OutForm Consulting to host accredited Lean Competency System training event for manufacturing, infrastructure and utilities professionals

Business transformation consultancy OutForm Consulting is to host a Lean Competency System (LCS) learning event for professionals in the manufacturing, infrastructure, and utilities industries.

Free of charge and open to first line decision makers and project managers in related fields, the training event will take place at The MAC, Belfast on Tuesday 26 September from 12pm – 5.30pm.

Participants who attend and complete the one-day LCS course will receive a Lean certification from Cardiff University and will leave with an understanding of the fundamental ideas and concepts of the framework.

LCS is a globally recognised Lean qualification introduced in 2005 by the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC) at Cardiff University. It has since been adopted by private and public sectors in the UK and internationally.

A leading methodology in the areas of manufacturing, infrastructure and utilities, Lean is about boosting performance, reducing costs, improving employee experience, and delivering better service to customers. Adopted globally, the framework supports businesses to stay viable in volatile, uncertain, and complex markets.

A consultancy that partners with complex organisations in the energy, utilities, construction services and transport spaces to address infrastructure, environmental and regulatory challenges, OutForm places the Lean competency at the core of its problem solving and solutions capability.

The LCS 1a Course will cover the basic principles and conditions of continuous improvement, and how the Lean principles can improve company ways of working. A short drinks reception will follow the event.

Account Director, John Deehan said:

“LCS accreditation plays an important role in supporting lean implementation and in creating a continuous improvement culture, through structured training programmes, project delivery for new ways of working, and certification for employees providing recognition for their achievements. Modern organisations operate in rapidly changing markets and face a multitude of challenges, but Lean has been found to be particularly effective in achieving complex goals. We are pleased to offer this training opportunity out to wider industry professionals and look forward to supporting more organisations to implement tangible and sustainable change.”

OutForm Consulting Account Director, John Deehan

If you or your organisation would like to join OutForm Consulting’s LCS 1a Event, register your interest by emailing: ellen.wilson@outformconsulting.com. Spaces are limited due to exceptional demand.

Electoral Commission Report on 2023 Local Elections in Northern Ireland

This week the Electoral Commission published a report on their findings from the May 2023 local council elections in Northern Ireland. Moreover, they have outlined recommendations to further improve the validity and efficiency of future Northern Ireland elections.

Overall, people have positive views of the election:

·        A total of 1,380,372 people were registered to vote.

·        86% of people were satisfied with the process of registering to vote.

·        97% of voters were satisfied with the process of voting.

·        Four-in-five (80%) were confident that the elections were well-run.

·        Voter turnout up two percentage points to 54.7%.

Issues Identified:

·        Access to Digital Registration Numbers (DRN) - In this election 73% of rejected applications were due to DRN issues.

·        Support for disabled voters –  awareness of the support available was low.

·        Spending limits – candidates could not produce enough materials resulting in 38% of adults feeling they did not have access to information to make an informed decision.

·        Candidate Harassment – 50% of candidates had issues with threats and abuse.

·        Campaigning near polling stations – due to unclear guidelines electorate have noted “guidance to stay a distance from polling stations…is widely ignored by some parties.”

·        Shortage of electoral administrators – a growing number of recruits dropped out ahead of polling day.

The Electorate Commission’s recommendations are as follows:

1.     DRN requirements urgently need to be reviewed given its significant barrier to voting. Legislative change is only viable option to remedy this.

2.     Action needed to protect voter trust and confidence in the system through The Elections Act 2022 amendments and creating positive relationships between the PSNI and PSS to ensure instances of abuse towards candidates is limited. Additionally, the UK Government must review the spending limit of campaigns to ensure better connection with the electorate, enabling them to be fully informed prior to casting their vote.

3.     Review and update the Code of Conduct for canvassing in the vicinity of polling stations, setting out agreed standards on what is acceptable behaviour.

4.     Explore increase of resources and improvements within latter stages of the count process for more efficient and accurate results.

The UK Government should continue to work with the Northern Ireland electorate assessing how it can provide the time and resources to combat these issues effectively.

Cancer Focus NI and Dale Farm urge people to Go Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer Focus NI has unveiled details of its new Go Pink fundraising campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. The charity has also announced dairy co-operative Dale Farm as the official sponsor of the Go Pink campaign.

The campaign is being launched as projections from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) indicate that the number of breast cancer cases diagnosed in Norther Ireland each year will continue to rise.

Official figures from the NICR show that by 2025 the number of breast cancer cases diagnosed each year in Northern Ireland is expected to rise by 27 percent from the annual average in the years 2013 to 2017. For 2040, the projected figure shows a rise of 57 percent in breast cancer cases diagnosed from the 2013 to 2017 annual average.

122 women diagnosed each month

Currently, an average of 122 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each month in Northern Ireland. Through its Go Pink campaign, Cancer Focus NI is urging people to raise as much money as possible for its much-needed local breast cancer support services.

Pink Run

Other Go Pink events include the popular Pink Run at Titanic Slipways, Belfast. Taking place from 12 noon on Sunday 8 October, well-known Belfast fitness coach and influencer, Sarah McDonagh, from Strive Fitness will be sharing tips online to help people of all fitness levels enjoy the 5k and 10k distances, as well as conducting the warm-up sessions ahead of the race.

Styled by Rebecca

Fashion fans are also in for a treat as Rebecca McKinney will be donating a bespoke Go Pink collection and taking over the window of Cancer Focus NI’s retail store in Holywood, Co. Down. The popular stylist and broadcaster will also host a Styled by Rebecca sustainable fashion event on Wednesday 4 October in the Holywood store. Guests will receive advice on breast cancer awareness, enjoy a fashion showcase, have the opportunity to ‘swop and shop’, and savour a glass of pink lemonade and Dale Farm Ice Cream sweet treat on arrival.

MLA Check Your Chest event

On Monday 16 October, Cancer Focus NI is also inviting all local MLAs to a ‘Check your Chest’ event at Stormont.

Schools and workplaces are also being encouraged to get involved in the month-long fundraising and awareness campaign with support and fundraising packs on offer from the charity’s fundraising team.

As part of the Go Pink campaign, sponsors Dale Farm will also be offering several luxury prizes, including five Girls’ Night In giveaways consisting of a Dale Farm Go Pink Rapture Hamper, a selection of Rapture ice cream tubs and a limited Go Pink robe and luxury eye mask. Dale Farm has also curated a collection of Go Pink Rapture recipes for the ultimate ice-cream indulgence, ideal for Girls Night In gatherings or DIY Go Pink fundraising events.

Further information on all of the events and fundraising support on offer as part of Cancer Focus NI’s Go Pink campaign can be found online at cancerfocusni.org.  

Speaking ahead of the campaign, Maeve Colgan, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Cancer Focus NI, said:

“Sadly, figures from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry tell us the number of breast cancer cases diagnosed in Northern Ireland looks set to continue to rise sharply in the coming years. Cancer Focus NI is absolutely delighted, therefore, to have the support of Dale Farm for our Go Pink campaign, as with their backing, we will be able to reach even more people across Northern Ireland this October.

“We are encouraging everyone to join in with our Go Pink campaign, in whatever way they can, in support of our breast cancer support services. Whether it’s having fun with friends at a Girls’ Night In, a coffee morning in your workplace, or an individual donation, you will be playing a vital part in enabling Cancer Focus NI to continue to deliver breast cancer support services such as counselling, bra and swimwear fitting, and support groups to local women and families”.

Claire Hale, Senior Brand Manager, Dale Farm, added:

“Our Dale Farm mission is all about sharing goodness in our local communities, therefore supporting Cancer Focus NI as part of our wider community partnership programme has brought us such pride. At Dale Farm we have a vast range of on-going activities and initiatives to help fundraise for this brilliant charity. We are delighted to continue to play our part by sponsoring the Cancer Focus NI Go Pink campaign. Breast Cancer affects so many people across Northern Ireland. We know the funds raised from this campaign will go a long way in helping Cancer Focus NI raise awareness, fund local breast cancer support services and continue to support families throughout Northern Ireland.’’

Also urging people to support the campaign is Cancer Focus NI client Angela Taylor from Banbridge, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and who now works as a volunteer with the charity. Angela said:

“It’s been a tough few years. I lost everything internally following an earlier hysterectomy, then I lost my hair, and then my breast. I’ve had so many feminine parts of me removed that I no longer feel like a woman. Sometimes I feel like a shell.

“Cancer Focus NI’s counselling service was there for me when I was in need, and it is comforting to know that they will be there for someone in a similar position that I was in. Thank you for supporting their work during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

Twenty-four political, business, and civic leaders selected for Fellowship Programme

Twenty-four leaders from politics, the business community and civic society across Northern Ireland gathered at Parliament Buildings today for the launch of the Fellowship Programme.

The Fellowship Programme is designed to enhance Fellows’ skills and expertise, with a focus on navigating complexities encountered in leadership in Northern Ireland and beyond.

Backed by some of the most successful businesses in Northern Ireland including Allstate NI, Camlin Group, FinTrU, Fujitsu NI, NIE Networks, and Ulster Carpets, as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Irish American Partnership, the Fellowship Programme is delivered by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building in partnership distinguished academics and practitioners along with institutions, including Oxford University and the Royal Irish Academy.

Now in its third year, the six-month programme will see the Fellows undertake workshops, seminars and training in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Dublin and Oxford, which will include media training sessions in a newsroom environment, workshops on climate, energy and sustainability, as well as conflict management and negotiation skills. This year’s cohort of leaders will have the opportunity to engage with academic and business leaders, public figures and policymakers to learn how to tackle some of the most pressing social, political and economic issues in Northern Ireland.

Speakers at the announcement of the new Fellows included Head of the NI Civil Service, Jayne Brady, Fellowship alumna Diane Forsythe MLA, economist and author Michael O’Sullivan, as well as Ulster University Professor Karise Hutchinson.

John Healy, Chair of the Fellowship Advisory Board, said:

“The Fellowship Programme which runs each year is a unique opportunity to gather ambitious leaders from diverse backgrounds to develop their own leadership and spark new conversations for progress and innovation in Northern Ireland”.

“In the absence of a functioning government here, a programme like the Fellowship is vital for a time like this as it encourages leaders to have difficult conversations and overcome obstacles together. We need to invest in the game changing potential of our leaders and the Fellowship is a purposeful way of doing just that”.

“It is heartening to see more leaders come forward with a desire to engender change in Northern Ireland whether that be in the political, business or civic sphere, and I am looking forward to watching each Fellow develop and grow over the next six months”. 

Karise Hutchinson, Professor of Leadership at Ulster University and Vice-Chair of the Fellowship Advisory Board, added:

“This is a programme that this fills me with great optimism for Northern Ireland’s future. Despite our current political stalemate, I am excited to watch this year’s cohort learn from each other’s unique experiences and work together to envisage and imagine solutions and progress for this place that we call home. The Fellowship is a prime opportunity to put our differences aside, form unlikely friendships, and recognise a greater agenda where we can all work towards a shared goal. I am proud to be supporting the launch of this year’s cohort alongside my esteemed colleagues on the Advisory Board”.

The 24 participants of the 2023 CDPB Fellowship programme include:

1. Cllr Rachel Ashe Councillor for Comber DEA (APNI), Ards and North Down Borough Council

2. Lisa Beers, Head of Social Value Unit, Strategic Investment Board

3. Cllr Cheryl Brownlee, Councillor for Carrick Castle DEA (DUP), Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

4. Jason Bunting, Parliamentary Advisor for Sinéad McLaughlin MLA (SDLP)

5. Cllr Sarah Bunting, Councillor for Balmoral DEA (DUP), Belfast City Council

6. Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Audit Office

7. Anne Clarke, Finance Business Partner, NIE Networks

8. Beverley Copeland Director, Organisation Development, Ulster Carpets

9. Gareth Edwards, Vice-President, FinTrU Ltd

10. Deborah Erskine MLA, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA (DUP)

11. Martin Fisher, Head of Northern Ireland, Irish League of Credit Unions

12. Chloe Ferguson, President, NUS-USI (National Union of Students UK in Northern Ireland)

13. Ciarán Fox, Director, Royal Society of Ulster Architects

14. Amy Gribbon, Project Manager, Forthspring Inter Community Group

15. Chris Leech, Community Transformation Coordinator, Emmanuel Church

16. Cllr Tierna Kelly Councillor for Rowallane DEA (APNI) Newry, Mourne & Down District Council

17. Martin McAuley, Director of Communications, Social Democratic and Labour Party

18. Christopher McConnell, Head of Programmes, Engagement & Impact, Department for Communities

19. Paula McKernan, Barrister-at-Law, The Bar of Northern Ireland

20. Adriana Morvaiova Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist, Sensata Technologies

21. Eileen Mullan, Chair, Southern Health and Social Care Trust

22. Áine Murphy MLA, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA (Sinn Féin)

23. Janet Schofield, CEO, CAN (Compass Advocacy Network Ltd)

24. Roísín Wood, CEO, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland

Kainos Bankmore Square development public consultation dates announced

A series of public events will take place later this month to seek views on the new development at Bankmore Square on the Dublin Road in Belfast. The proposed plans include the development of new headquarters for Kainos, alongside purpose-built, managed student accommodation for Queen’s University Belfast.

As part of a pre-application community consultation process, the plans for the new development will be on display to the public at the Clayton Hotel, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, on Monday 25th and Wednesday 27th September at 12 noon to 3pm and 5pm to 8pm on both days.

The consultation materials, images and plans for both projects can be accessed at www.bankmoresquare.com. This will provide everyone with an opportunity to access information about the proposal and provide feedback before any planning application is submitted.

The multimillion-pound development will support Kainos' ongoing expansion and help meet the need for specialist student accommodation in Belfast. The investment is expected to contribute significantly to the regeneration of the city’s Linen Quarter.

If approved, the development will comprise of 85,000 sq ft of Grade A office space with an additional 4,000 sq ft dedicated to ground floor commercial uses, and approximately 475 student rooms.

Full planning applications are expected to be submitted to Belfast City Council in November 2023.

Russell Sloan, incoming CEO of Kainos said:

“This new, contemporary development signals our continuing investment in Belfast. When complete, it will bring renewed character to both the Dublin Road and the Linen Quarter, and will provide significant benefits to businesses, organisations and services around us at Bankmore Square.”

“At the heart of this investment are our people, and our desire to create an exceptional and sustainable workplace for our colleagues to connect and collaborate. Our new office will provide modern office space for up to 1,600 people, creating the capacity for our planned growth in the future.”

Caroline Young, Vice-President of Students and Corporate Services at Queen’s added:

“Having a wide range of high quality, affordable and safe housing options, in close proximity to Queen’s, will ensure we can support the significant increase in demand for this type of student accommodation.”

“With an expected 3,000 more rooms needed in Belfast by 2028 to meet growing demand, this site is an excellent development opportunity which will offer around 475 students new accommodation in a prime location in the heart of the city. It will help to transform the area, while making a significant contribution to the economy and we are excited by the prospect of working with Kainos as we develop this site.”

Family-friendly employment policies compete with salary on candidate wish lists

By Brian Lenehan, HR Consultant at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore as first appeared in the Irish News 08 August 2023

Brian Lenehan, HR Consultant at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore.

Parental leave and family support policies have become a prominent part of talent attraction and retention, and highly competitive in terms of best practice. In 2019, 65% of workers surveyed said they prioritise work-life balance over pay and benefits. With plenty of choice out there for employees seeking a career move, remuneration is no longer the deciding factor on candidate wish lists.

In fact, family friendly employment policies are now up there with high salaries, attractive pension schemes and other flexible working policies. What’s more, they are an opportunity for organisations to promote gender equality by encouraging female participation in the workplace and enabling career progression. 

Today, there are more mothers in work in the UK than at any point in the last 20 years, and organisations are slowly realising that enhanced maternity and paternity leave, time off in lieu, and shared parental leave will both improve the health and wellbeing of their team and increase their productivity and employer value.

Both legislation and employer practice have evolved in this area in recent years as companies, accelerated by the competition for talent, the pandemic and technological advances, seek to transform their approach to flexible work.

Today’s workforces have valid expectations for family support policies, but what does good enough look like, and what is leading practice?

In 2019, Diageo introduced a parental leave policy for all 4,500 of its UK employees, offering both parents 26 weeks of fully paid leave and the option to take more at a reduced rate. Insurance company Aviva operates a similar policy, available equally to men and women in a bid to promote shared parental responsibility and eradicate career impediments for female staff.

Many others, including small businesses, will no doubt also be establishing policies that go beyond the statutory provisions. These policies are about building confidence across the workforce, avoiding mutual distrust between employer and employee around the topic of family planning, and attracting and retaining talented individuals who wish to build a career with the company over many years while also expanding their family.

As well as setting an organisation apart from the crowd, ensuring mothers and fathers have adequate paid leave for the birth of a child is a priority for economic development and achieving greater gender equality. Packages that support family life will not only encourage female labour force participation but can help nurture parent-child interactions and influence the healthy development of the child.

In contrast, on-call shifts, work hour volatility, and short notice of work schedules are associated with childcare difficulties and work-life conflicts, meaning both mothers and fathers on these schedules are likely to miss work.

There is no one size fits all approach, but a company culture that encourages openness on the topic is a good place to start. Companies must look internally at the demographic of their workforce and plan their policies accordingly if they wish to lower staff turnover and see long-term, meaningful return on the investments they make in training and development.

For some this might mean family support policies, while for an older workforce it may be pension and retirement focussed. Other factors critical for recruitment and retention include hybrid working, job design, and location of work.

In a continually evolving workplace, it is vital to be inclusive, flexible and people centric. Against a raging war for talent, a family friendly approach can be a valuable tool as the way employees are treated as they become parents will ultimately have a big impact on their loyalty and desire to stay with the organisation in the longer term.

Local investment & working practices hindered by cross-border tax disparities

By Julie Hamilton, Tax Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore as first published in the Derry News

Julie Hamilton, Tax Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

The pandemic put a spotlight on the taxation issues facing cross-border workers. Though not completely unique to the North West, the situation continues to impact the many people who travel across the border, in and out of Derry and Donegal, between their workplace and home each day.

When the world moved to working from home, cross-border workers found they were liable for double taxation and a host of other complicated obligations just for working from their spare room or kitchen table like their colleagues.

Three years on, the hybrid model remains as one of the lasting impacts of the pandemic, and so the problem has not gone away. Now, it makes it harder for local businesses who genuinely want to offer a flexible working approach to do so, and does nothing to attract investment into the North West.

Businesses in the area are seeking to lay new foundations for growth and take advantage of dual market access to the UK and EU following years of uncertainty over Brexit, but the realities of operating a payroll in two different jurisdictions with varying tax reliefs and completely different tax years is seen as far from ideal. 

Under current tax policy, an employee working in Northern Ireland for an Irish company or vice versa can be taxed in both states.

Transborder workers’ relief mitigates this in part for ROI residents working and paying tax in NI, but only if the work is carried out outside of the individual’s home country (for example in NI), meaning it is not available if they work from home in ROI.

In addition, a business which has employees working in another country needs to consider whether the overseas employees could have created a “Permanent Establishment” abroad, which would lead to additional tax liabilities for the employer.

Then you have the questions over where the individual pays social security, how their pension contributions are operated, and in which jurisdiction do they qualify for maternity pay or sick pay? Combined, these unanswered questions mean that in reality, being a flexible and accommodating employer and remaining competitive in today’s recruitment climate is not that easy at all, and neither is sending an employee to work overseas for even six months.

That said, modified payroll systems that operate across the two jurisdictions and consider their varying tax reliefs are available. Once established, they can automate double tax payroll and can be customised for companies with foreign tax obligations too. This is a solution that will work for some businesses, if put into practice with the support of a tax professional.

What remains, however, is the mismatch over pensions and employee benefits, which is unlikely to be settled in the absence of mutual cross-border tax agreements with Ireland. Detracting also from any incentives or grants available to foreign businesses hoping to set up in the area, it is also serving as an obstacle to investment.

To make this place more agile and receptive to investment, there is a need for alignment on cross-border worker taxation.

Can you see me? Employee visibility in a hybrid world

Consulting Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Donal Laverty discusses employee visibility in a hybrid world, as first published in the Belfast Telegraph 11 July 2023

Donal Laverty, Consulting Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

A recent survey by McKinsey revealed that 87% of Americans prefer working on a hybrid or fully remote basis. This dynamic is widespread across demographics, occupations and geographies, and the work-from-anywhere trend is likely to dominate the rest of the decade.

The hybrid model meets the needs of those stimulated by the office environment without leaving out employees who are more productive working remotely. It is also a complex arrangement that brings new power dynamics and challenges.

One such challenge is employee visibility, an important factor in maintaining fairness, productivity, and morale. The fact that work is no longer confined to one location means employees can easily feel they are being overlooked, and managers can feel out of touch with their team.

With some employees working in the office and others working remotely, there is a natural challenge for remote workers to build relationships and establish a presence within their organisation. 

Teammates may struggle with accessing information and opportunities, staying in the loop of latest decisions, or even gaining enough credit for their work. Yet, connectivity is integral to a positive organisational culture.

One explanation for the issue is proximity bias, the notion that managers pick favorites or build trust and connection with those working closest to them. This can leave others to perceive the situation as a lack of recognition and can quickly evolve into a lack of motivation and valuable contribution to the business.

At the very heart of visibility is trust, and employee needs will differ depending on their level and role within the company. Employers must therefore pay attention to the design of their operations and take steps to improve staff visibility and shine a spotlight on those who may be feeling isolated.

The first step is to understand what kind of visibility teammates of different seniority levels need. By understanding the level of information a person needs for peak performance, leaders can avoid overload while making sure everyone is fully equipped to stay engaged.

Moving discussions and resources online will eliminate the disproportionate advantage office-based teams have over their remote counterparts. Digitisation of systems means everyone can access information instantly or reach out to a colleague, so keeping a documentation hub and sharing information widely is vital.

Also beneficial here are the steps employers take to encourage engagement and visibility. ‘Camera on’ policies and asks for participation in meetings will improve a team’s familiarity with each other and ultimately boost teammate confidence and participation.

Employees are equally responsible for their own development, and so should express their own willingness to actively participate. It’s a simple reality that teammates can’t expect opportunity to come their way if no one knows who they are, so asks for feedback, offers to present at a staff meeting or town hall, and offering to help on additional projects can go a long way. This type of attitude builds mutual respect and can make the employee-manager dynamic a more productive one.

With the new hybrid working trend, organisations from large global corporations to small businesses are figuring out the right approach to combining offline and online work. There is a direct relationship between acknowledgement and involvement with our desire to contribute and embrace our job role and responsibilities. Employers need to first recognise the bias problem that exists, before taking steps to support visibility and the unique needs that come with a dispersed workforce.

Northern Ireland’s employment laws being left behind, warns senior lawyer

A leading local employment lawyer has said Northern Ireland workers and employers are being left in limbo due to the ongoing absence of the Executive.

Ian McFarland, employment partner at Eversheds Sutherland Belfast, has said new legislation and regulations which have come into force in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, coupled with the inability to progress legislation locally, mean Northern Ireland’s employment laws are being left behind compared to neighbouring jurisdictions.

Mr McFarland has highlighted several pieces of legislation which have been enacted in Great Britain last month.  These include new legal rights for parents of children requiring neonatal care, the right to unpaid leave for employees with caring responsibilities, protection for workers who receive tips, and increased rights for employees on or recently returned from family leave in a redundancy situation. Parents in the Republic of Ireland have also been granted stronger working rights to avail of breastfeeding breaks and unpaid leave for carers for medical purposes through provisions in the Work Life Balance Act.

Meanwhile, local legislation, including in relation to gender pay gap reporting, domestic abuse “safe leave”, and zero-hours workers remains on hold pending restoration of the Executive.

It comes as the Department for the Economy’s 10X Delivery Plan 2023/24, published last week, included commitments to ensure “employment relations framework remains fit for purpose”. However, without a minister, policy proposals or new legislation cannot be progressed.

Ian McFarland, Partner – Employment, Eversheds Sutherland Belfast said:

“The ongoing absence of political decision-making in Northern Ireland is having a significant and severe impact on all of our public services including our education system, the health service, our road networks, and much more. However, the lack of an Executive and an Assembly is also putting a halt on bringing forward progressive employment legislation which protects workers and employers alike.

“We’ve seen with recent legislation and regulations which have come into force in Great Britain, and the Republic of Ireland how government can support businesses and workers in the workplace and ensure a commitment to issues of diversity, inclusion, and stronger employment rights, particularly for working families. However, as employment law is devolved to Northern Ireland, none of the new laws will apply here.

“That includes the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 which is expected to come into force next year and will make it unlawful for employers to withhold tips from staff. It also includes stronger protections for parents and caregivers, such as the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act which will give those who are pregnant or recent returned from family related leave priority status for redeployment opportunities in a redundancy situation, as well as the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act which will give families a statutory entitlement to paid leave from work if their baby needs neonatal care.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has utterly changed the world of work and brought with it new challenges and issues for employers and employees to navigate. Governments across these islands are cognisant of this fact and are putting in place new legislation which reflects this new reality. While it is positive that the Department for the Economy is progressing with policy proposals to ensure our employment laws are as up to date as possible, only an Economy Minister will be able to bring forward the new legislation that we need in Northern Ireland to deliver for workers and businesses. The ongoing political paralysis means that our employment laws will remain outdated and unfit for the new working world.”

Keith & Kristyn Getty conclude first World Tour at Sydney Opera House

Keith and Kristyn Getty perform at the Sydney Opera House for the Australian leg of the Sing! World Tour which also saw the couple perform at the SSE Arena in Belfast and the Star Theatre in Singapore.

Northern Irish hymn writers and GRAMMY®-nominated recording artists Keith and Kristyn Getty, known for the song “In Christ Alone,” celebrated a debut performance at the Sydney Opera House yesterday. The concert concluded the Sing! World Tour, which spanned three continents.

Prior to the Australian leg of the tour, the Gettys performed in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the SSE Arena and in Singapore at the Star Theatre. Over 19,000 people attended the various concerts.

The Gettys are no strangers to iconic venues, having previously appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Centre, the Grand Ole Opry House, and London’s Royal Albert Hall. 

Widely considered ambassadors for the hymn genre, Christianity Today named the Gettys “preeminent” hymn writers of our generation who have “changed the way evangelicals worship.” Beginning with “In Christ Alone,” the Gettys have written or published 38 of the 500 most sung songs in US/UK churches. Their original publishers, Integrity Music, estimate that over 100 million people around the globe sing their hymns each year. In 2018, Keith Getty became the first contemporary church musician of the modern era to receive the OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music and hymnody.

The Getty’s global tour incorporated a blend of Celtic music, bluegrass, folk, classical, and gospel, accompanied by a band of virtuosic musicians from Nashville and Ireland. Featured guests included saxophonist Kirk Whalum (known for his collaborations with Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross), jazz vocalist Dana Masters (longtime background singer with Van Morrison), leading Australian children’s TV personality and country singer Colin Buchanan, contemporary worship artists CityAlight and Matt Papa, and classical group New Irish Arts.

Throughout the tour the Gettys featured selections from their GRAMMY®-nominated album Confessio: Irish American Roots, which they described as a “love letter to Northern Ireland.” The record includes Celtic and folk arrangements of classic hymns alongside original repertoire. Many of the songs featured on the tour were first performed at the Sing! Conference in Nashville, which the Gettys founded in 2017. The event, taking its name from the Gettys' book Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, has grown into an annual music festival attended by thousands both in Nashville and online.

The Sing! World Tour will continue in the upcoming years, with the Gettys planning to lead the singing at the Fourth Lausanne Congress in Seoul, South Korea in 2024, and to host concerts in Latin America and Africa in 2025. The Gettys have also announced a Christmas tour throughout the United States in December 2023 including appearances at Carnegie Hall and The Museum of the Bible.

Speaking as the Gettys first world tour concluded at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Keith Getty OBE, said:

“It was an utter privilege and delight on our first visit to Australia to fill the Sydney Opera House with congregational singing—hymns old and new that stir our hearts with the beauty of Christ.”

Kristyn Getty, added:

“Our debut performance at the Sydney Opera House has been a humbling experience. To stand on such a well-known stage and yet remember that each of us is merely a jar of clay in the hands of the Lord, a vessel for his truth and goodness and beauty – and to hear the global people of God raise their voices in awe and wonder at the good news of Christ, has been nothing short of extraordinary”.