and two fifths of Castlereagh District Council. Despite jumping from 51 to 60 seats, the council still has the highest population per councillor (5,750), almost double the lowest (Fermanagh and Omagh).

Demographically, Belfast is a young city with the highest proportion of 16-39s and lowest proportion of over 40-64s and over 65s across the 11 council areas. 

PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

• Sinn Féin won a plurality of first preferences in 2014 and 2019. 

• The Greens achieved their best ever result in the city in 2019 with 6% of first preference votes bringing home four councillors. People Before Profit tripled their vote and their representation on council (5.2% share, three elected). 

• SDLP fell below 10% of the vote for the first time in 2019.

• The UUP dropped down from seven to just two councillors in 2019, elected with a vote share only marginally above the Greens. 

SINCE 2019

• Carole Howard (formerly Alliance) and John Kyle (formerly PUP, then independent) both joined the Ulster Unionists. 

• Kate Nicholl, Nuala McCallister and Peter McReynolds were elected as MLAs with new councillors co-opted into their seats. Sian Mulholland moved to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council before becoming a North Antrim MLA.

• John Finucane was elected MP for North Belfast in December 2019. 

• Danny Baker was elected to the Assembly in May 2022. 

• Since the end of March, Paul McCusker (originally SDLP) now sits as an independent. 

COMMENTARY

Belfast City Council has been home to some of the biggest personalities in Northern Ireland politics. Naomi Long, John Finucane, Gavin Robinson, Claire Hanna and Reg Empey have all served their time on council in the past. It’s one of the most politically diverse local authorities in Northern Ireland, with representatives drawn from eight parties. Neither unionist nor nationalist blocs command a majority in the council chamber, the only council in Northern Ireland where this is the case.

Sinn Féin are currently the largest party on the council with 18 councillors, with the DUP as the second largest on 15 councillors and the Alliance Party are third with nine councillors. The SDLP are fourth largest with five councillors, while the UUP & the Greens are tied on four each with People Before Profit on three. The Progressive Unionist Party now has just one seat. There is one independent. 

Belfast has a lot of competitive seats up for grabs across the city. For Sinn Féin, they will be hopeful for success in DEAs such as Castle, Titanic and Collin. The DUP will be aiming to secure a second Unionist seat in Oldpark. Alliance will be aiming to gain in Balmoral, Lisnasharragh and Oldpark. 

The other parties will mostly be aiming to defend their ground. The SDLP will hope to hold Lisnasharragh and Castle where they are sitting on the last seats. Collin will also be a tough battle for them with serving councillor Brian Heading standing down. Meanwhile, the SDLP will be targeting a potential gain in Black Mountain which they narrowly lost in 2019. People Before Profit will want to cement gains made in 2019 in Collin and Oldpark (where Fiona Ferguson was back in ninth place in terms of first preferences with just 0.7 of a quota). Similarly, the Greens will be hopeful of holding gains in places like Castle, where party leader Mal O’Hara is seeking a second term. For the UUP, they will be aiming to see recent defector from Alliance, Carole Howard, elected in Ormiston alongside Jim Rogers.

Belfast Insolvency Practitioner warns of weakened business safeguards as NI courts reopen to creditor winding up petitions

Darren Bowman, Restructuring & Insolvency Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore.

The reopening of the Bankruptcy and Companies Master’s Court to creditor winding up petitions will prompt the pursual of a significant number of struggling businesses in Northern Ireland, a Belfast Insolvency Practitioner has warned.

Guidance from the Bankruptcy and Companies Master released last month confirmed that creditors can present winding up petitions to the High Court from 17 April 2023, providing certain administrative criteria are met.

It follows the introduction of the Insolvency (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2023 on 13 March 2023 that effectively ended the three-year restriction on creditor winding up petitions.

From 17 April, new winding up petitions may be presented by any creditor owed more than £750 by a company, provided certain criteria are met including that the petition is grounded on a formal demand made on or after 13 March 2023 that originated from a court judgement, decree, or other similar court order.

Insolvency Practitioner Darren Bowman, a Partner at Belfast accountancy and advisory practice Baker Tilly Mooney Moore said the movement will bring about an increase in the number of winding up petitions, both relating to ‘zombie’ companies as well as many other businesses facing a period of financial distress.

As the creditor petition process returns to normal, he adds that business owners will be best placed to examine the flow of cash within their business, investigate their liabilities and seek expert advice if they are struggling. 

Darren Bowman, Restructuring & Insolvency Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore said:

“The reopening of the High Court to creditors’ winding up petitions is an expected development that represents another step towards normal insolvency practices following the disruption of Covid-19. What businesses need to know now is that as creditors reclaim the mechanism of winding up petitions, there are fewer safeguards and protections in place before the initiation of formal insolvency proceedings.”

“That said, many rescue and recovery options are available including Company Voluntary Arrangements, which are a credible and formal way to getting a business back on track while repaying creditors. In Northern Ireland, there is a wealth of locally accessible advice on debt and insolvency issues and many mechanisms to restore business value and viability exist and should be explored fully. With the insolvency court now open to creditors winding up petitions, businesses should assess their liabilities and seek urgent, expert advice if under financial stress.”