Media updates from the Economic Policy Centre

COVID-19 and the Northern Ireland economy

15 May 2020

Spend it like Stormont - A focus on public finances

12 June 2019

Our public services are under pressure like never before” is the opening line of Below the Radar TV’s documentary for BBC Northern Ireland on public finances in Northern Ireland.

UUEPC Advisory Board Appointee

6 November 2018

The Ulster University Economic Policy Centre appoints Gerry McGinn as an independent member to its Advisory Board

Real case of glass half full or half empty. NI best growth of service exports 2015-16. But low base

24 October 2018

On Wednesday the UK statistics agency (Office for National Statistics) published new (experimental) data relating to levels of service sector exports from each of the major UK regions/nations.

Even though there are several positives in the economy, wage stagnation will catch up on us eventually, insists economist

16 October 2018

Northern Ireland’s economic performance continues to remain broadly positive. Unemployment is near record lows and the economy is undergoing the process of rebalancing to be more private sector-led through a booming jobs market.

A shrinking economy leads to missing billions: Negative NI growth in Quarter 1 2018

19 July 2018

NI output indicated as 0.3% down in Q1 2018. Even more significant the growth wedge NI compared to UK average continues. Here 6% below peak. There up 10%.

NHS at 70: Time for the big questions

3 July 2018

The NHS has had its achievements. Life expectancy is up by 13 years in England since 1948. However, many indicators imply there is a growing gap between the UK and many other countries.

NHS at 70: Many happy returns or quite sickly?

29 May 2018

The 5 July will mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the NHS. This anniversary marks a good point at which to ask questions about how well the NHS been performing and whether the funding model is sustainable?

The 1998 Belfast Agreement and the Economy

30 March 2018

As we approach the 20th anniversary of the 1998 political agreement there is an understandable interest in how the economy has performed over the last 20 years.

Some progress in NI labour market but still a mixed picture

23 March 2018

Wednesday’s data from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) show continued decline in unemployment to 3.2% in the quarter November 2017-January 2018.

Changes to the Northern Ireland economy since the Belfast Agreement

20 March 2018

Twenty years on, the Agreement has obviously been very important in political terms but how much difference has it made to Northern Ireland’s economic life?

NI and the UK Spring Statement: Reasonable short term prospects but longer term much less clear

13 March 2018

Last Autumn Chancellor Hammond indicated that instead of two major fiscal events each year, he would consolidate this into a main Budget each Autumn and a Spring Statement each March.

NI’s Budget and UK Spring Statement coming along: What to expect

7 March 2018

Two major budgetary events may coincide next week, with the Northern Ireland Budget and the first UK Spring Statement where the Chancellor will respond to latest OBR forecasts.

Northern Ireland’s productivity shortfall continues in the most recent data

12 February 2018

The latest ONS productivity data confirm substantial NI productivity shortfall during early 2000s-2016. And little sign of narrowing of that gap in recent years

Bridging Budgetary Gaps: Scotland and Northern Ireland

30 January 2018

Is there anything we can learn from the recent Scottish Draft Budget 2018-19 in comparison to the Department of Finance Briefing on Northern Ireland Budgetary Outlook 2018-20?

Our greatest economic challenge: Low productivity

25 January 2018

Keynote Address by Dr Esmond Birnie to Vodafone’s Productivity Nation Conference (25 January, Titanic Drawing Rooms)

Seeing ourselves as others see us? Looking at NI’s budget dilemmas from the perspective of Scotland’s draft budget

24 January 2018

On the eve of Burns’ Night, is there anything Northern Ireland can learn from Scotland’s draft Budget for 2018-19?

The Month of Two Budgets: What to expect in the UK Budget 2017

22 November 2017

This is an new institution- a single, annual UK Budget instead of the previous pattern of a March Budget and an Autumn Statement.

Deal or No Deal: Economic consequences of creeping Direct Rule

26 October 2017

At the end of this week, Northern Ireland may be entering a political twilight zone or the shadowlands- the gap between two deadlines (as previously stated by the Secretary of State).

What the OECD makes of the Northern Ireland economy

20 October 2017

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is one of the leading international economic commentators