Opportunity Brexit? Institutional Economic Implications for Northern Ireland

Dr Graham Brownlow (QUB) The vote for Brexit has created a situation where economic policy, to a certain extent, is developing faster than textbook theory. Northern Ireland’s economic predicament is a combination of UK-wide processes, more intense forms of UK-wide problems and processes unique to the region. The speed, sequence and ‘architecture’ of regional economic … Read more

The EU referendum Vote in Northern Ireland: Implications for our understanding of citizens’ political views and behaviour

Prof John Garry (QUB) Politics in Northern Ireland is typically dominated by the ethno-national divide between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists. The EU referendum presents an opportunity for a major political issue to cross-cut this division, with variation in both communities on the issue of EU membership. In this presentation I use data from a … Read more

Using the planning system to secure health and well-being benefits

Prof Geraint Ellis (QUB) The Northern Ireland planning system is now primarily seen as a mechanism for coordinating and facilitating development, with the aim of delivering opportunities for economic growth. However, in managing our built environment, it also plays a major – but often unseen – role in shaping peoples’ lives by creating (or constraining) … Read more

Enhancing the effectiveness of planning enforcement in Northern Ireland

Dr Stephen McKay (QUB) The Northern Ireland planning system has witnessed major reform in 2015, with key responsibilities being transferred to new local authorities. There are far-reaching consequences of this relating to the future management of development and the production of a new generation of area plans. This will also have an impact on arrangements … Read more

Formal and informal translation and interpretation for immigrants and asylum seekers

Dr Caroline Linse (QUB) As of 2011 there were over 50,000 migrants, who speak a language other than English or Irish at home, residing in Northern Ireland. Many of these individuals do not possess adequate levels of English language proficiency in order to access services. Research funded by the Northern Ireland Inclusion and Diversity Service … Read more

Translating Values: Insights from Multilingual and Multiethnic Focus Groups in Northern Ireland

Dr Piotr Blumczyński (QUB) and Prof John Gillespie (Ulster) Culture revolves around values: they hold the cultural community together and underpin the mutual interests. A cultural group whose members hold opposite or otherwise incompatible values is hardly conceivable, which demonstrates that the concept of culture is predicated on shared values. However, values are often “invisible” … Read more

Supporting General Practitioners in Northern Ireland in the care of dementia patients as they near the end of life

Dr Gillian Carter (QUB) The general practitioner (GP) is in a pivotal position to initiate and adapt end of life care for their patients living with dementia. A postal survey was conducted to gauge GPs’ perceptions of the provision of good quality palliative care in dementia in Northern Ireland. The survey was also conducted in … Read more

Adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID): Transitioning into Older Years

Dr Lisa Hanna-Trainor and Dr Laurence Taggart (Ulster) People with intellectual disabilities are living longer and many are living with ageing family carers: this presents challenges surrounding how services respond to the needs of both cohorts. This is a fundamental issue for policy makers, commissioners and Trusts in organising how services are planned, funded and … Read more

Brexit and Britain’s Borders

Dr Cathal McCall (QUB) A United Kingdom (UK) exit from the European Union (EU) poses significant questions for the UK’s borders, the most pertinent of which are: would there be a need for a hard border? If so, where would it run? The primary goal of the Leave campaign is to halt the influx of … Read more