Developments impacting Northern Ireland. What you need to know this week
Mike Nesbitt set to be sole UUP leadership candidate
On Tuesday (27 August) Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed that he will run to become Leader of the UUP, seven years after originally standing down from the position. Former Leader Doug Beattie stepped down last week (19 August), citing “irreconcilable differences” with party officers. According to BBC News, Mr Nesbitt is the only MLA to put his name forward for nomination, meaning that deputy Leader Robbie Butler and East Antrim MLA John Stewart will not run for leadership as had been expected. In a statement, Mr Butler said: “A revised and refreshed leadership team of the UUP, led by Mike Nesbitt, is an exciting opportunity”. If Mr Nesbitt is ratified as leader, he will be the first person to have held the role twice. He is also expected to retain his role as Health Minister.
What Next: Nominations for the role close at 16:30 this Friday (30 August), and an extraordinary general meeting will be held on 14 September to ratify or elect the new leader.
Colum Eastwood announces resignation as SDLP leader
Colum Eastwood announced yesterday (29 August) that he will formally resign as leader of the SDLP at the party conference on 5 October. Mr Eastwood, who has led the SDLP since 2015, said he was standing down to re-energise the party and “give someone else a chance”. According to BBC News, Mr Eastwood said his focus will now be representing the people of Derry~Londonderry as Foyle MP and working with the New Ireland Commission, a body he set up to look at Irish reunification. When asked about his successor, he endorsed South Belfast and Mid Down MP Claire Hanna, adding that she would be “far and away the best option for members”. The Leader of the SDLP at Stormont Matthew O’Toole MLA has also given Hanna his backing. and First Minister Michelle O’Neill wished Mr Eastwood well and said they had worked together in “protecting the Good Friday Agreement and the all-island economy”.
What Next: Mr Eastwood will remain as leader until a successor is chosen by the party. The SDLP annual conference takes place on 5 October 2024 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
CIH issues urgent call to action to tackle NI housing crisis in new report
On Thursday 29 August, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Ireland launched a report outlining a series of strategic policy priorities aimed at addressing the housing and homelessness challenges facing Northern Ireland. The report titled: An agenda for change : tackling the housing and homelessness crisis calls on the Department for Communities and Department for Infrastructure to take a series of “vital preventative measures” to “prevent an escalation” of Northern Ireland’s housing and homelessness crisis. The key measures proposed in the report include
call for a reversal of cuts to the social housing capital budget alongside substantial increases in capital funding dedicated to housing, reform of NI Water and the “urgent establishment” of a dedicated housing decarbonisation fund to reduce
carbon emissions in the housing sector.
What Next: Justin Cartwright, national director of CIH Northern Ireland, said the crisis requires “bold, immediate action” adding that the report lays out a “clear roadmap for government to overcome the identified challenges”.
Stakeholder Watch
Construction Employers Federation: “In the latest @BUILDERMAG, CEF CEO @mspence001 says the NI Executive must step up and make difficult decisions to prevent economic decline, including increasing investment in water infrastructure which is the single biggest cause of the growing housing crisis.”
Sam McBride: “These are the maps which NI Water has been showing developers, setting out the parts of NI in which approval of building development (not just houses) is now totally or virtually halted. Meanwhile, Executive ministers seem more focused on amassing PR photos of themselves…” Click here to see the maps.
Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald: “Good to have an introductory meeting with [Irish Finance Minister] @jackfchambers today [29 August] and I look forward to working together on shared priorities to deliver for people across the island.”
Sorcha Eastwood MP: [following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s speech (Tuesday 27 August) “A housing crisis, lack of investment in infrastructure & services, lack of investment in cancer R&D, children with SEN not getting adequate or basic support- we know it’s not good- tell us the plan for making it better & we will bust a gut to deliver, we need vision & leadership!”
Tourism NI: “Tourism NI has welcomed today’s new NISRA figures which indicate visitors to NI spent a record £1.2 billion in 2023, generated from 5.4 million overnights trips taken in the region, Of these, 60% of were taken by those from outside of NI – https://shorturl.at/OVijh”
NI Water documents obtained by the Belfast Telegraph set out 23 cities, towns and villages in NI where development can no longer take place due to the inadequacies of the sewerage network. The wastewater system is full in many areas and subsequently no new building can take place, including much of Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, Ballymena, Enniskillen and Newtownabbey. NI Water said it is aware of 37,000 buildings which may want to connect to the wastewater system over the next few years, and of those approximately 19,000 will not be able to connect. NI Water highlighted that it has a resource budget shortfall of £40m and a capital budget shortfall of £145m. NI Water told the Belfast Telegraph it has to operate “within the funding available”, but that it had worked with developers to identify “possible ways” properties “may be able to connect to the wastewater system”.
Sinn Féin has increased its lead as Northern Ireland’s largest party in a new LucidTalk poll, with a 12-point lead over the DUP at 30%. This marks an increase in one point from the last Assembly poll in May 2024. The poll also found that support for the DUP is down 3 points to 18%, with the UUP and the TUV increasing their vote share by one point each. However, the research was largely conducted prior to Doug Beattie’s resignation last week and could since be affected. Alliance remains unchanged in its spot as the third largest party with 15%, and the SDLP is also unchanged with 8% but has been overtaken by the TUV as the fifth largest party.
Figures from the NI Retail Consortium (NIRC) revealed that riots in Belfast in early August affected retailers in the city, with very poor high street footfall recorded for the first half of the month. Director of the NIRC Neil Johnston said the
impact was clear with Belfast seeing a 0.2% decline when compared to last year, but he added that the “last two weeks of August have been quite good”. Despite the disorder, there was growth of 1.4% in footfall across all of August, which marked the best performance of all UK regions, according to the Belfast Telegraph. Commenting on the findings, Mr Johnston said: “We very much hope that retailers and their staff can concentrate on continuing to work to provide vibrant shopping experiences for their customers and that there is no further disruption”.
Yesterday (29 August) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn announced the appointment of Mairead Holder as a Commissioner to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Ms Holder will take up the appointment with effect from 1 September 2024. The Secretary of State also announced the appointment of Nazia Latif to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Ms Latif will take up the appointment with effect from 1 September 2024 for a period of three years.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has extended the appointment of Professor Siobhan O’Neill as the Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland. The Mental Health Champion’s tenure is for a period of three years and the current appointment is due to come to an end on 29 August 2024. Mr Nesbitt said: “I am delighted that Professor O’Neill has accepted an offer to extend her appointment as MHC for a further three years”.
Muir seeks progress on EU Exit issues including veterinary medicine supplies
On Thursday 29 August, Minister of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Afffairs Andrew Muir MLA raised a range of issues, including EU Exit and the supply of Veterinary Medicines, during meetings with the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Mental Health Strategy Delivery Plan 2024/25 published
On Wednesday 28 August, the Mental Health Strategy Delivery Plan for 2024/25 was published by the Department of Health. This plan is the third annual delivery plan to be published under the Mental Health Strategy 2021-31. It sets out the key priority actions that will be delivered during 2024/25, as well as details on progress against the 2023/24 annual delivery plan.
Department for Infrastructure seeks views on fututre transport proposals in North West
On Tuesday 21 August, the Department for infrastructure encouraged the public to share their views on the North West Transport Plan 2035 as it works with Derry City and Strabane District Council and others across the North West region to begin drafting proposals for the plan.
Across the Border
Michael McGrath interviewed by Ursula Von der Leyen ahead of EU commissioner portfolio decision
Ireland’s nominee for the country’s next EU commissioner, Michael McGrath, was interviewed by Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday, as the European Commission president weighs up what portfolios to hand out to commissioners, writes the Irish Times this week. An announcement on what portfolios will be given to commissioners put forward by each EU country is expected in the second week of September. Ireland has said it is interested in a finance-related role for Mr McGrath, who stepped down as minister for finance earlier this year to take on the EU job. However, the paper notes that his chances of securing a powerful portfolio could be hampered by several factors including that Fianna Fáil’s four MEPs voted against Ms von der Leyen in a European Parliament vote that confirmed her reappointment as president of the EU’s executive arm for another five years.
Government awarded B- grade for delivery of climate commitments
A panel of independent experts who annually assess delivery of the climate commitments in the Programme for Government has awarded the Government a ‘B minus’ grade this year and said Ireland has turned a corner away from
being a climate policy laggard. However, the experts who complied this fourth and final Report Card for Friends of the Earth concluded that the PfG commitments were not strong enough to achieve a truly sustainable society or meet our national and international climate targets. They identified six areas where the next Government would need to make additional commitments, from planning for fossil fuel phase out and sustainable agriculture to public engagement and the alignment of state agencies with climate obligations.
SF rolls out policies as it prepares for a November election
Sinn Féin says it is planning for a November general election as the party unveiled plans on Thursday this week [29 August] to give 100,000 more students a school bus place. Spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty said that policies are being rolled out to show voters that “real change is possible” and that there is an option outside of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, according to RTÉ News. The school bus plan is costed at €250 million and it would see transport made available to primary school students living 1km from their school. Secondary students living 2km from a school would also qualify for the scheme under the five year plan.
What we’re reading
Disgusting problem means building now totally halted in 23 parts of NI – and Stormont is to blame
Sam McBride writes in the Belfast Telegraph that over recent weeks, NI Water has been giving chilling briefings to developers. Industry veterans hardened to Stormont’s incompetence and the inadequacies of the sewerage network have expressed alarm at what they’ve been told — and can’t understand why so few people in power seem concerned.NI Water documents obtained by the Belfast Telegraph set out starkly what’s happening. With the wastewater system full in many areas, NI Water says there cannot be any new building at all.The documents set out 23 cities, towns and villages where — either in parts of those areas or their entirety — no development whatsoever can now take place, save in extreme situations such as where a factory is shut and a developer builds something on the site which doesn’t add to the sewage load.This includes much of Belfast, Londonderry, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Newtownabbey, Portadown and other major conurbations.
Forward Look
Monday 2 September 2024
UK Parliament returns from Summer Recess
Tuesday 3 September 2024
NI Assembly returns from Summer Recess
Saturday 14 September – Tuesday 17 September 2024 Liberal Democrats Autumn Conference 2024: Brighton
Wednesday 18 September
Oireachtas returns from Summer Recess
Friday 20 September – Saturday 21 September 2024
DUP Party Conference 2024: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaws Bridge, Belfast.
Sunday 22 – Wednesday 25 September 2024 Labour Party Annual Party Conference: Liverpool
Friday 27 – Saturday 28 September 2024
Sinn Féin Ard Fheis: Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone
Saturday 28 September 2024
UUP Autumn Conference: Crowne Plaza, Belfast
Sunday 29 September – Wednesday 2 October 2024 Conservative Party Annual Conference: Birmingham
Saturday 5 October 2024
SDLP Annual Party Conference: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast
Monday 7 October 2024
UK Parliament returns from Conference Recess
Thursday 17 – Friday 18 October 2024
NIFHA Annual Conference: Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen
At Chambré, our strategic communications approach is fundamentally about providing insight, building relationships and informing policy.
To get the Chambré Weekly Bulletin by email, sign up here.
Discover more from Slugger O’Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
