Research Matters

A blog from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service

Research Matters

Research Matters

Latest Articles

Browse all the articles published on the Research Matters blog, with the most recent articles appearing at the top.

An image of a farming landscape in Ireland

COVID-19 and farming – A bitter harvest?

5th May 2020

2020 was already set to be a challenging year for farmers across the UK. Having finally reached an agreed Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, the UK is set to formally leave the EU at the end of the current transitional period in December 2020. As a result of this decision, the UK and each of the devolved administrations were facing major changes in terms of how they would be supporting farmers outside the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework. There were concerns amongst some local stakeholders around the impacts that such moves would have on the nature and viability of agriculture here.

An image of an empty park bench

Loneliness: What is it and what can be done about it?

22nd April 2020

Although loneliness and social isolation are often reported synonymously, they are in fact distinct concepts. A person who is isolated may not necessarily be lonely,

A line graph comparing COVID-19 deaths (five day moving averages) per million population for selected countries; five day moving averages include two days either side of date shown in chart (e.g. moving aveage for 14 April is an average taken over the five days 12-16 April).

Where are we on the COVID-19 curve? (Update at 16 April 2020)

17th April 2020

This is a follow-up to the recent blog article, ‘Where are we on the COVID-19 curve?. The previous article used three day averages for

An image showing a reader consulting reference material in the Assembly Library

COVID-19 and Brexit: A reading list

16th April 2020

Brexit and the negotiations during the current transition period may have slipped from the top of the news agenda, but commentators are already beginning to

Where are we on the COVID-19 curve?

10th April 2020

Most of us by now understand the need to ‘flatten the curve’ in order to reduce the number of overall cases of COVID-19 and

A blue and white image depicting a coronavirus

Visualisation of COVID-19 in Northern Ireland

9th April 2020

By Keara McKay & Thomas Procter This is a visualisation prepared and maintained by the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe). It presents

An image of a pile of credit or debit cards

Northern Ireland Executive Budget 2020-21: Initial allocations, with more to come later…

2nd April 2020

In his statement on 31 March, the Minister of Finance noted that the world has changed dramatically since his 16 March statement on the

A colour image showing COVID-19 virus cells

Sources of guidance and support on the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)

27th March 2020

In order to provide support to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), the Research and Information Service (RaISe) has produced this round-up of trusted,

Image of piggy bank and scrabble tiles spelling out the word budget

UK Chancellor’s Budget 2020: Implications for Northern Ireland

13th March 2020

The recently appointed UK Chancellor presented his first Budget on Wednesday (as had been planned by his predecessor). It was announced in place of the

A graph comparing Northern Ireland median hourly pay by industry and gender for 2019

Northern Ireland Gender Pay Gap – 2020 update

6th March 2020

By Michael Scholes & Aidan Stennett To highlight International Women’s Day, the following article updates our previous blog article examining the Gender Pay Gap in

A photograph showing Coronavirus

What is the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

12th February 2020

This article was edited on 4th March 2020 to include updated information, data and guidance. The recent international coronavirus outbreak originated in the city of

Image used under CC0 Creative Commons Licence: https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/

Waiting lists and waiting times for Elective Care in Northern Ireland: Taking stock

7th February 2020

This blog article is based on the information and analysis in the recently published Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service paper, ‘Waiting lists and

A picture of a person signing a contract with a keys and a keyring of a house in the background

How does the regulation of residential letting agents in Northern Ireland compare with the rest of the UK?

23rd January 2020

What is the distinction between an estate agent and a letting agent? Why is it important for consumers in Northern Ireland to distinguish between the

An independent Fiscal Council for Northern Ireland: What might it look like?

21st January 2020

The recent New Decade, New Approach deal to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland contains considerable commitments to financial support but scant detail. A release by

Image showing the word 'wages' spelled out with some cash behind.

National Minimum Wage: Effects and future

18th December 2019

Do you know the hourly minimum wage rates for workers in Northern Ireland? Currently, the rates are determined under three separate schemes: the ‘National Living

An image showing the Northern Ireland Budget Act 2019, with a selection of cash

Northern Ireland public finances: An update

5th December 2019

This blog article provides an update on Northern Ireland public finances in the absence of fully functioning devolved government. It explains recently enacted budget legislation

Suicide statistics and strategy in Northern Ireland: Update

28th November 2019

By Lesley-Ann Black and Keara McKay This article is an updated version of a piece which was published on Research Matters in February 2019. It

An image showing lots of Brexit-related books in the Assembly Library

Brexit and Northern Ireland: Reading List #27

4th October 2019

Please note: This version of the Brexit and Northern Ireland reading list has now been superseded. For the very latest version, please see here.

An image showing free sanitary products in a box

Free periods? Period poverty, its impact on education, and policy responses to the issue

5th September 2019

Period poverty is a topical issue, globally and within the United Kingdom (UK). Recently, there has been some concern about the relationship between period poverty

An image showing the start of the Giro d'Italia bike race with Parliament Buildings, Stormont in the background

Is Northern Ireland ‘Open’ for business? Examining the social and economic impact of sporting events

2nd July 2019

This article draws on recent experiences of Government-funded sporting events in Northern Ireland (NI), highlighting a number of those events, in particular their economic and

A black and white image of a woman with her hand covering her face

Is coercive control a crime?

27th June 2019

In 2016 a man called Lance Hart shot his wife Claire and daughter Charlotte outside a swimming pool in Lincolnshire, England, before turning his shotgun

An image showing a tree canopy from beneath

What exactly are the air pollution impacts on health?

20th June 2019

The impacts and dangers associated with air pollution are becoming increasingly recognised. Around 28,000 to 40,000 deaths per year are estimated to be attributable to

An image showing a set of new plastic bottles

Plastics in the sea: Part two – policy for plastics

18th June 2019

This blog article is the second in a series of two which discusses the issue of marine plastic waste in Northern Ireland (NI), based on

An image showing a large quantity of largely plastic on a beachmarine litter

Plastics in the sea: Part one – the plastic problem

17th June 2019

This blog article is the first in a series of two which discusses the issue of marine plastic waste in Northern Ireland (NI), based on

An image of closed shop units and 'To Let' signs

Is Northern Ireland underrated? Examining the context for a review of our rating system

6th June 2019

On 9 May 2019 the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Finance (DoF) announced a fresh appraisal of the fundamental features of the Northern Ireland

A photograph over Cuilcagh in County Fermanagh: a protected site that spans the border

What next for the environment, Brexit and cross-border co-operation?

23rd May 2019

Environmental regulation currently experienced by Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (RoI) is greatly influenced by European Union (EU) policy frameworks. While some

Image depicting a farm with a dramatic sky

Farmers and mental health

15th May 2019

In this Mental Health Awareness Week, which also coincides with this year’s Balmoral Show, this article examines an issue which has received comparatively little attention

Image of a man holding a smartphone

Keeping up with technology: Upskirting and the law in Northern Ireland

1st May 2019

Last month, a new law came into force in England and Wales making upskirting a criminal offence. Upskirting involves taking a photo or

An image of the Peace Bridge in Derry/Londonderry

A comparison of the planning systems in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

15th April 2019

This blog article examines the similarities and differences between the planning systems north and south of the border on the island of Ireland. It is

Northern Ireland trade in goods, 2018

8th April 2019

This blog post provides an overview of Northern Ireland’s (NI) current position with regard to trade in goods and updates our previous blog on NI’s