The Impact Of Austerity in NI - Discussion by Journalist (Report)

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday November 23, 2011 10:59 by Expac Ltd

Expac event

Local journalists discuss impact of austerity at an event organised by the Conflicts of Interest project on 16th November in Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre.

Against a background of rising unemployment, inflation driving up the cost of living and budget cutbacks curtailing public service delivery, a group of local journalists met in Belfast to discuss the impact will hard-times have on the politics of N. Ireland. Alex Kane (News Letter), Brian Feeney (Irish News), Roy Garland (Irish News) and Malachi O'Doherty (BBC Louis MacNeice writer in residence at QUB) explored the impact of austerity on prospects for political progress in N. Ireland The three journalists, in spite of holding very different political viewpoints, did nevertheless agree that the economic prospects are grim and members of the panel expressed a considerable degree of scepticism about the ability of the local devolved government to rectify the problem. The panel pointed out that it the absence of a widespread political consensus in the north it will be difficult to address the underlying economic difficulties. The meeting concluded with questions from the floor.

This project is supported by the PEACE III Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the Community Relations Council/Pobal Consortium