Northern Ireland 2013
Transcript of Northern Ireland 2013
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Northern Ireland 2013Published online: 13 Aug 2014.
To cite this article: (2014) Northern Ireland 2013, Irish Political Studies, 29:3, 393-456,DOI: 10.1080/07907184.2014.937909
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07907184.2014.937909
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Northern Ireland 2013
1. Northern Ireland Devolved Government
Table 1.1. Northern Ireland Office (31 December 2013)
Position Name Party
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers ConMinister of State Andrew Robathan1 ConShadow Secretary of State Ivan Lewis2 Lab
1With effect from 7 October, Andrew Robathan replaced Mike Penning.2With effect from 7 October, Ivan Lewis replaced Vernon Coaker.
Table 1.2. Northern Ireland Executive (31 December 2013)
Portfolio Name Party
First Minister Peter Robinson DUPDeputy First Minister Martin McGuinness SFJunior Minister Jonathan Bell DUPJunior Minister Jennifer McCann SFAgriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Michelle O’Neill SFCulture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) Caral Nı Chuilın SFEducation (DENI) John O’Dowd SFEmployment and Learning (DEL) Stephen Farry APEnterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Arlene Foster DUPEnvironment (DoE) Mark H. Durkan1 SDLPFinance and Personnel (DFP) Simon Hamilton2 DUPHealth, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSS and PS) Edwin Poots DUPRegional Development (DRD) Danny Kennedy UUPSocial Development (DSD) Nelson McCausland DUPJustice (DoJ) David Ford AP
1With effect from 16 July, Mark H. Durkan replaced Alex Attwood.2With effect from 29 July, Simon Hamilton replaced Sammy Wilson.Source: http://www.northernireland.gov.uk
Irish Political Studies, 2014Vol. 29, No. 3, 393–456, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07907184.2014.937909
# 2014 Political Studies Association of Ireland
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Table 1.3. Significant political reports 2013
Date Main author(s) Report
25 March NI Affairs Committee Draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions)Bill (Second Report)
10 April Dr Paul Nolan Community Relations Council: Peace MonitoringReport (Number 2)
23 May OFMDFM Together: Building a United Community (StrategyProposals)
3 July HMIC Inspection of the Police Service of NorthernIreland Historical Enquiries Team
21 November Judge Peter Smithwick Final report of the Smithwick Tribunal21 November CJINI A review of the cost and impact of dealing with
The Past on Criminal Justice Organisations inNI
13 December DEA Commissioner Recommendations for the Grouping of Wards intoDistrict Electoral Areas in Northern Ireland
31 December The Panel of Parties inthe NI Executive
An Agreement among the Parties of the NIExecutive on Parades, Select Commemorations,and Related Protests; Flags and Emblems; andContending with the Past (Haass proposals)
1.1. Other Bodies
Table 1.1.1. Northern Ireland Policing Board (31 December 2013)
Name Role Party
Anne Connolly Chair IndStuart MacDonnell Vice-Chair IndBrian Rea Independent Member IndGearoid O hEara Independent Member IndJonathan Craig Political Member DUPRyan Feeney Independent Member IndRoss Hussey Political Member UUPGerry Kelly Political Member SFAlastair Ross1 Political Member DUPDolores Kelly2 Political Member SDLPDavid McIlveen Political Member DUPChris Lyttle3 Political Member APRobin Newton4 Political Member DUPJoan O’Hagan Independent Member Ind
(Continued )
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Table 1.1.1. (Continued)
Name Role Party
Brian Rowntree Independent Member IndCaitriona Ruane Political Member SFPat Sheehan Political Member SFBrice Dickson Independent Member IndDeborah Watters Independent Member Ind
1With effect from 11 September, Alastair Ross replaced Ian McCrea.2With effect from 10 September, Dolores Kelly replaced Conall McDevitt.3With effect from 21 October, Chris Lyttle replaced Trevor Lunn.4With effect from 7 May, Robin Newton replaced Sammy Douglas.Source: http://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk
Table 1.1.2. Parades Commission (31 December 2013)
Name
Anne Henderson (Chair)Sarah HavlinColin KennedyFrances McCartneyPaul Hutchinson
Source: http://www.paradescommission.org
2. State of the Parties
2.1. Northern Ireland Assembly
Table 2.1.1. Northern Ireland Assembly (31 December 2013)
Party No. of seats
Democratic Unionist Party 38Sinn Fein 29Social Democratic and Labour Party 14Ulster Unionist Party 13Alliance 8NI211 2Green Party 1Traditional Unionist Voice 1UK Independence Party 1
(Continued )
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Table 2.1.1. (Continued)
Party No. of seats
Independent 1Total 108
1With effect from 6 June, John McCallister sat as a NI21 MLA. McCallister was elected in2011 as a UUP MLA, before sitting as an Independent from 15 February 2013.With effect from 6 June, Basil McCrea sat as a NI21 MLA. McCrea was elected in 2011 as aUUP MLA, before sitting as an Independent from 4 March 2013.Source: A full list of the members of the Northern Ireland Assembly is available at:http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/search.aspx
Table 2.1.2. Membership change in Northern Ireland Assembly 2013
Party New member Replaced Constituency Date
SDLP Fearghal McKinney Conall McDevitt South Belfast 16 SeptemberSinn Fein Ian Milne Francie Molloy Mid-Ulster 8 April
Source: http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/search.aspx
Table 2.1.3. Gender breakdown in Northern Ireland Assembly by party(31 December 2013)
Party
Men Women
Number % Number %
Democratic Unionist Party 33 87 5 13Sinn Fein 19 66 10 34Social Democratic and Labour Party 12 86 2 14Ulster Unionist Party 11 85 2 15Alliance 6 75 2 25NI21 2 100 0 0Green Party 1 100 0 0Traditional Unionist Voice 1 100 0 0UK Independence Party 1 100 0 0Independent 1 100 0 0Total 87 81 21 19
Source: http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/search.aspx
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2.2. Westminster
Table 2.2.1. UK House of Commons (31 December 2013)
Party No. of seats
Democratic Unionist Party 8Social Democratic and Labour Party 3Sinn Fein 5Alliance 1Independent 1Total 18
Source: http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/
2.3. European Parliament
Table 2.3.1. Northern Ireland Members of the European Parliament (31 December 2013)
Member Party Grouping
Diane Dodds DUP Non-attachedMartina Anderson Sinn Fein European United Left – Nordic Green LeftJames Nicholson UUP European Conservatives and Reformists
Source: www.europarl.europa.eu
2.4. Local Government
Table 2.4.1. Northern Ireland District Councils (31 December 2013)
Party No. of seats Change since 2011 election
Democratic Unionist Party 178 +3Sinn Fein 134 24Ulster Unionist Party 98 21Social Democratic and Labour Party 87 0Alliance 43 21Others 42 +3Total 582
Source: Councillor details are available on individual District Council websites:http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
Data Section – Northern Ireland 397
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Table 2.4.2. Distribution of seats on the 26 district councils (31 December 2013)
District Council DUP UUP SF SDLP APNI Others No. of seats
Antrim 5 5 4 3 2 0 19Ards 11 6 0 1 4 1 23Armagh 4 6 6 5 0 1 22Ballymena 12 4 2 2 1 3 24Ballymoney 9 1 2 1 0 3 16Banbridge 5 7 2 2 1 0 17Belfast 16 3 16 8 6 2 51Carrickfergus 8 4 0 0 3 2 17Castlereagh 11 3 0 2 6 1 23Coleraine 8 6 1 3 2 2 22Cookstown 3 3 6 4 0 0 16Craigavon 9 6 8 2 1 0 26Derry 5 1 10 14 0 0 30Down 3 3 4 9 1 3 23Dungannon 6 4 8 3 0 1 22Fermanagh 4 6 9 3 0 1 23Larne 4 3 1 1 3 3 15Limavady 3 2 6 3 0 1 15Lisburn 15 4 4 2 3 2 30Magherafelt 3 2 9 2 0 0 16Moyle 2 3 3 3 0 4 15Newry and Mourne 1 3 13 9 0 4 30Newtownabbey 12 5 2 1 5 0 25North Down 12 4 0 0 5 4 25Omagh 3 3 10 3 0 2 21Strabane 4 1 8 1 0 2 16
Source: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
Table 2.4.3. Gender breakdown in Northern Ireland Local Councils by Party(31 December 2013)
Party
Men Women
Number % Number %
Democratic Unionist Party 138 78 40 22Sinn Fein 94 70 40 30Ulster Unionist Party 83 85 15 15
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Table 2.4.3. (Continued)
Party
Men Women
Number % Number %
Social Democratic and Labour Party 60 69 27 31Alliance 24 56 19 44Other 35 83 7 17Total 434 75 148 25
Source: Councillor details are available on individual local council websites:http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
2.5. Party Finances
Table 2.5.1. Political party accounts
Party Income Expenditure Surplus/deficit
DUP 479,360 293,908 185,452Sinn Fein1 1,090,792 1,154,660 263,868UUP 381,404 366,057 15,347SDLP 338,177 351,622 213,445Alliance 197,490 124,740 72,750
Note: Figures are for the year ended 31 December 2012 and are taken from ‘Central Party’accounts only.1Sinn Fein accounts are for units registered in Northern Ireland only.Source: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance
3. Parliamentary Committees
Table 3.1. Northern Ireland MPs on House of Commons Select Committees(31 December 2013)
Member Party Committee
Jeffrey Donaldson DUP DefenceMargaret Ritchie SDLP Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Source: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees
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Table 3.2. Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee (31 December 2013)
Member Constituency Party
Laurence Robertson (Chair) Tewkesbury ConservativeDavid Anderson Blaydon LabourJoe Benton Bootle LabourOliver Colvile Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport ConservativeStephen Hepburn Jarrow LabourLady Sylvia Hermon North Down IndependentKate Hoey Vauxhall LabourNaomi Long East Belfast AllianceJack Lopresti Filton and Bradley Stoke ConservativeAlasdair McDonnell South Belfast SDLPNigel Mills Amber Valley ConservativeIan Paisley Jr North Antrim DUPAndrew Percy Brigg and Goole ConservativeDavid Simpson Upper Bann DUP
4. Assembly Committees
Table 4.1. Departmental committee chairpersons
Chairperson Committee Party
Paul Frew Agriculture and Rural Development DUPMichelle McIlveen Culture, Arts and Leisure DUPMervyn Storey Education DUPRobin Swann Employment and Learning UUPPatsy McGlone Enterprise, Trade and Investment SDLPAnna Lo Environment APDaithi McKay Finance and Personnel SFMaeve McLaughlin Health, Social Services and Public Safety SFPaul Givan Justice DUPMike Nesbitt Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister UUPJimmy Spratt Regional Development DUPAlex Maskey Social Development Committee SF
Note: Details on membership of Departmental, Ad hoc and Joint Committees are available at:http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Committees
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Table 4.2. Assembly standing committees
Chairperson Committee Party
Stephen Moutray Assembly and Executive Review DUPDanny Kinihan Audit UUPWilliam Hay Business The SpeakerGerry Kelly Procedures SFMichaela Boyle Public Accounts Committee SFAlastair Ross Standards and Privileges DUP
Source: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Committees
Table 4.3. Committee reports and inquiries (2013)
Committee ReportDate
published
Assembly and ExecutiveReview
Review of D’Hondt, Community Designationand Provisions for Opposition
18 June
Audit Report on the Estimate of the Northern IrelandAudit Office 2013–2014
19 February
Culture, Arts and Leisure Inquiry on Maximising the Potential of theCreative Industries
14 February
Investigation into Gaps in Child Protection andSafeguarding across the Culture, Arts andLeisure Remit
15 October
Education Report on the Education Bill 8 AprilReport on a fact-finding visit to Scotland 16 October
Employment and Learning Committee for Employment and Learning VisitReport – Geneva, Switzerland 4–7 March2013
23 May
Inquiry into Careers Education, Information,Advice and Guidance in Northern Ireland
16 October
Enterprise, Trade andInvestment
Report on the Committee’s Review intoElectricity Policy Part 1: Security of ElectricitySupply
28 November
Environment Final Report on the Committee’s Inquiry intoUsed Tyre Disposal
25 April
Report on the Planning Bill 6 JuneReport on the Carrier Bags Bill 26 November
Finance and Personnel Report on the Civil Service (Special Advisors)Bill
13 February
Report on the Legislative Consent Motion:Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill
12 June
Report on the Public Service Pensions Bill 27 NovemberReport on the Financial Provisions Bill 11 December
(Continued )
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Table 4.3. (Continued)
Committee ReportDate
published
Health, Social Services andPublic Policy
Review of Health Inequalities Report 17 January
Report on the Care Bill 2013 Legislative ConsentMotion
13 May
Report on the Tobacco Retailers Bill 9 OctoberReport on the Health and Social Care
(Amendment) Bill4 December
Justice Report on the Legislative Consent Motion toAllow the inclusion of Amendments to CourtRule-Making Procedures in the NorthernIreland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
12 September
Office of First Minister andDeputy First Minister
Report on the Antarctic Bill Legislative ConsentMotion
25 February
Assembly Committees – Priorities for EuropeanScrutiny in 2013
24 April
Report on Proposals for a Northern Ireland PublicServices Ombudsman Bill
27 June
Report on the Legislative Consent MotionIntellectual Property Bill – Freedom ofInformation Provisions
23 October
Report on Delivering Social Change SignatureProgrammes Event
11 December
Procedures Inquiry into Topical Questions 19 MarchPublic Accounts Report on the Northern Ireland Housing
Executive: Management of ResponseMaintenance Contracts
20 February
Report on the Safety of Services Provided byHealth and Social Care Trusts
27 February
Report on Invest NI: A Performance Review 24 AprilReport on Improving Literacy and Numeracy
Achievement in Schools29 May
Report on the NIFRS: An OrganisationalAssessment and Review of DepartmentalOversight and Report on Accounts 2011–2012
25 September
Report on DCAL: Management of Major CapitalProjects
9 October
Report on Department of Finance andPersonnel – Collaborative Procurement andAggregated Demand
11 December
Regional Development Report on the Water and Sewerage Services(Amendment) Bill
23 January
Inquiry into the Better Use of Public andCommunity Sector Funds for the Delivery OfBus Transport in Northern Ireland
22 May
(Continued )
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Table 4.3. (Continued)
Committee ReportDate
published
Report on the Inquiry into ComprehensiveTransport Delivery Structures
18 September
Social Development Report on the Welfare Reform Bill 14 FebruaryReport on the Licensing of Pavement Cafes Bill 12 December
Standards and Privileges Second Report on the Unauthorised Disclosure ofa Draft Report of the Public AccountsCommittee
13 March
Annual Report of the Assembly Commissionerfor Standards
27 May
Report on a Complaint Against Pat Ramsey MLAfrom Mr Bertie Faulkner OBE
5 June
Report on a Complaint Against Mr DominicBradley MLA
5 June
Report on a Complaint Against Mr Alex MaskeyMLA
23 September
Note: Each of the 18 committees published an ‘End of Session Report 1 September 2012–31August 2013’.Source: All reports can be accessed at:http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Committees
5. Productivity of the Northern Ireland Devolved Government
5.1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly 2013
Full versions of the Acts are available from Legislation.gov.uk.Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2013[Date of Royal Assent is indicated in brackets].
1. Superannuation Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [9 January].2. Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Act (Northern Ireland) 2013
[18 January].3. Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [18 January].4. Budget Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [14 March].5. Business Improvement Districts Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [21 March].6. Water and Sewerage Services (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013
[25 April].7. Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [25 April].8. Civil Services (Special Advisers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [8 July].9. Budget (No.2) Act (Northern Ireland) [18 July].
10. Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 [17 September].
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5.2. Numbers of acts passed by the Assembly since 2000
Table 5.2.1. Acts passed
Year Number signed into law
2000 52001 172002 142007 32008 132009 82010 162011 292012 52013 10
Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia
5.3. Operational Statistics of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Table 5.3.1. Northern Ireland Assembly operations
Activity2006–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009
2009–2010
2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
Assembly sittingsdays
17 70 72 70 49 81 71
Committee meetings 319 549 509 405 402 595 548
Note: The timeframe refers to NI Assembly session.Source: Data provided by the NI Assembly Office: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk
Table 5.3.2. Number of Northern Ireland Assembly Questions
Activity1999–2000
2000–2001
2001–2002
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009
2009–2010
2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
Written 4,219 5,145 786 1,598 10,312 10,367 3,875 8,107 6,087 15,051 12,587
Oral 1,592 1,663 355 277 4,259 4,087 544 1,764 1,367 2,355 963
Total 5,811 6,808 1,141 1,875 14,571 14,454 4,419 9,871 7,454 17,406 13,550
Source: Data available at: http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/search.aspx
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6. Other Political Bodies
Table 6.1. Plenary meetings of the North–South Ministerial Council (2013)
Date Meeting Location
5 July 16th Plenary Dublin, ROI8 November 17th Plenary Armagh, NI
Note: Information on sectoral meetings and institutional joint communiques is available at:http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/index/publications/joint-communiques.htm
Table 6.2. Summit meetings of the British-Irish Council (2013)
Date Meeting Location
21 June 20th Summit Derry-Londonderry, NI15 November 21st Summit Jersey
Note: Information on Ministerial meetings and communiques is available at:http://www.britishirishcouncil.org
Table 6.3. Plenary meetings of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (2013)
Date Meeting Location
3–5 March 46th Plenary Donegal, ROI21–22 October 47th Plenary London, UK
Note: For Committees and reports produced by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly see:http://www.britishirish.org/committees-reports
Table 6.4. Plenary meetings of the North–South Inter-Parliamentary Association (2013)
Date Meeting Location
26 April 2nd Plenary Belfast, NI8 November 3rd Plenary Dublin, ROI
Source: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/northsouthinter-parliamentaryassociation
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7. Election Results and Electoral Data
7.1. Westminster by-elections
Table 7.1.1. Mid-Ulster By-election 7 March 2013
Name Party Votes polled
Patsy McGlone SDLP 6,478Nigel Lutton Independent 12,781Francie Molloy Sinn Fein 17,462Eric Bullick Alliance 487
Note: By-election caused by resignation of Martin McGuinness (SF), therefore no change.Eligible electorate: 67,192. Votes polled: 37,426. Valid votes: 37,208. Turnout: 55.70%.Source: http://www.eoni.org.uk/Elections/Election-results-and-statistics
7.2. Electoral Data
Table 7.2.1. Northern Ireland electorate statistics (2003–2013)
Total electorate Change (%)
December 2003 1,097,511 –December 2004 1,047,601 4.6December 2005 1,157,052 10.4December 2006 1,075,116 27.1December 2007 1,125,979 4.7December 2008 1,142,547 1.4December 2009 1,170,336 2.4December 2010 1,202,200 2.7December 2011 1,227,121 2.0December 2012 1,247,312 1.6December 2013 1,241,079 20.5
Note: The ‘total electorate’ is the number of electors listed on the full Northern Ireland ElectoralRegister.Source: Electoral Office of Northern Irelandhttp://www.eoni.org.uk/Register-To-Vote/Electoral-Statistics
7.3. Relevant reports
Electoral Office of Northern Ireland, Report of the Chief Electoral Officer for North-ern Ireland 2012–2013 (September 2013).
The Electoral Commission, Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2011: Progress onour recommendations (March 2013).
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8. Main Political Events of 2013
8.1. Summary of political developments
3 January Severe rioting breaks out in east Belfast following a loyalist flagprotest.
10 January The Unionist Forum meets for the first time.11 January Large-scale flag protests take place across NI.12 January Severe rioting breaks out in east Belfast following a loyalist flag
protest.15 January The NI Assembly debates recent disorder linked to loyalist flag
protests.17 January Talks involving the leaders of the five main parties are held at Stor-
mont, in a bid to agree a plan to address issues such as flags,parades and dealing with the past.
19 January SF launches a campaign for a border poll on Irish unity.11 February The NIO unveils the Draft NI Bill.14 February The MOD offers the families of those killed on Bloody Sunday
compensation.14 February Nigel Lutton is selected as the agreed unionist candidate by the
DUP and UUP for the Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election.14 February MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister resign from the UUP.8 March SF’s Francie Molloy wins the Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election.12 March A BBC investigation reveals that senior members of the DUP and
UUP held detailed talks about combining to form a single party inJanuary 2012.
15 March DUP minister Edwin Poots confirms his party’s support for theconstruction of a peace and reconciliation centre at the formerMaze prison site.
19 March FM Peter Robinson and DFM Martin McGuinness meet with USPresident Barack Obama in Washington, DC.
21 March The Justice Department refuses a request for funding from theHET.
10 April The 15th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreementpasses.
16 April Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness hold reported talks in abid to improve their working relationship on a number of divisiveissues.
20 April 10,000 loyalists parade through Belfast to mark the centenary ofthe UVF.
23 April The UUP, TUV and UKIP launch a joint petition against the Mazepeace centre.
3 May The DEAC publishes a report outlining suggested new councilboundaries.
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3 May Brian Shivers (47) is acquitted at a retrial of the 2009 Real IRAmurder of two British soldiers at Massereene army base.
9 May Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness announce a ‘Cohesion,Sharing and Integration’ strategy, aimed at improving communityrelations in NI.
17 May A two-day conference, attended by delegates representing all com-munities in NI, and aimed at developing policy and communityrelations, commences in Cardiff.
30 May Convicted IRA bomber, Marian Price (58), is released fromcustody.
3 June The Special Advisors Bill passes by 56 votes to 28.6 June A new pro-union political party, NI21, is launched.14 June PM David Cameron announces a new economic aid package for
NI.17 June US President Barack Obama addresses an audience in Belfast.17 June The 39th G8 Summit commences at Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh.21 June SF minister Caral Nı Chuilın and SF MLA Gerry Kelly are
involved in an altercation with a PSNI Land Rover following anOrange Order march in Belfast.
25 June The Assembly blocks the extension of same-sex marriage legis-lation to NI.
3 July A damning review of the work of the HET is published.3 July The DUP faces allegations that it interfered in the running of the
NIHE.4 July The Assembly Social Development committee announces that it is
to hold an inquiry into allegations of interference by DUP ministerNelson McCausland in the workings of the NIHE.
8 July The DUP blocks a motion calling for the Assembly to investigatewhether DUP minister Nelson McCausland misled the Assemblyfollowing allegations of political interference in the running ofthe NIHE.
9 July The Parades Commission determines that a contentious OrangeOrder 12 July parade should not proceed in the Ardoyne area ofnorth Belfast.
10 July OFMDFM confirms that US diplomat and former US envoy to NI,Dr Richard Haass, will chair all-party talks on flags, parades andthe past.
12 July Serious rioting breaks out in several areas of Belfast following thebanning of an Orange Order 12 July parade in north Belfast.
30 July Unionists urge the Parades Commission to ban a republican mem-orial parade scheduled for 11 August in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
9 August Serious rioting erupts in central Belfast.15 August The DUP withdraws its support for the Maze peace centre.
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4 September SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt resigns from the NI Assembly.12 September Theresa Villiers announces that there will be no public inquiry into
the 1998 Omagh bombing by the Real IRA.20 September The first cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is held
in Belfast.25 September SF MLA Gerry Kelly describes power-sharing as being ‘in crisis’.11 October PM David Cameron insists there is no power-sharing crisis at
Stormont.22 October Sources reveal division between the DUP and SF over the distri-
bution of the £80 million Social Investment Fund.24 October A new study details evidence of large-scale collusion between
security forces and loyalists during the Troubles.1 November The second cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is
held in Belfast.4 November SF President Gerry Adams faces allegations that he was involved in
the abduction, killing and secret burial of Jean McConville in 1972.13 November The NI Executive faces calls to implement the Welfare Reform Bill
by UK Work and Pensions Minister Mike Penning or face cuts tothe block grant.
20 November Attorney General John Larkin outlines proposals calling for an endto all prosecutions, inquests and public inquiries linked to theTroubles.
22 November The third cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is heldin Belfast.
3 December The final report of the Smithwick Tribunal is published.5 December UK Chancellor George Osborne announces additional funding to
the block grant.24 December NI parties fail to reach agreement on the latest Haass talks
proposals.27 December DUP DFP minister Simon Hamilton wins a High Court bid to
block the SF DARD minister Michelle O’Neill from reallocatingEU CAP funding.
31 December NI parties fail to reach agreement on a final set of proposals com-piled by the Haass talks team on dealing with parades, flags and thepast.
8.2. Detailed Chronology of Political Events 2013
January
2 Flag protests: Sporadic and mainly peaceful loyalist flag protests take placeacross NI. The protests are in response to Belfast City Council’s decision on3 December 2012 to restrict the flying of the Union Flag from City Hall.
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3 Flag crisis: Rioting breaks out in east Belfast following a loyalist flagprotest.
4 UUP: Ahead of a party disciplinary hearing, UUP MLA Basil McCreaadmits that he is unaware of the charges he faces. McCrea had the UUPwhip removed on 13 December 2012 following comments made regardingthe flying of the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall.
5 Flag crisis: Shots are fired at police lines by loyalists in east Belfast during athird consecutive night of rioting. The rioting follows a large loyalist flagprotest outside Belfast City Hall. Unionist leaders appeal for protests to stop.
6 Flag crisis: Loyalists clash with police lines in east Belfast on a fourth con-secutive night of flag-related violence. Shots are also fired at the southBelfast home of SDLP councillor Claire Hanna. The disorder followstalks aimed at ending the violence between local politicians, clergymenand community representatives.
7 Flag crisis: A large security operation is put in place around Belfast CityHall as councillors meet for the first time since voting to limit the daysthe Union flag flies on the building. Loyalist protesters gather outside,with further clashes between protestors and the PSNI reported in eastBelfast. Protestors also clash with nationalist residents from the ShortStrand area of the city.
7 Threat: In an incident related to the ongoing flag crisis, SDLP MLA PatsyMcGlone confirms receipt of a package containing a bullet and sympathycard.
8 Flag crisis: Loyalist flag protestors clash with PSNI lines on a sixth con-secutive night of rioting in east Belfast.
10 Unionist Forum: A forum of political and civic unionist leaders meets forthe first time at Stormont. One of the groups behind the protests, the UlsterPeople’s Forum, refuses to engage with the new forum, whose agendaincludes flags, parades, the economy and cultural identity.
10 CRC: Community Relations Council (CRC) chairperson, Tony McCusker,tells the NI Affairs Committee at Westminster that OFMDFM have failed torespond to a request made in May 2012 to appoint new council members.
11 Flag crisis: Loyalist flag protests take place across NI, with serious riotingoccurring in Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim.
12 Flag crisis: 29 PSNI officers are injured during sustained clashes betweenloyalists and nationalists at a sectarian interface in east Belfast; as 1,000 loy-alists return from a flag protest outside Belfast City Hall.
14 Defection: Former UUP MLA Fred Cobain defects to the DUP.15 Flag crisis: The Assembly debates recent disorder linked to loyalist flag
protests.15 Flag crisis: A Catholic church is attacked during rioting in east Belfast, with
loyalist flag protestors clashing with nationalists at the Short Strandinterface.
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16 Justice: NI’s Court of Appeal rules that Brian Shivers (47) face a retrial inrelation to the Real IRA murder of two British soldiers outside Massereenearmy base in 2009.
16 Labour Party: UK Labour’s National Executive rules that it will notcontest elections in NI, following an agreement with the Irish Labourparty and SDLP.
17 Talks: Talks involving the leaders of the five main political parties, as wellas Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore and Theresa Villiers, are held at Stormont, in anattempt to agree a plan to address issues such as flags, parades and the past.
19 Border poll: Sinn Fein (SF) launches a campaign calling for a border pollon partition and Irish unity during the lifetime of the next NI Assembly.
21 Flag crisis: A large number of flag protests take place across NI.21 UUP: UUP MLA Basil McCrea votes against his party in the Assembly,
opposing a DUP amendment to a UUP motion condemning recent acts offlag-related violence.
24 Death: Former IRA bomber Dolours Price (62) is discovered dead in herCo. Dublin home. Price was a renowned critic of SF’s peace strategy.
26 Flag crisis: DUP leader Peter Robinson meets with local church andcommunity representatives in east Belfast to discuss loyalist flag protests.Following the meeting a demonstration takes place in Belfast city centrefor the eighth consecutive weekend.
29 Release: Gerry McGeough (54) is released from prison less than twoyears after being convicted for the attempted murder of Ulster DefenceRegiment (UDR) member and current DUP councillor Sammy Brush in1981. McGeough, a former member of the SF executive, was the first repub-lican jailed for historical crimes since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement(GFA).
30 Apology: SF leader and TD for Louth, Gerry Adams, issues an apology inthe Dail to the families of members of state forces murdered by republicans.
30 Flag crisis: The Ulster People’s Forum announces a change in strategy, withlegal ‘white line protests’ replacing illegal road blocks.
February
2 Flag crisis: A number of mainly peaceful loyalist flag demonstrations takeplace across many areas of NI.
2 Security: Army bomb experts carry out a controlled explosion on a suspi-cious device in the grounds of a Catholic church in north Belfast.
4 Security: An independent (and unpublished) annual report into nationalsecurity finds a ‘very dangerous and unpredictable’ terrorist threat in NI.
7 Flag crisis: PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott informs the Policing Boardthat the cost of policing Union flag protests stands at over £15 million.
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7 Crime: Theresa Villiers outlines how the National Crime Agency (NCA)will operate in NI despite opposition from the Assembly.
8 UUP: MLA Basil McCrea receives a formal warning from a disciplinary panelfollowing his recent criticism of the party’s stance on the Union flag crisis.
10 Flag crisis: The DUP lodges a formal complaint with the Equality Commissionover the decision by Belfast City Council to restrict the flying of the Union flag.
11 Tribunals: The High Court rules that suspensions on up to 21 inquests intocontroversial killings in Northern Ireland be lifted.
11 Bill: The NIO unveils the Draft NI Bill containing a number of proposedamendments to the NI Assembly and Executive.
11 Funding: Westminster MPs extend a ban on the identification of all partypolitical donations in NI.
14 Bloody Sunday: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) offers the families ofthose killed on Bloody Sunday around £50,000 each in compensation.
14 Unionist unity: Nigel Lutton is selected as the agreed unionist candidate bythe DUP and UUP for the forthcoming Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election.
14 UUP: MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister resign from the UUP overthe party’s endorsement of a unionist unity candidate in Mid-Ulster.
17 Unionist unity: UUP leader Mike Nesbitt refuses to rule out pacts with theDUP in future elections.
19 UUP: Party leader Mike Nesbitt calls on John McCallister and Basil McCreato resign their seats in the Assembly following their respective resignations.
21 Parades: Senior Orange Order member, Rev. Mervyn Gibson, states thatthe organisation may no longer give police notice of parades.
23 Flag protest: Loyalists demonstrate outside Belfast City Hall for the twelfthconsecutive weekend.
26 Committee: SF gives its first public evidence to the NI Affairs Committee atStormont. The committee was taking evidence on the NIO’s draft bill onchanges to the political system in NI.
27 Party: Former UUP MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister announcetheir plans to form a new unionist party.
27 Arrests: Loyalist flag demonstrators, Jamie Bryson (23) and Willie Frazer (52),are arrested and charged with public order offences related to flag protests.
28 SDLP: Former SDLP minister Brid Rodgers calls on her party to leave theExecutive and form an official Opposition.
March
2 Alliance: David Ford tells his party conference that the DUP and UUPprovoked violent protests over the flying of the union flag in Belfast bycreating a ‘project to damage Alliance’.
3 Security: A dissident republican attack on a police station in Derry isthwarted, as the PSNI seize four primed mortar rockets and arrest three men.
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4 Policing: Following talks with Matt Baggott, Peter Robinson claims thatunionists have lost confidence in the PSNI over its handling of the Unionflag crisis.
6 Army: Defence Secretary Philip Hammond announces major reductions inmilitary posts, with troop numbers in NI returning to pre-Troubles levels by2016.
6 Threat: In an incident related to the ongoing flag crisis, SDLP MLA ConallMcDevitt receives a bullet and sympathy card through the post.
7 Election: Polling begins for the Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election.7 Threat: Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness reveals that the PSNI
have warned him of a ‘real and active’ dissident republican death threatagainst him.
7 Equality: The Equality Commission announces a formal investigation intoNewry and Mourne District Council’s decision to name a children’s play-park after a convicted IRA member in December 2012.
8 Election: SF’s Francie Molloy wins the Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election.
8 Flag crisis: Approximately 100 loyalists clash with PSNI officers in Glen-gormley, Co. Antrim as an Alliance constituency office is damaged in anattack following a Union flag protest.
10 Security: Three PSNI officers escape injury after a bomb planted by dissi-dent republicans detonates close to the M5 motorway in north Belfast.
10 Justice: Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan vows to ‘restore public con-fidence’ after recent criticism from unionist politicians that the justicesystem was treating loyalist flag demonstrators unfairly.
12 Merger: A BBC investigation reveals that senior members of the DUP andUUP held detailed talks about combining to form a single party in January2012. The UUP leader at the time, Tom Elliott, denies authorising the talks.
15 Maze: DUP minister Edwin Poots confirms his party’s support for theconstruction of a peace and reconciliation centre at the former Mazeprison site.
19 US visit: As part of a US investment trip centred on St Patrick’s Day, PeterRobinson and Martin McGuinness meet with US President Barack Obama.
20 Omagh bomb: Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly are found liable for the1998 Omagh bombing in a civil action against the now defunct Real IRA.
21 HET: The Justice Department refuses a request for funding from the His-torical Enquiries Team (HET), asking the PSNI to fund the body using itsown reserves.
23 Forum: Orange Order chaplain, Rev. Mervyn Gibson, claims that theUnionist Forum is not being properly resourced or administered.
23 Security: Dissident republican group Oglaigh na hEireann abandon a 60 kgcar bomb in Co. Fermanagh. The group later claim the intended target wasthe hotel in which the forthcoming G8 Summit will be held.
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25 Funding: A report published by the NI Affairs Select Committee calls forthe confidentiality around large donations to political parties in NI to endby October 2014. The report also calls for a smaller Assembly and a banon double-jobbing.
26 Corporation tax: PM David Cameron announces that there will be nodecision on devolving tax-varying powers to the Assembly until after the2014 Scottish independence referendum.
28 Dissidents: SF Chairman Declan Kearney outlines his party’s willingness toengage in dialogue with all dissident republican groups.
28 Attack: Several newspapers reveal that the home of Martin McGuinnesswas attacked by dissident republican paint bombers. The attack coincidedwith a credible death threat against McGuinness earlier in the month.
30 Economic aid: Theresa Villiers outlines a package of measures being con-sidered to boost NI’s economy. Villiers warns that certain measures willonly be agreed following political progress on building a shared society in NI.
30 Parade: A masked gunman performs a show of strength at an Easter Risingcommemoration in north Belfast organised by the Republican Network forUnity (RNU). Children are also photographed in paramilitary-style clothing.
April
1 Dissidents: The political wings of both the Continuity IRA and the NewIRA reject a recent SF offer for talks aimed at a cessation of their armedcampaigns.
3 Parades: Senior DUP members meet with the Parades Commission todiscuss a number of issues concerning recent parades including an incidentat an Easter Rising parade in north Belfast.
8 Death: Former UK PM Margaret Thatcher dies aged 87.9 Forum: A subgroup established by the Unionist Forum to deal with parades
issues meets in Stormont.10 GFA: The 15th anniversary of the signing of the GFA passes.10 Aid: The DUP and SF criticise Theresa Villiers’ recent threat to withhold
economic aid if Stormont fails to make progress towards a ‘shared future’.13 SF: Gerry Adams renews calls for a border poll at the party’s annual con-
ference. In a separate speech, Martin McGuinness accuses unionists of alack of leadership during the Union flag crisis.
15 Belfast Project: The US Supreme Court rules that several tapes collected aspart of an oral history project, some of which contain testimony from the lateDolours Price, are to be made available to the PSNI.
16 Power-sharing: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness hold reported‘clear-the-air’ talks, in a bid to improve their working relationship on anumber of divisive issues such as welfare reform and a shared future strategy.
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17 Thatcher: A series of small and peaceful protests take place across NI as theceremonial funeral of Baroness Thatcher takes place in London.
18 Visit: The Dalai Lama delivers an address in Derry as part of the 2013 UKCity of Culture celebrations.
18 Maze: SDLP DoE minister Alex Attwood grants planning permission forthe redevelopment of the former Maze prison site at a cost of £300million. Several unionist politicians express their concern that a planned‘Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Centre’ will become a ‘shrine’ torepublican prisoners.
18 Flag: A Belfast City Council committee rejects a DUP proposal to fly theUnion flag all year round at City Hall’s cenotaph by 12 votes to six.
20 Commemoration: Up to 10,000 loyalists take part in a peaceful paradethrough Belfast to mark the centenary of the formation of the UVF.
22 Report: A report commissioned by SF DENI minister John O’Dowd is pub-lished. The report calls for schools in NI to be made legally accountable forpromoting equality and good relations.
23 Maze: The UUP, TUV and UKIP launch a public petition against a Mazepeace centre. Issuing a joint statement the three unionist parties call forthe centre to be relocated and prison buildings to be de-listed anddemolished.
23 Talks: Republican party, Eirıgı, declines talks with SF aimed at finding acommon ground and establishing potential areas of agreement.
26 Abortion: The DUP tables a petition of concern against a SF motion callingfor same-sex marriage to be legalised in NI.
29 Economic aid: Marking the 15th anniversary of the GFA, TheresaVilliers announces government plans to create a new economic aidpackage for NI.
May
2 Devolution: Theresa Villiers writes to party leaders asking for theirviews on the possible future transfer of four quangos currently under NIOcontrol.
2 Maze: The Orange Order warns unionist politicians supporting theMaze peace centre against ignoring grassroots unionist opposition to theinitiative.
2 Councils: The District Electoral Areas Commission publishes areport outlining suggested new council boundaries and severance paymentdetails.
3 Justice: Brian Shivers (47) is acquitted at a retrial of the 2009 murder ofBritish soldiers Patrick Azimkar (21) and Mark Quinsey (23).
4 Libel row: Reports reveal that DUP DFP Minister Sammy Wilson took aunilateral decision to halt the extension of libel reform to NI, under the Defa-mation Bill, without consulting other parties on the issue.
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8 Double-jobbing: Plans outlined in the Queen’s Speech ban members of theNI Assembly from becoming TDs in the Dail.
9 Talks: The PSNI confirm that political and civic leaders will participate inprivate talks in Cardiff, Wales focused on improving relations betweenpolice and republican and loyalist communities.
9 Shared future: OFMDFM announces a ‘Cohesion, Sharing andIntegration’ strategy, aimed at improving community relations in NI.2023 is set as a target date to bring down all ‘peace walls’ in NI.The proposals also include the creation of 10,000 one-year cross-community work placements for young people and 10 shared educationcampuses. The UUP, SDLP and Alliance criticise the plans, complainingthat they were not consulted by OFMDFM and that the proposals lackambition.
10 IPSA: Six DUP MPs agree to hand back a total of £143,909.46 under newrules introduced by The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
10 Visit: The White House confirms that US President Barack Obama will visitBelfast before joining the G8 summit in Co. Fermanagh.
10 Elections: Explanatory notes in the NI (Miscellaneous Provisions) Billreveal that the current Assembly term will be extended to 2016.
14 NCA: The PSNI warns that the policing of serious organised crime in NIwill be hampered by the Assembly’s refusal to grant the NCA the powersto carry out police operations and recruit agents.
17 Talks: A two-day conference, attended by around 25 delegates representingall communities in NI, and aimed at developing police and communityrelations, commences in Cardiff, Wales.
19 Talks: In a joint statement, delegates who attended talks organised by thePSNI in Wales confirm their commitment to resolving any disputes bynon-violent means and through dialogue.
20 SPAD bill: A Private Member’s Bill focused on the employment ofspecial advisers with serious criminal convictions in Stormont passes con-sideration stage. The SDLP, citing the rejection of proposed amendmentsto the bill, suggests that it will use a petition of concern to prevent it becom-ing law.
23 SDLP: Senior SDLP representatives meet with IRA victims to discuss itsposition on the SPAD bill. Following the meeting, SDLP minister AlexAttwood denies that the party is split over the issue.
27 SDLP: Ahead of a final decision by its Assembly group, former SDLPdeputy leader and DFM Seamus Mallon urges his party not to block theSPAD bill.
28 SDLP: Party leader Alasdair McDonnell announces that the SDLP will notsign a petition of concern to block the SPAD bill.
29 Attorney General: John Larkin QC renews an offer to MLAs to allow himto play a fuller role on behalf of the Assembly’s Justice Committee.
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30 Release: Marian Price (58) is released from custody. Price, who faces twodissident republican-related charges, was detained for more than two yearssince former NI Secretary Owen Paterson revoked her licence.
June
2 UUP: Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird resigns the party’s whip pendingan inquiry into allegations he offered to carry out parliamentary work forcash.
3 SPAD bill: SF fails to block the SPAD bill, as it passes by 56 votes to 28.SDLP MLAs abstain from the vote.
3 Mayor: SF’s Mairtın O Muilleoir is elected Lord Mayor of Belfast.5 Death: Former president of Republican Sinn Fein, Ruairı O Bradaigh, dies
aged 80. O Bradaigh also previously held the presidency of Provisional SinnFein and also headed the IRA.
6 Party: Former UUP MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister officiallylaunch a new pro-union political party, NI21.
11 Justice: The PPS announces that it will not take action against twoUVF supergrasses despite evidence that they lied in court during a 2012trial.
13 Maze: The Orange Order calls on the DUP not to proceed with the Mazepeace centre.
14 Economic aid: PM David Cameron announces a new wide-ranging econ-omic aid package for NI, with extra borrowing powers promised to the NIExecutive if it makes sufficient progress on a ‘shared future’.
15 Protest: An anti-G8 demonstration, attended by approximately 1,500 pro-testors, passes off peacefully outside Belfast City Hall.
17 Presidential speech: Ahead of the G8 summit in Co. Fermanagh, US Pre-sident Barack Obama addresses an audience in Belfast.
17 G8: The 39th G8 Summit commences at Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh.18 G8: Speaking at the conclusion of the G8 summit, PM David Cameron hails
the event as the most peaceful in recent memory. Despite an £80 millionsecurity bill, Peter Robinson claims that the G8 would bring ‘enormouseconomic advantage’ to NI.
18 Meeting: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness meet with Japanese PMShinzo Abe in Belfast.
21 Parades: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness issue a joint appeal for apeaceful marching season.
21 Parade: SF minister Caral Nı Chuilın is injured in an incident involving apolice Land Rover, following a contentious Orange Order march in northBelfast. Nı Chuilın was struck by the vehicle after coming to the aid ofSF MLA Gerry Kelly. SF later releases video footage of Kelly attemptingto stop a PSNI Land Rover and clinging to the front of the vehicle.
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24 Parade row: Debate continues concerning the actions of SF MLA GerryKelly following a recent Orange Order parade in north Belfast. Unionistsaccuse Kelly of obstructing the police while both SF and the SDLPexpress their concerns over the PSNI’s handling of the operation.
24 Bill: The NI (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is given its second reading.25 Same-sex marriage: The Assembly votes to block the extension of same-
sex marriage legislation to NI.26 Parade row: A DUP delegation meets with the PSNI to discuss the recent
actions of SF MLA Gerry Kelly at an Orange Order parade in north Belfast.27 Maze: The TUV confirms its withdrawal from the Unionist Forum, citing its
opposition to the Maze peace centre.
July
1 Integrated Education: Bishop Donal McKeown claims that theCatholic community views the DUP’s stance on integrated education as‘nakedly sectarian’. Peter Robinson defends his party’s policy on sharededucation.
3 Maze: In a public war of words, Peter Robinson and UUP leader MikeNesbitt exchange open letters concerning the proposed Maze peace centre.
3 HET: A review of the HET concludes that the body treated cases involvingBritish state forces in a way which was inconsistent and had seriousshortcomings.
3 NIHE: The DUP faces allegations that it interfered in the running of the NIHousing Executive (NIHE). A DUP councillor and NIHE boardmember claims that she was pressured by an adviser to DUP DSD ministerNelson McCausland to change her vote to terminate a maintenance contractin 2011.
4 HET: The PSNI announces that it is to conduct a long-term review of theHET after a detailed report found it was less rigorous in its investigationof British state killings than of paramilitary killings. The Policing Boardstates that it has ‘no confidence in the leadership’ of the body.
4 NIHE: The Assembly Social Development committee announces that it isto hold an inquiry into allegations of interference by DUP ministerNelson McCausland in the workings of the NIHE. Appearing in front ofthe committee, McCausland rejects the allegations and states that he hasno intention of resigning his post. Amidst an ongoing political row, theDUP states that it has begun legal action against the BBC over the expose.
5 Talks: The Orange Order confirms that it will engage in face-to-face talkswith the Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA) ahead of acontentious 12 July parade in north Belfast.
7 Talks: Talks between the Orange Order and CARA fail to reach a resolutionon a controversial 12 July parade in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.
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8 NIHE row: The DUP blocks a motion calling for the Assembly to investi-gate whether DSD minister Nelson McCausland misled the Assembly fol-lowing allegations of political interference in the running of the NIHE.
9 Parade: In an unprecedented ruling, the Parades Commission determinesthat a contentious Orange Order 12 July parade should not proceed in theArdoyne area of north Belfast. Unionists condemn the decision.
10 Haass talks: OFMDFM confirms that US diplomat and former US envoy toNI Dr Richard Haass will chair all-party talks on flags, parades and the past.
12 Rioting: Serious rioting breaks out in north, east and central Belfast as loy-alists clash with police lines and nationalists following the banning of anOrange Order 12 July parade in north Belfast. Several PSNI officers areinjured, while DUP MP Nigel Dodds is hospitalised.
13 Rioting: Loyalists clash with police lines in a second night of rioting innorth and east Belfast. Earlier, Matt Baggott criticises figures within theOrange Order for a lack of ‘responsible leadership’ in issuing a call forprotests.
14 Rioting: A third consecutive night of rioting linked to the loyalist paradesdispute takes place in east and north Belfast.
15 Security: Dissident republicans are blamed for a pipe-bomb attack on PSNIofficers in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.
15 Rioting: Four pipe-bombs are thrown by loyalists towards police linesduring serious rioting in east Belfast. Nationalists and loyalists alsoexchange missiles across the Short Strand sectarian interface.
16 Parades: The Assembly, recalled from its summer recess, carries a DUPmotion attacking Parades Commission restrictions on an Orange Orderparade in north Belfast on 12 July. The motion is carried by 43 votes to 42.
16 Rioting: Loyalists clash with police lines in east Belfast during a fifth con-secutive night of rioting related to a parades dispute.
16 SDLP: Mark H. Durkan replaces Alex Attwood as Environment minister.17 Haass: Dr Richard Haass meets with the First and Deputy First Ministers
and party leaders to agree a work-plan and terms of reference for talks onflags, parades and the past, scheduled to begin in September.
18 Parade: The Parades Commission refuses the Orange Order permission toparade past a sectarian flashpoint in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast. TheOrange Order declares that it plans to proceed with the parade despite therestrictions.
20 Protest: Thousands of Orangemen and their supporters hold a peacefulprotest against a ban on them parading past the Ardoyne district of northBelfast. Organisers of the protest vow to repeat their demonstration everySaturday until the ban is lifted.
21 Parade: The Orange Order submits an application to the Parades Commis-sion to march past the Ardoyne area of north Belfast on the afternoon of 27July. The proposal is later rejected.
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26 Parade: A DUP delegation meets with the Parades Commission to discuss arepublican parade scheduled for 11 August in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
27 Protest: The Orange Order and its supporters hold a peaceful protest innorth Belfast over a ban on them parading past the Ardoyne district ofnorth Belfast.
29 DUP: Simon Hamilton replaces Sammy Wilson as DFP minister.29 Parade: The Orange Order submits two applications to the Parades Com-
mission to march past the Ardoyne area of north Belfast on 3 and 10August. Both proposals are later rejected.
30 Parade: Unionists urge the Parades Commission to ban a republican mem-orial parade – to commemorate two IRA members killed in 1973 – sched-uled for 11 August in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
August
1 Parade: The Parades Commission places restrictions on a contentiousrepublican parade in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
2 Arrest: DUP councillor Ruth Patterson is arrested and later charged afterposting ‘grossly offensive’ comments on Facebook concerning a forthcom-ing contentious republican parade in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
6 Parade: The DUP meet senior PSNI representatives to discuss a contentiousrepublican march planned for Castlederg, Co. Tyrone on 11 August.
6 Disorder: Loyalists clash with PSNI officers protecting the Lord Mayorof Belfast, SF’s Mairtın O Muilleoir, at an event in the Shankill area ofnorth Belfast. Several police officers and O Muilleoir receive hospitaltreatment.
7 Inquiry: SF calls for Assembly authorities to investigate expense claimsmade by SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt for research conducted by acompany established by his wife.
8 Omagh bombing: Relatives of those killed in the 1998 Omagh bombingdemand a full cross-border public inquiry after compiling a report contain-ing significant new information on the incident.
8 Violence: Eight PSNI officers are injured after being attacked at an anti-internment bonfire organised by dissident republicans in west Belfast.
9 Rioting: Serious rioting erupts in central Belfast as approximately 1,000loyalist protestors clash with police lines as they seek to prevent a paradeof 5,000 republican dissidents and their supporters marking the 42nd anni-versary of internment.
11 Parade: A contentious republican commemoration parade passes off peace-fully in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, with hundreds of unionist and loyalist pro-testors participating in a counter-demonstration.
11 Omagh bombing: A remembrance service to mark the 15th anniversary ofthe Omagh bombing is held in the Co. Tyrone town.
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12 Legal row: Theresa Villiers and Matt Baggott obtain a High Court injunc-tion blocking the release of public records relating to three killings duringthe Troubles to the victims group Relatives for Justice.
13 Parades: The SDLP and SF back a proposal from the Police Federation fora six-month moratorium on all ‘contentious’ parades. The proposal angersunionists and is deemed unviable by Theresa Villiers.
15 Maze: The DUP withdraws its support for the Maze peace centre. In a letterto DUP MPs and MLAs, Peter Robinson blames SF for undermining com-munity relations and demonstrating insensitivity to victims of violence,citing a recent republican parade in Castlederg.
17 Maze row: Martin McGuinness tells a republican gathering in Co. Leitrimthat the DUP’s decision to postpone plans for the Maze peace centre couldjeopardise jobs and the peace process.
24 Security: The PSNI discover a large weapons and munitions cache in eastBelfast. Security sources describe it as the ‘largest find’ in recent years.
26 Compensation: Unionist politicians and victims of the Real IRA expressoutrage after the family of Kieran Doherty, a Real IRA member shot deadby the organisation in 2010 is awarded compensation.
28 Security: The PSNI discover two mortar launcher devices belonging to dis-sident republicans during a major security operation in south Armagh.
September
4 SDLP: MLA Conall McDevitt resigns from the Assembly after failing todeclare £6,750 earned from a company shortly after he was co-opted.
5 Haass: The DUP announces that Rev. Mervyn Gibson, a prominent OrangeOrder chaplain, will join their delegation in the upcoming Haass talks.
7 Tanaiste: Eamon Gilmore indicates that the Irish government is prepared toinvestigate unionist allegations that a number of Irish governments failed toproperly combat the IRA.
9 DUP: During a five-day economic mission to the US with Martin McGuin-ness, Peter Robinson dismisses recent speculation that he is set to resign asDUP leader and FM. He also denies a breakdown in relations between hisparty and SF. Robinson and McGuinness also meet privately for the firsttime since the DUP ‘u-turn’ on the Maze peace centre.
9 Row: MLAs debate a DUP motion which partly addresses a speech deliv-ered by SF MLA Gerry Kelly at a recent parade in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.
10 Tribute: MLAs pay tribute to Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney following hisdeath on 30 August.
11 Haass: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness meet with Dr RichardHaass in New York ahead of all-party talks on flags, parades and the past.
12 SDLP: Fearghal McKinney replaces Conall McDevitt as MLA for SouthBelfast.
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12 Inquiry: Theresa Villiers announces that there will be no public inquiry intothe 1998 Omagh bombing by the Real IRA.
13 Legal row: Theresa Villiers ends legal action restricting the disclosure ofinquest documents relating to three deaths during the Troubles.
17 Haass: A three-day series of bilateral meetings, chaired by Dr RichardHaass and aimed at securing cross-party agreement on how to deal withparading, flags and emblems and the past, commence in Belfast.
18 Reconciliation: Martin McGuinness delivers an annual peace lecture inWarrington, England. The town suffered an IRA bomb attack in 1993.
19 Policing: The PSNI launches a new recruitment drive targeting women,Catholics and people from the west of NI. Unionists criticise the campaignto recruit more Catholics.
20 Haass: The first cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is held.Afterwards, Dr Haass reiterates that negotiations will finish and recommen-dations will be published by the end of December.
21 Protest: More than 3,000 protestors take part in a loyalist parade in Belfast.23 Land row: During angry exchanges in the Assembly, Peter Robinson
accuses TUV MLA Jim Allister of acting as an executor of a will overthe sale of property to republicans in Co. Fermanagh. Allister refutes theallegations, while nationalists call on Robinson to explain his remarks.
25 Land row: The DUP clarifies recent comments made by Peter Robinson inthe Assembly after SF accused him of indicating it was ‘not okay to sell landto Catholics’.
25 Power-sharing: SF MLA Gerry Kelly describes power-sharing as being ‘incrisis’ during a radio interview. Kelly claims that the relationship betweenPeter Robinson and Martin McGuinness had broken down.
27 Power-sharing: PM David Cameron acknowledges that power-sharing atStormont has problems but rejects claims by SF of a political crisis.
30 Power-sharing: DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson refutes accusations from SFthat unionism is lacking in leadership and that power-sharing is in crisis.
30 Maze: Martin McGuinness tells the Assembly that the DUP’s withdrawal ofsupport for the Maze peace centre has ‘jeopardised the future of the site as awhole’.
October
1 Councils: The Assembly holds its first formal debate on the Local Govern-ment Bill.
1 Conviction: Liam Adams (58), the brother of SF President Gerry Adams, isconvicted of sexually abusing his daughter between 1977 and 1983.
2 Security: Addressing the Conservative Party conference, Theresa Villierswarns about the levels of ‘lethal’ dissident republican violence in NI andthat sectarian division could harm economic growth.
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2 Maze: Peter Robinson states that development at the former Maze prisonsite should proceed but that a peace centre can only proceed ‘with wide-spread community support’.
3 Victims: NI Victims’ Commissioner Kathryn Stone defends her positionfollowing criticism from TUV MLA Jim Allister for declining to saywhether paramilitary organisations such as the IRA and UVF were terrorgroups.
4 Maze: The Special European Union Programmes Body withdraws its offerof funding for the proposed £25 million Maze peace centre.
5 Protest: Ahead of a restricted Orange Order parade in north Belfast,William Mawhinney, The County Grand Secretary in Belfast, calls on loy-alists to increase their protests ‘right up to civil disobedience’.
7 Adams: The PPS confirms that the Attorney General will review theconduct of Gerry Adams in withholding information about his convictedpaedophile brother. The DUP calls for an external UK police force to inves-tigate the case.
10 Security: Republican dissident group, the New IRA, kill two men, in Derryand Belfast, over a 72 hour period.
10 Power-sharing: Martin McGuinness describes the peace process andpower-sharing institutions as ‘rock solid’ in an address to 150 delegatesgathered for a major international investment conference in NI.
11 Security: A mortar bomb device belonging to dissident republicans is dis-covered during a major security operation in Derry.
11 Power-sharing: Addressing delegates at a major international investmentconference, PM David Cameron insists there is no power-sharing crisis atStormont.
12 Security: A bomb alert temporarily closes the M1 motorway. Elsewhere, across-border manhunt continues for ex-Real IRA prisoner, KieranMcLaughlin, who is wanted for questioning about a recent murder in Derry.
13 Investigation: The PSNI confirms that an investigation into the 1972Claudy bombing has been suspended due to a lack of evidence.
15 NCA: The Assembly debates a DUP motion on the operation of the NCA.17 Haass: Dr Richard Haass briefs NIO officials and PM David Cameron in
Downing Street on progress made by his cross-party working group.19 UUP: Mike Nesbitt tells his party conference that an international trauma
and mental health centre should be built as an alternative to the Mazepeace centre.
20 Investment: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness commence a five-dayvisit to America aimed at strengthening business, university and politicallinks.
22 Planning Bill: SDLP DoE Minister Mark H. Durkan withdraws his Plan-ning Bill citing legal and economic concerns.
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22 Commemoration: A memorial vigil is held in west Belfast to mark the 20thanniversary of the Shankill bombing. The IRA bomb killed nine civilians.
22 Social Investment Fund: Sources reveal divisions between the DUP andSF over the distribution of the £80 million Social Investment Fund (SIF).Figures also reveal that £389,847 has been spent in relation to preparationfor delivery of the scheme, which was unveiled in 2011.
24 Collusion: A new study reveals evidence of collusion between securityforces and loyalists in more than 100 murders of Catholics during theTroubles.
24 Security: A letter bomb, addressed to Matt Baggott and believed to beposted by dissident republicans, is intercepted at a postal sorting centre.
25 Security: A letter bomb, addressed to PSNI Assistant Chief Constable WillKerr and believed to be posted by dissident republicans, is intercepted at apostal sorting centre.
29 Security: A letter bomb, addressed to Theresa Villiers and believed to beposted by dissident republicans, is found in a post-room at Stormont Castle.
30 Commemoration: A service is held at a memorial in Greysteel, Co.Londonderry on the 20th anniversary of those killed in an Ulster FreedomFighters (UFF) attack on the Rising Sun Bar in which eight people died.
30 Same-sex marriage: The Equality Commission calls on the Assembly tointroduce legislation approving same-sex marriage in NI.
31 Haass: Dr Richard Haass undertakes several engagements on a visit toDublin, including meeting with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste to discussprogress on cross-party talks.
November
1 Haass: The second cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is heldin Belfast.
4 Adams: A BBC documentary on victims ‘disappeared’ by the IRA between1972 and 1981 contains a tape-recording of a deceased IRA commander inwhich Gerry Adams is accused of involvement in the abduction, killing andsecret burial of Jean McConville in 1972. Adams denies the claims.
5 Adams: Gerry Adams faces criticism from politicians in NI and Ireland overallegations he was involved in the 1972 ‘disappearance’ of JeanMcConville.
8 Security: A retired police officer discovers a device planted by dissidentrepublicans on his car in east Belfast.
11 Haass: A meeting of victims groups at Stormont appeals for the British andIrish governments to join the all-party Haass negotiations.
11 Armistice: Lord Mayor Mairtın O Muilleoir becomes the first SF attendee atthe Armistice Day ceremony at Belfast City Hall.
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12 Death: Eddie McGrady, SDLP MP for South Down from 1987 until hisretirement in 2010, dies aged 78.
12 SF: Councillor Brendan Curran, a high profile member of SF in Newry, Co.Down, leaves the party citing ‘serious fractures’ within the local branch.
13 Welfare reform: UK DWP minister Mike Penning visits Stormont to urgethe NI Executive to implement the Welfare Reform Bill, warning that furtherdelays could cost Stormont £5 million in reduced block grant payments eachmonth from January onwards. The DUP accuses SF of ‘foot-dragging’ onthe issue.
16 NI21: NI21 holds its inaugural conference, with Basil McCrea electedleader.
16 Attack: Petrol-bombs are thrown at an Alliance office in east Belfast.18 Haass: The Haass talks team arrives back in NI to commence an intensive
period of meetings and negotiations with political parties.18 Donors: An amendment to the NI (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill means that
donations received after January 2014 which are over £7,500 and from asingle source to a political party in NI will be made public.
19 Disappeared: The Assembly supports a UUP motion on ‘the disappeared’which registers ‘extreme concern’ over recent allegations of SF PresidentGerry Adams’ involvement in the disappearance of Jean McConville in1972.
19 Planning Bill: Peter Robinson accuses SDLP DoE minister MarkH. Durkan of breaching his code of office by failing to discuss his plan towithdraw the Planning Bill with Executive ministers before announcing it.
20 The past: Attorney General John Larkin outlines proposals calling for anend to all prosecutions, inquests and public inquiries linked to the Troubles.The proposals invite a significant political response, with several victimsgroups deeming them equivalent to an amnesty. Both British and Irish gov-ernments dismiss the proposals out of hand.
21 The past: Peter Robinson registers his opposition to the Attorney GeneralJohn Larkin’s proposals for an end to Troubles-era prosecutions.
21 Security: Dissident republicans order a bus driver to drive to a police stationin Derry with a bomb on-board.
22 Haass: The third cross-party plenary session of the Haass initiative is held inBelfast.
22 Death: Fr. Alec Reid (82), a west Belfast priest who acted as an intermedi-ary between the IRA and Irish government during the NI peace process,dies.
23 Security: Dissident republicans order a fast-food deliveryman to transport abomb to a police station in Derry.
24 DUP: Peter Robinson tells his party conference that there can be no distinc-tion between violence by loyalists and violence by dissident republicans andstates his commitment to power-sharing.
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24 Security: Dissident republicans hijack a car and order the driver to deliver a60 kg bomb to a shopping complex in central Belfast. After its prematureabandonment the device partially detonates, prompting a major securityalert.
30 Protest: 1,500 loyalists protest outside Belfast City Hall, demonstratingagainst the removal of the Union flag and alleged ‘political policing’.
December
2 Investment: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness commence a four-daytrip to Japan to attract inward investment in NI.
3 Tribunal: The final report of the Smithwick Tribunal is published, conclud-ing that Irish police leaked information to the IRA that led to two seniorRUC officers being assassinated in 1989. Gerry Adams faces criticism forclaiming that the officers had taken a ‘laissez-faire’ attitude to their personalsecurity.
5 Mandela: NI’s political leaders pay tribute to Nelson Mandela, the formerSouth African President and anti-apartheid icon, who dies aged 95.
5 Budget: UK Chancellor George Osborne announces that an additional £136million in funding will be made available to the Executive over the next twoyears.
9 Haass: The Haass talks team arrives back in Belfast as part of a two-weekinitiative involving the Executive parties.
9 Pay: NI MPs vow to refuse a proposed £7,600 pay rise recommended by theparliamentary watchdog, IPSA.
10 The past: The DUP reveal that they would back limited immunity for thosewho admitted to crimes connected to the Troubles.
11 Anniversary: Former British PM John Major delivers a speech in Dublinmarking the 20th anniversary of the Downing Street Declaration.
13 Security: A bomb planted by Oglaigh na hEireann partially detonates in theCathedral area of central Belfast.
16 Haass: Draft proposals on flags, parades and the past, compiled by theHaass talks team, are presented to the Executive parties for consideration.The DUP registers its immediate opposition to the document.
19 Haass: An updated draft document containing proposals on flags, paradesand the past is presented to the five Executive parties for consideration.
19 Security: A major dissident republican bomb attack on a target in Belfast isfoiled by a cross-border police operation.
19 Justice: Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly lose their appeal to being foundliable for the 1998 Omagh bombing at the Court of Appeal in Belfast.
20 Haass: The Haass talks team meets with individual parties to discuss propo-sals on flags, parades and the past, prior to a fourth cross-party plenarysession.
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20 Justice: Charges against DUP councillor, Ruth Patterson, for sending agrossly offensive electronic communication in August are withdrawn.
21 Haass: The five NI Executive parties examine proposals put forward by theHaass talks team on parades, flags and the past.
23 Haass: A third updated draft paper is distributed to parties ahead of a fifthcross-party plenary session later in the day.
24 Haass: Following overnight negotiations Dr Richard Haass announces thatthe NI parties have failed to reach agreement on his latest proposals ondealing with parades, flags and the past.
24 Security: Dissident republicans fire shots at a PSNI station in Co.Fermanagh.
27 Funding row: In an unprecedented legal challenge, DUP DFP ministerSimon Hamilton wins a High Court bid to block the SF DARD ministerMichelle O’Neill from reallocating more than £100 million in EU CAPfunding for farmers.
27 Haass: The five Executive parties are presented with a fifth draft proposaldocument for consideration.
28 Haass: Parties meet individually and collectively with the Haass talks team,following their return from the USA.
29 Haass: Four of the five main parties meet individually and collectively withthe Haass talks team to discuss the most recent set of proposals. The DUP,on religious grounds, does not attend the negotiations.
30 Haass: The final day of cross-party negotiations on proposals compiled bythe Haass talks team takes place in Belfast.
31 Haass: Following overnight talks, NI parties fail to reach agreement on aseventh and final set of proposals compiled by the Haass talks team ondealing with parades, flags and the past. The final draft document is releasedby the NI Executive.
Sources: Irish Times, The Belfast Telegraph, Irish American Information Service,BBC news, The Guardian, Northern Ireland Executive, UTV News, News Letter,RTE news.
8.3. Main EU related news for Northern Ireland 2013
31 January Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness address a conference inBrussels on the impact of EU PEACE funding in NI and theIrish border region. Ahead of the conference, EU Commissionerfor Regional Policy Johannes Hahn confirms that part of the pro-posed E150 million (£130 million) PEACE 4 fund for NI will beused to train and educate young working-class loyalists alienatedfrom the peace process.
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11 February European Commissioner for International Cooperation,Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva,visits NI and addresses representatives of internationalaid organisations, members of the NI Assembly All PartyGroup on International Development and communityrepresentatives.
5 March UK minister for Europe, David Lidington, announces a newworking arrangement whereby ministers from devolvedregional assemblies, including NI, will be able to join UK del-egations at European Council meetings which specifically affecttheir region.
20 March Officials from both DETI and DFP brief Stormont’s FinanceCommittee on the EU’s refusal to subsidise the construction ofTitanic Belfast, the most expensive tourism project everbuilt in NI. The E18 million EU grant is to be directedtowards other suitable alternative projects and must be spentby 2015.
28 May The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) provides E17.4million in funding for the Narrow Water Bridge project in countiesDown and Louth.
4 October The SEUPB withdraws its offer of E18 million in funding for theproposed Maze peace centre.
15 November The SEUPB withdraws its pledge of E14.4 million for the NarrowWater Bridge project because additional funding could not besecured by Louth and Down county councils.
Sources: European Commission: The EU in the UKhttp://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/about_us/office_in_northern_ireland/index_en.htmSpecial EU Programmes Body: http://www.seupb.euThe Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, BBC new, RTE news.
9. Opinion Polls
9.1. Lucid Talk – Belfast Telegraph Poll
Date of opinion poll fieldwork: 26 August–9 September 2013.Selected poll questions are presented in the tables below.Sample: 1,222 adults.Source: Published by Lucid Talk [computer file]http://www.lucidtalk.co.uk/latest-news/belfast-telegraph-ni-wide-poll-results
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Constitution
Party Support
Table 9.1.1. If a referendum on Irish unity was held would you vote . . . ?
Yes, unity as soon as possible Yes, unity in 20 years No Do not know
Total 3.8 22.3 43.9 30.0Male 5.9 28.7 39.8 25.6Female 1.9 16.2 47.9 34.018–24 5.2 24.2 37.4 33.225–44 5.2 23.3 43.4 28.245–64 3.5 22.3 45.2 29.065+ 1.6 19.4 49.4 29.7Protestant 0.0 8.1 60.1 31.8Catholic 12.5 27.0 29.0 31.5Other 1.2 38.2 33.5 27.2No religion 1.1 35.1 27.7 36.2
Table 9.1.2. If a NI Assembly election were held tomorrow, which party would you vote foras a first preference?
DUP Sinn Fein UUP SDLP Alliance Green UKIP NI21 TUV No vote
Total 16.4 14.6 6.1 7.7 5.7 0.7 0.9 2.6 1.2 44.1Male 20.9 19.1 5.9 7.3 4.2 0.5 1.3 2.5 1.9 36.4Female 12.1 10.3 6.2 8.1 7.2 1.0 0.5 2.7 0.6 51.418–24 12.5 15.6 1.4 4.8 7.6 1.4 0.3 3.8 0.3 52.225–44 15.2 14.9 5.2 7.1 5.5 0.6 1.0 3.6 1.0 46.045–64 18.8 13.1 7.0 8.9 5.7 1.0 1.3 1.9 1.9 40.465+ 18.7 14.8 10.3 9.7 4.2 0.0 1.0 1.3 1.6 38.4Protestant 31.8 1.7 8.1 1.7 6.1 0.7 2.4 3.0 3.0 40.9Catholic 1.0 31.5 2.5 17.0 7.0 0.5 0.5 2.5 2.5 37.5Other 12.7 9.8 5.8 6.9 6.4 0.6 0.0 2.3 2.3 55.5No religion 8.5 14.9 3.7 4.8 5.3 1.1 0.5 4.8 4.8 55.3
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Identity
Northern Ireland Devolved Government
Table 9.1.3. Turning to cultural identity which of these terms best describes you
Northern Irish Irish British Other Do not know/no opinion
Total 13.3 20.5 33.4 11.9 20.9Male 12.6 24.1 30.0 15.9 17.4Female 14.0 17.0 36.6 8.3 24.218–24 10.0 18.7 37.4 10.0 23.925–44 15.5 19.7 34.3 12.0 18.445–64 14.0 23.2 30.9 14.0 17.865+ 13.5 20.0 31.3 11.6 23.5Protestant 12.8 8.8 43.6 12.2 22.6Catholic 16.0 27.5 25.5 12.5 18.5Other 9.2 26.6 31.8 15.6 16.8No religion 11.2 25.0 30.9 13.8 19.1
Table 9.1.4. Compared to direct rule from Westminster how would you rate the performanceof the Northern Ireland Assembly?
Excellent GoodSame/Neutral
Not verygood
Verybad
Do not know/noopinion
Total 1.7 5.7 17.8 33.3 21.1 20.4Male 1.0 4.0 16.2 24.1 24.5 20.2Female 2.4 7.3 19.2 32.6 18.0 20.518–24 2.1 2.8 15.2 28.0 25.6 26.325–44 1.6 6.1 16.8 33.3 22.0 20.145–64 2.2 6.7 19.7 36.9 16.9 17.565+ 1.0 7.1 19.0 36.9 16.9 17.5Protestant 0.7 3.7 17.2 39.5 18.2 20.6Catholic 2.0 8.0 24.5 41.0 13.0 11.5Other 1.7 6.9 19.1 37.6 15.0 19.7No religion 2.7 5.3 16.0 36.7 18.6 20.7
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Political issues
Table 9.1.5. If there was a referendum on flag flying on council headquarters which of theseoptions would you favour?
Individualcouncilsshould
continue tomake their
decisions onflags
All councilsshould berequired to
fly the unionflag every
day
Civil flagsshould be
flowninstead ofnational
flags
All councilsshould fly theunion flag on
designateddays
The unionflag shouldbe flown
alongside thetricolour
Do notknow/noopinion
Total 7.9 21.2 14.2 22.5 11.8 22.5Male 7.1 28.0 12.1 20.6 15.7 16.5Female 8.6 14.8 16.1 24.3 8.1 28.118–24 7.6 18.7 15.6 24.6 10.0 23.525–44 7.4 21.7 12.0 24.9 11.0 23.045–64 8.0 23.6 14.0 18.8 13.7 22.065+ 8.4 20.6 15.2 21.9 12.3 21.6Protestant 4.4 31.4 11.5 19.3 1.7 31.8Catholic 6.5 7.5 19.5 30.5 21.5 14.5Other 8.1 19.1 19.7 24.3 15.6 13.3No religion 3.7 21.8 19.7 20.2 19.1 15.4
Table 9.1.6. The Parades Commission (PC) is the legally established body which setsconditions for disputed parades. Which of these statements would you agree with
PCdeterminations
should be obeyed,it is the law
PC determinationscan be ignored
irrespective of thelaw
The law shouldguarantee the
right to paradeirrespective of
objections
Paradesshould onlytake place inareas wherethere is local
agreement
Do notknow/noopinion
Total 26.3 6.1 12.9 31.2 23.5Male 23.3 9.4 16.5 28.5 22.3Female 29.1 3.0 9.5 33.7 24.618–24 28.0 4.2 9.7 28.7 29.425–44 26.2 5.2 12.3 33.0 23.345–64 24.5 5.7 15.0 33.4 21.365+ 26.5 9.4 14.5 29.4 20.3Protestant 21.3 7.8 29.4 18.9 22.6Catholic 28.0 1.0 6.5 37.5 27.0Other 32.9 6.4 11.0 31.2 18.5No religion 26.1 7.4 8.5 38.3 19.7
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Table 9.1.7. Westminster has legalised same-sex marriages, giving churches the legal right torefuse to perform the ceremonies. Should this law be extended to Northern Ireland?
Yes No No opinion
Total 27.1 30.4 42.6Male 26.1 38.1 35.8Female 28.0 23.1 49.018–24 42.6 21.5 36.025–44 33.3 22.7 44.045–64 21.7 33.1 45.265+ 11.9 43.5 44.5Protestant 21.3 43.6 35.1Catholic 23.5 29.5 47.0Other 10.4 47.4 42.2No religion 11.2 36.7 52.1
Table 9.1.8. In Britain details of people or groups who contribute £7,500 or more to politicalparties are published. Northern Ireland is exempted on security grounds. Which of the
following do you agree with
The same ruleshould apply as
in Britain
We should apply alower threshold than
in Britain
It is too dangerous topublish the names of
party donors here
Do notknow/noopinion
Total 20.9 22.6 33.0 23.6Male 22.1 26.5 30.5 20.9Female 19.7 18.9 35.3 26.118–24 28.4 15.9 32.2 23.525–44 17.2 25.2 34.0 23.645–64 19.7 25.2 35.4 19.765+ 18.7 23.5 30.3 27.4Protestant 31.4 19.6 26.7 22.3Catholic 19.0 25.0 39.5 16.5Other 16.8 15.6 37.6 30.1No religion 22.3 23.4 28.7 25.5
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Policing
Table 9.1.9. Looking ten years ahead, what future do you expect for Northern Ireland?
A return totroubles-
eraviolence
Economicdecline
Economicgrowth
A morestable andpeacefulsociety
Nothingmuch to
havechanged
Do notknow/noopinion
Total 13.1 19.3 8.1 14.0 29.3 16.2Male 15.9 22.8 7.8 12.5 27.0 14.2Female 10.5 16.1 8.4 15.4 31.5 18.118–24 21.1 22.5 8.7 10.7 24.9 12.125–44 8.1 20.4 7.4 14.6 30.7 18.845–64 10.8 18.2 9.2 14.0 30.3 17.565+ 12.9 16.5 7.1 16.5 31.0 16.1Protestant 16.2 17.2 11.8 12.5 23.0 19.3Catholic 15.5 23.5 7.5 16.5 20.5 16.5Other 14.5 20.2 9.8 14.5 22.5 18.5No religion 18.1 26.1 6.4 9.0 23.9 16.5
Table 9.1.10. As a police service, how would you describe the performance of the PSNI?
Do not average/excellent
Notgood
Veryneutral
Know/good bad
Noopinion
Total 4.5 20.2 26.3 14.5 9.2 25.3Male 3.7 17.5 27.2 18.4 11.6 21.6Female 5.2 22.7 25.4 10.8 7.0 28.818–24 1.0 17.3 27.7 17.6 12.8 23.525–44 4.5 19.1 23.9 14.6 8.3 26.445–64 5.4 21.3 23.9 14.6 8.3 26.465+ 6.8 22.9 29.7 11.0 4.8 24.8Protestant 5.7 25.7 29.7 11.5 3.4 24.0Catholic 6.5 21.5 15.5 18.0 12.5 26.0Other 4.6 19.1 24.9 15.6 8.1 27.7No religion 4.3 24.5 27.7 13.8 10.1 19.7
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9.2. Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey
Date of opinion poll fieldwork: 1 October 2012–10 January 2013.Sample size: 1,204 adults. Results are presented as percentages.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2012 [computer file].ARK http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2012 [distributor].
Table 9.2.1. If there were a general election tomorrow, which political party do you think youwould be most likely to support?
DUPSinnFein UUP SDLP Alliance
Otherparty None
Otheranswer
Donot
know
Total 17 12 10 13 8 2 24 5 8Male 17 15 11 14 8 3 22 5 5Female 16 10 9 13 8 2 27 5 1018–24 20 19 4 5 4 1 31 3 1225–34 14 14 6 8 5 2 36 7 935–44 17 15 7 14 10 3 25 3 845–54 15 12 10 16 8 3 22 6 855–64 13 9 11 16 11 4 26 5 565+ 21 7 18 17 8 2 15 5 7Catholic 1 28 0 29 5 2 24 3 7Protestant 34 0 22 2 10 2 19 4 8No religion 12 2 6 4 12 8 37 13 8
Table 9.2.2. Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a unionist, a nationalist orneither?
Unionist Nationalist Neither Other Do not know
Total 28 23 47 1 2Male 31 26 42 1 1Female 25 20 51 1 318–24 17 22 56 1 425–34 20 15 61 1 235–44 22 25 49 1 345–54 26 27 45 1 155–64 31 26 43 1 065+ 43 20 35 0 2Catholic 0 51 47 1 2Protestant 61 1 36 1 2No religion 19 4 72 3 3
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Table 9.2.3a. Do you think the long-term policy for Northern Ireland shouldbe for it to:
Remainpart of theUK with
direct rule
Remain part ofthe UK with
devolvedgovernment
Reunifywith therest ofIreland
Independentstate
Otheranswer
Donot
know
Total 12 50 16 5 2 14Male 10 53 18 6 2 11Female 14 48 14 5 2 1818–24 11 31 21 11 0 2625–34 12 46 12 7 1 2335–44 11 56 15 5 0 1345–54 10 53 19 5 3 955–64 12 51 17 5 4 1165+ 16 55 13 2 3 11Catholic 6 34 33 7 3 17Protestant 18 68 2 3 1 9No religion 15 50 8 8 1 17
Table 9.2.3b. If response to above is not ‘To reunify with the rest of Ireland’: If themajority of people in Northern Ireland ever voted to become part of a united Ireland do you
think you
Would find thisalmost impossible to
accept
Would not like it, butcould live with it if
necessary
Would happilyaccept the wishes of
the majorityDo notknow
Total 14 30 47 8Male 13 32 50 6Female 15 29 46 1118–24 12 31 42 1525–34 15 24 50 1235–44 14 29 47 945–54 14 30 50 555–64 8 32 54 665+ 19 33 41 6Catholic 4 18 68 11Protestant 25 41 30 5No religion 8 26 55 11
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Table 9.2.3c. If response to above is not ‘To remain part of the UK’: If the majority of peoplein Northern Ireland never voted to become part of a united Ireland do you think you
Would find thisalmost impossible to
accept
Would not like it, butcould live with it if
necessary
Would happilyaccept the wishes of
the majorityDo notknow
Total 4 26 58 13Male 4 29 59 8Female 3 23 56 1718–24 4 34 45 1725–34 4 18 60 1835–44 5 16 61 1845–54 3 38 55 455–64 1 19 68 1165+ 3 29 57 11Catholic 3 30 58 9Protestant 7 18 58 17No religion 3 16 60 21
Table 9.2.4. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Northern Ireland MLAs are doingtheir job?
Verysatisfied
Fairlysatisfied
Neithersatisfied
norFairly
dissatisfiedVery
dissatisfiedDo not knowdissatisfied
Total 1 22 26 21 19 10Male 1 21 25 24 22 7Female 2 23 27 19 16 1318–24 1 24 26 19 10 2025–34 1 22 26 18 12 2235–44 1 17 31 24 22 645–54 2 21 27 22 23 555–64 2 22 21 22 26 865+ 2 26 26 22 18 6Catholic 2 23 29 20 16 10Protestant 2 24 23 24 19 9No religion 0 18 20 21 28 13
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9.3. Other relevant opinion polls
Ipsos Mori/BBC Spotlight Poll.Fieldwork: 17–22 January 2013.Sample: 1,046 adults.Issues: Flag crisis; party support; constitutional referendum; Northern Irelandpolitical system.
Ipsos Mori/BBC Newsline Poll.Fieldwork: December 2013.Sample: 1,021 adults.Issues: Flags, parades and the past.
Table 9.2.5. From what you have seen and heard so far, do you think that having a NorthernIreland Assembly is giving ordinary people
More say in how NorthernIreland is governed
Lesssay
It is making nodifference
Do notknow
Total 31 6 52 12Male 36 7 48 9Female 26 4 56 1318–24 24 8 45 2325–34 25 2 52 2135–44 29 5 54 1245–54 39 7 49 655–64 32 6 55 765+ 32 6 56 7Catholic 36 4 49 12Protestant 29 7 57 8No religion 25 7 54 14
Table 9.2.6. Overall, do you think that the Northern Ireland Assembly has achieved
A lot A little Nothing at all Too early to tell Do not know
Total 14 53 21 1 12Male 15 55 21 1 8Female 13 51 20 0 1618–24 9 44 19 0 2925–34 15 45 18 0 2235–44 11 59 19 0 1145–54 15 58 19 1 855–64 18 52 25 1 565+ 15 55 23 1 7Catholic 19 49 19 0 13Protestant 12 58 22 0 8No religion 8 54 21 1 16
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10. Changes in Political Attitudes
10.1. Party Support
Figure 10.1.1. Support for main political parties (2005–2012)Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2005–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
10.2. National Identity
Figure 10.2.1. Which of these best describes the way you usually think of yourself?Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2001–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
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Figure 10.2.2. Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a unionist, a nationalist orneither?
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (1998–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
Figure 10.3.1. Do you think the long-term policy for Northern Ireland should be for it toremain part of the UK, or to reunify with the rest of Ireland?
Note: In 2007, the response options relating to remaining part of the UK were changed to‘Remain part of the UK with direct rule’ and ‘Remain part of the UK with devolved govern-ment’, which may have affected the responses to this question. The Northern Ireland Lifeand Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2004–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
10.3. Constitutional Issues
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10.4. Community Relations
Note: Graphs represent trends of the main religious categories. A full breakdown bygender, age and total are available in the data source.
Figure 10.4.1. Protestant Catholic relationships are better than they were five years agoNote: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2000–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
Figure 10.3.2. Do you think the long-term policy for Northern Ireland should be for it toremain part of the UK, or to reunify with the rest of Ireland?
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2004–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
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10.5. Community Relations: Contact and Mixing
Figure 10.4.2. Relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five yearstime
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2000–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
Figure 10.5.1. Percentage feeling that most people in Northern Ireland would mind ‘a lot’or ‘a little’ if a close relative married someone of a different religion
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2006–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
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Figure 10.5.2. Percentage saying they would prefer to work in a mixed-religion work-place
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2004–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
Figure 10.5.3. Percentage saying they would prefer to send their children to a mixed-religion school
Note: The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey was not conducted in 2011.Source: Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2002–2012): http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
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11. Political Issues 2013
11.1. Security and Policing
Note: Security data is collated by the PSNI by financial year (1 April–31 March).
Figure 11.1.1. Deaths due to the security situation (2003–2013)Source: PSNI Annual Security Situation Statistics Report 2012–2013.
Figure 11.1.2. Shooting1 and bombing2 incidents (2003–2013)1Shooting incidents include: shots fired by terrorists; shots fired by the security forces; para-military-style attacks involving shootings; shots heard (and later confirmed).2An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidentsrecorded include explosions and defusing (devices used). Incidents involving hoaxdevices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.Source: PSNI Annual Security Situation Statistics Report 2012–2013.
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Table 11.1.1. Casualties as a result of paramilitary-style attacks (PSNI)
Shootings Assaults
Year TotalBy Loyalist
groupsBy Republican
groups TotalBy Loyalist
groupsBy Republican
groupsTotal
casualties
2001/2002 190 124 66 112 76 36 3022002/2003 165 110 55 144 94 50 3092003/2004 149 102 47 149 101 48 2982004/2005 93 76 17 116 71 45 2092005/2006 76 70 6 76 57 19 1522006/2007 26 14 12 48 36 12 742007/2008 7 2 5 45 35 10 522008/2009 20 2 18 41 28 13 612009/2010 46 1 45 81 69 12 1272010/2011 33 0 33 50 34 16 832011/2012 33 0 33 46 31 15 792012/2013 27 1 26 36 27 9 63
Source: PSNI Annual Security Situation Statistics Report 2012–2013.
Table 11.1.2. Number of complaints (C) and allegations (A) received by the Office of thePolice Ombudsman
Type2002/2003
2003/2004
2004/2005
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
2012/2013
C 3214 2979 2887 3140 3282 2997 3091 3542 3335 3341 3265A 4389 4236 4401 5515 5636 5435 5415 6501 6330 6001 5200Total 7966 7603 7215 7288 8655 8918 8432 8506 10041 9660 9232
Source: NI Police Ombudsman: http://www.policeombudsman.org
Figure 11.1.3. Percentage of complaints received by the Police Ombudsman by genderand religion (2002–2013)
Note: ‘Other’ religion includes: Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, Methodist, Other Christianand Other Religion.Source: NI Police Ombudsman, Annual Statistical Bulletin for the Office of the PoliceOmbudsman for Northern Ireland, 2012/2013: http://www.policeombudsman.org
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11.2. Terrorism
11.2.1 Relevant reportsNorthern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Terrorism Legislation: Annual Statistics2012/2013
Table 11.2.1. Power to stop and search: Number of person and vehicle searches underSection 47A of the Terrorism Act 2000 (previously under Section 44 of the 2000 Act)1
20052 2006 2007 2008 2009 20103 2011 2012 2013
Persons 204 948 2,167 6,922 24,519 28,770 9,156 0 0Vehicles 156 791 1,801 6,016 24,251 31,014 11,262 0 0
1From 18 March 2011 to 10 July 2012, Section 44 was temporarily replaced by an interimpower through the Terrorism Act 2000 (Remedial) Order 2011.2Data not available before July 2005.3The Home Secretary ceased use of stop and search under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act(2000) on 8 July 2010.Source: Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Terrorism Legislation: Annual Statistics2012/2013
Figure 11.2.1. Cordoned areas designated under Section 33 of the Terrorism Act (2000)(2001–2013)
Source: Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Terrorism Legislation: Annual Statistics2012/2013
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Table 11.3.1. Northern Ireland economic summary (2010–2012)
Date 2011 2012 2013
Output NI Annual GVAgrowth
0.5% +0.1% 0.3%
UK Annual GDPgrowth
1.5% 0.5%
Employment rate(July–September)
810,600(annualaverage)
799,500(annualaverage)
811,00067.5%(May–
July 13)Unemployment ILO rate (annual
average)7.3% 7.4% 60,000
6.9%(May–
July 13)Claimant count
(annual average)6.75% 6.7% 6.9%
(August13)
UK Inflation (CPIannual average)(y/y change)
4.5% 3.0% 2.8%(July 13)
UK Interest rate 0.5% 0.5% 0.5%(May 13)
Source: Danske Bank Quarterly Economic Overview for Q3 2013: http://www.danskebank.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/economic/2013/economic-overview-q3–2013.pdf
Figure 11.3.1. Unemployment rates (2008–2013)Source: NI Labour Force Survey (LFS) (October–December 2013): http://www.detini.gov.uk
11.3. Economy
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Figure 11.3.2. Unemployment rate by age (2011–2014)Source: NI Labour Force Survey (LFS) (April 2014): http://www.detini.gov.ukNote: No data available for 50+ December–February 2011 as sample size too small for areliable estimate
Table 11.3.2. Budget 2011–2015 (Northern Ireland Executive) Departmental currentexpenditure (£million)
Department2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2014
2014–2015
2010–2011to 2014–
2015
Agriculture and RuralDevelopment
224.9 220.1(22.2%)
230.4(4.7%)
220.0(24.5%)
218.6(20.6%)
22.8%
Culture, Arts andLeisure
113.3 112.1(21.0%)
107.4(24.2%)
107.4(0.0%)
104.3(22.9%)
28.0%
Education 1,914.8 1,894.6(21.1%)
1,876.1(21.0%)
1,887.7(0.6%)
1,874.5(20.7%)
22.1%
Employment andLearning
798.9 787.3(21.5%)
780.3(20.9%)
798.5(2.3%)
826.7(3.5%)
3.5%
Enterprise, Trade andInvestment
199.5 207.1(3.8%)
211.6(2.2%)
203.3(23.9%
205.5(1.1%)
3.0%
Finance and Personnel 182.9 188.6(3.1%)
185.3(21.8%)
180.7(22.5%)
181.2(0.3%)
20.9%
Health, Social Servicesand Public Safety
4,302.9 4,383.1(1.9%)
4,447.6(1.5%)
4,569.2(2.7%)
4,659.4(2.0%)
8.3%
(Continued )
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Table 11.3.2. (Continued )
Department2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2014
2014–2015
2010–2011to 2014–
2015
Environment 129.6 127.0(22.0%)
124.0(22.4%)
121.2(22.3%)
121.0(20.2%)
26.6%
Justice 1,223.7 1,213.1(20.9%)
1,189.0(22.0%)
1,166.7(21.9%)
1,176.4(0.8%)
23.9%
Regional Development 517.3 508.3(21.7%)
495.2(22.6%)
463.1(26.5%)
457.5(21.2%)
211.6%
Social Development 521.1 505.4(23.0%)
525.5(4.0%)
537.4(2.3%)
523.4(22.6%)
0.4%
Office of the FirstMinister and DeputyFirst Minister
80.2 78.6(22.0%)
80.0(1.8%)
77.0(23.8%)
73.7(24.3%)
28.1%
Non-MinisterialDepartments
Assembly Omdudsman/Commissioner forComplaints
1.6 1.7(4.4%)
1.7(0.4%)
1.7(0.9%)
1.7(21.0%)
2.9%
Food Standards Agency 9.6 9.4(21.5%)
9.3(21.0%)
9.2(21.0%)
9.2(20.7%)
24.2%
NI Assembly 48.4 46.5(23.9%)
45.0(23.2%)
44.7(20.7%)
44.1(21.4%)
29.0%
NI Audit Office 9.5 8.8(27.5%)
8.7(21.4%)
8.5(21.9%)
8.4(20.9%)
211.3%
NI Authority for UtilityRegulation
0.5 0.5(21.0%)
0.5(21.0%)
0.5(21.0%)
0.5(21.0%)
24.0%
Public ProsecutionService
37.4 37.0(21.1%)
36.0(22.5%)
35.2(22.3%)
33.9(23.6%)
29.2%
Total Planned Spend1 10,316.1 10,329.1(0.1%)
10,353.4(0.2%)
10,431.9(0.8%)
10,519.9(0.8%)
2.0%
1Totals may not add due to rounding.Source: Northern Ireland Executive, Revised Budget 2011–2015:http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/revised_budget_-_website_version.pdf
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11.3.1. Relevant ReportsNorthern Ireland Executive, Budget 2011–2015 (March 2011).
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), Women in NorthernIreland (September 2013).
Northern Ireland Labour Force Survey: October–December 2013 (April 2014).
Figure 11.3.4. Northern Ireland labour market structure (Seasonally adjusted)1
1Employment rate: Change on year 1.5%, Activity rate: Change on year 1.1%.Source: NI Labour Force Survey (LFS) (April 2014): http://www.detini.gov.uk
Figure 11.3.3. Labour market trends: Northern Ireland claimant count rate (Seasonallyadjusted).
Source: Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI): http://www.detini.gov.uk
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Table 11.4.1. Components of Population Change, Northern Ireland (2000–2012)
Time periodPopulation atstart of period Births1 Deaths1
Naturalchange
Netmigration
Otherchanges2
Populationat end of period
Populationnumber
Change%
July 2000–June 2001 1,682,900 21,600 14,400 7,100 21,100 2100 1,688,800 5,900 0.4July 2001–June 2002 1,688,800 21,500 14,400 7,000 1,000 700 1,697,500 8,700 0.5July 2002–June 2003 1,697,500 21,400 14,600 6,800 200 400 1,704,900 7,400 0.4July 2003–June 2004 1,704,900 22,000 14,700 7,300 1,600 200 1,714,000 9,100 0.5July 2004–June 2005 1,714,000 22,500 14,400 8,200 5,700 2200 1,727,700 13,700 0.8July 2005–June 2006 1,727,700 22,700 14,200 8,500 7,900 21,000 1,743,100 15,400 0.9July 2006–June 2007 1,743,100 23,900 14,600 9,300 10,900 21,700 1,767,700 18,600 1.1July 2007–June 2008 1,761,700 25,200 14,500 10,800 7,700 21,000 1,779,200 17,500 1.0July 2008–June 2009 1,779,200 25,300 14,600 10,700 3,700 2200 1,793,300 14,200 0.8July 2009–June 2010 1,793,300 25,000 14,000 11,000 1,200 2600 1,804,800 11,500 0.6July 2010–June 2011 1,804,800 25,400 14,200 11,200 21,500 2300 1,814,300 9,500 0.5July 2011–June 2012 1,814,300 25,300 14,200 11,100 21,300 2500 1,823,600 9,300 0.5
1Mid-year to mid-year.2Other changes include changes in Her Majesty’s Forces stationed in Northern Ireland.Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA):http://www.nisra.gov.uk
11.4. Demography and Migration
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Table 11.4.2. Detailed Migration, Northern Ireland (2000–2012)
Time period
Inflowsfrom rest of
UKOutflows torest of UK
Net UKMigration1
Inflowsfrom outside
UKOutflows tooutside UK
Net InternationalMigration2
Totalinflows
Totaloutflows
Net TotalMigration
July 2000–June 2001 11,600 11,700 0 6,500 7,600 21,100 18,200 19,300 21,100July 2001–June 2002 12,500 11,600 900 6,500 6,400 100 19,000 18,000 1,000July 2002–June 2003 11,100 11,000 100 6,800 6,700 100 17,900 17,700 200July 2003–June 2004 12,200 11,900 400 8,200 7,000 1,200 20,400 18,900 1,600July 2004–June 2005 13,300 11,300 2,000 12,500 8,900 3,700 25,900 20,200 5,700July 2005–June 2006 12,400 11,500 900 15,800 8,800 7,000 28,200 20,300 7,900July 2006–June 2007 12,900 11,100 1,800 19,800 10,600 9,100 32,700 21,800 10,900July 2007–June 2008 12,100 10,700 1,400 18,300 12,000 6,300 30,400 22,700 7,700July 2008–June 2009 10,900 10,200 700 14,400 11,400 3,000 25,300 21,600 3,700July 2009–June 2010 10,700 11,300 2600 13,900 12,100 1,800 24,500 23,400 1,100July 2010–June 2011 10,300 11,100 2800 13,400 14,100 2700 23,700 25,200 21,500July 2011–June 2012 10,300 12,100 21,800 12,900 12,500 400 23,300 24,600 21,300
1UK migration relates to population migration flows with the UK.2International migration relates to migration flows with the Republic of Ireland and the Rest of the World.Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA):http://www.nisra.gov.uk
Data
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11.4.1. Relevant reportsEquality Commission for Northern Ireland, Monitoring Report No. 23:A Summary of Northern Ireland Monitored Workforce Returns 2012 (December2013).
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, 91st Annual Report of the RegistrarGeneral 2012 (November 2013).
12. Useful Online Resources
Northern Ireland government
Northern Ireland Executive: http://www.northernireland.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Assembly: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Office: http://www.nio.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Direct Government Service: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Local Government Association: http://www.nilga.org
North–South Ministerial Council: http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org
British-Irish Council: http://www.britishirishcouncil.org
British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly: http://www.britishirish.org
European Commission in Northern Ireland: http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom
Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland: http://www.boundarycommission.org.uk
Northern Ireland Audit Office: http://www.niauditoffice.gov.uk
The Independent Chair and Vice-Chair of the Panel of Parties in the NI Executive(Haass Talks): http://panelofpartiesnie.com
Select public bodies
Police Service of Northern Ireland: http://www.psni.police.uk
Northern Ireland Policing Board: http://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk
Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland: http://www.policeombudsman.org
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Northern Ireland Parades Commission: http://www.paradescommission.org
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland: http://www.equalityni.org
Commission for Victims and Survivors: http://www.cvsni.org
Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service: http://www.courtsni.gov.uk
Data and statistics
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Includes census data onelectoral districts: http://www.nisra.gov.uk
Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI). Provides electorate and electionstatistics by ward, canvass response and neighbourhood statistics: http://www.eoni.org.uk
The Electoral Commission (Northern Ireland section): http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/northern-ireland
Office for National Statistics: http://www.ons.gov.uk
UK Data Service: http://ukdataservice.ac.uk
Election Maps: http://www.election-maps.co.uk
ACE Electoral Knowledge Network: http://www.aceproject.org
Northern Ireland Census of Population: http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census/start.html
ARK (Access Research Knowledge) Northern Ireland: http://www.ark.ac.uk
Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe): http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Research-and-Information-Service-RaISe
Ipsos MORI Polling: http://www.ipsos-mori.com
LucidTalk Polling: http://www.lucidtalk.co.uk
YouGov Polling: http://yougov.co.uk
The Public Whip: http://www.publicwhip.org.uk
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They Work For You: http://www.theyworkforyou.com
Hansard (Commons and Lords): http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications
Archives
UK Data Archive: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).PRONI is the official archive and place of deposit for public records in NorthernIreland. It also collects a wide range of archives from private sources: http://www.proni.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Publications Resource: http://www.nibooks.org
Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN): http://cain.ulst.ac.uk
LOMOND: Peace Process Directory.The Layers of Meaning Online Directory provides access to interviews, social inves-tigations and oral histories of the peace process: http://www.peaceprocesshistory.org
Linenhall Library Northern Ireland Political Collection.The NIPC houses over 14,000 documents related to Northern Irish political history:https://www.linenhall.com/pages/ni-political-collection
Community
Community Evaluation Northern Ireland: http://www.ceni.org
Northern Ireland Neighborhood Service (NINIS).NINIS provides free access to statistical and locational information relating to smallareas across Northern Ireland. Information is available on population, social andwelfare, agriculture, education and crime: http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk
Community Relations Council: http://www.community-relations.org.uk
Environment
Committee on Climate Change: http://www.theccc.org.ukDepartment of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): http://www.defra.gov.uk
Department of Environment Northern Ireland (DoENI): http://www.doeni.gov.uk
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Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC): http//www.gov.uk/decc
Economy
Invest Northern Ireland: http://www.investni.com
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DeTI): http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-stats-index.htm
Office for National Statistics: http://www.ons.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA): http://www.nisra.gov.uk
Demography and Migration
UK Border Agency website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA): http://www.nisra.gov.uk
News Sources and Political Blogs
Belfast Telegraph: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
The Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com
The Irish News: www.irishnews.com
NewsLetter: http://www.newsletter.co.uk
An Phoblacht: http://www.anphoblacht.com
The Detail: http://www.thedetail.tv
RTE: http://www.rte.ie
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/northern_irelandIrish Central – Nuzhound: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/nuzhound
Slugger O’Toole: http://sluggerotoole.com
Political Party websites
Sinn Fein: http://www.sinnfein.ie
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Democratic Unionist Party: http://www.mydup.com
Ulster Unionist Party: http://www.uup.org
Social Democratic and Labour Party: http://www.sdlp.ie
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland: http://www.allianceparty.org
The Green Party in Northern Ireland: http://www.greenpartyni.org
Traditional Unionist Voice: http://www.tuv.org.uk
UK Independence Party: http://www.ukip.org
Northern Ireland Conservatives: http://www.niconservatives.com
NI21: http://ni21.org
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