We don’t need more information, we need more action…

You may remember that after being bucked out by the ungrateful voters of North Down, Stephen Farry got himself a new gig as Co-Director of the new Ulster University’s Strategic Policy Unit. He also got the title of professor, which I am sure the hard-working academics of UU who have to toil for years to get to that level will definitely not resent. 

Anyhoo, the first fruit of the new Think Tank Tree is a report entitled “A Focus on Public Sector Transformation”.

One of my New Year resolutions is to be less cynical and more constructive, which, as you can imagine, is a challenge when covering NI Politics. But I decided to give the report a chance and read all 28 pages (so you don’t have to).

Here are the key conclusions:

1. A revised Fiscal Framework for NI is, in isolation, unlikely to resolve the financial difficulties facing the Executive, particularly as the cessation of stabilisation funding looms in 2025–26. Financial recovery will also necessitate enhanced revenue raising. However, the real game changer for NI lies in transformation — changing how funding is allocated/spent and how services are delivered.

2. Significantly increased resources should therefore be allocated to transformation via the Transformation Fund. Furthermore, transformation should not be restricted to a delineated fund, rather it should be an underlying ethos and mainstreamed across all aspects of government work. It should also be an outward looking exercise, involving collaboration with other stakeholders to identify policy solutions and drive efficiencies and better outcomes.

3. Consideration should be given to piloting the creation of a Preventative DEL allocation for some Departments as a proportion of their overall Resource DEL allocation. This would help embed public transformation as a culture across the Civil Service. For example, this would safeguard enhanced investment in prevention and early-intervention in health, driving improvements in future outcomes and services.

4. The Executive should consider the introduction and/or trialling of Green-Budgeting, informed by international examples of best practice and the comparative work of the OECD. This would embed environmental considerations across policymaking and address the inherent disconnect between policy/political short-termism and the future-orientated nature of benefits from this type of expenditure.

5. Zero-Based budgeting should be piloted within one or more Executive Departments, to refresh thinking around what is funded and avoid the embedding and reinforcing of inefficiencies, based on what has been funded historically.

6. Science and technology should be recognised as central to driving efficiencies and improved outcomes. Related interventions should include the development of an AI Strategy for NI.

The document is rather vague on specifics and relies very heavily on the the buzzword du jour – AI. ‘AI can transform public services’, well that’s great but how exactly is AI going to do it?

The Zero-Based budgeting is an interesting idea, which the civil service will completely resist as they love stability.

Speaking of AI, I asked my new AI buddy Chat GPT if it could do better:

Prompt: can you give some ideas about how to transform and public services in Northern Ireland? Try to be specific:

Transforming and improving public services in Northern Ireland involves addressing existing challenges while leveraging modern technology, community engagement, and policy innovation. Here are some specific ideas:

---

1. Digital Health Platform for Rural Areas

• Challenge: Difficulty accessing healthcare in remote regions.
• Solution: Implement telehealth services where patients can consult with doctors via video calls. Use a centralized app to schedule appointments, access test results, and manage prescriptions.
• Implementation: Partner with telecom providers to ensure robust internet coverage and provide training for healthcare staff on telehealth systems.

---

2. Integrated Public Transport System

• Challenge: Lack of coordination between buses, trains, and other transport modes.
• Solution: Develop an integrated ticketing and scheduling system (like Dublin’s Leap Card). Include real-time tracking and mobile app support for journey planning.
• Implementation: Collaborate with transport operators to standardize technology and pricing. Incentivize adoption through subsidies or discounts.

---

3. Community-Led Policing Initiatives

• Challenge: Distrust and low engagement with law enforcement in some communities.
• Solution: Introduce community police forums where residents collaborate with officers to identify local safety priorities. Use mobile apps to anonymously report concerns and track responses.
• Implementation: Allocate resources for training officers in community engagement and restorative practices.

---

4. Housing Regeneration and Co-Housing Models

• Challenge: Housing shortages and derelict properties.
• Solution: Encourage co-housing schemes where residents share communal spaces and resources while having private living quarters. Invest in renovating vacant properties for affordable housing.
• Implementation: Partner with housing associations and provide financial incentives for private developers to prioritize regeneration projects.

---

5. Green Energy Transition for Public Services

• Challenge: High reliance on fossil fuels for energy needs.
• Solution: Equip public buildings with solar panels and implement geothermal heating where feasible. Convert public vehicle fleets to electric or hybrid models.
• Implementation: Secure funding through grants or partnerships with renewable energy companies. Provide public updates on progress to build support.

---

6. Education-to-Employment Pipeline

• Challenge: Skills mismatch between education and job market needs.
• Solution: Introduce vocational training in schools and create partnerships between industries and educational institutions to provide apprenticeships.
• Implementation: Establish regional hubs where students can access career advice, training, and job placement services.

---

7. Streamlined Social Service Delivery

• Challenge: Fragmented access to welfare and social support.
• Solution: Develop a “one-stop-shop” online portal for applying to multiple benefits and services (e.g., housing support, disability payments, childcare subsidies).
• Implementation: Use AI-driven tools to assist users in navigating the application process and reducing manual intervention.

---

8. Cultural and Historical Tourism Boost

• Challenge: Untapped potential for tourism related to Northern Ireland’s rich history and culture.
• Solution: Create immersive experiences using AR/VR at historical sites like the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic Belfast. Offer curated walking tours emphasizing lesser-known landmarks.
• Implementation: Develop a robust digital marketing strategy targeting international audiences and collaborate with local artists for authenticity.

---

9. Civic Engagement App

• Challenge: Low public participation in decision-making.
• Solution: Create a platform where citizens can vote on community projects, submit feedback on public policies, and access transparent updates on government spending.
• Implementation: Pilot the app in selected districts to gauge effectiveness and refine it before a wider rollout.

---

10. Mental Health and Well-Being Hubs

• Challenge: Limited mental health resources and long waiting lists.
• Solution: Establish local mental health hubs offering immediate support, peer groups, and access to therapists. Integrate services into schools and workplaces.
• Implementation: Train existing healthcare workers and volunteers to staff hubs and provide funding for therapy services through a public-private partnership.

---

These initiatives focus on addressing Northern Ireland’s unique challenges while promoting efficiency, inclusivity, and sustainability. Let me know if you’d like further exploration into any of these ideas!

These ideas are pretty good. The Strategic Policy Unit might be concerned that AI came up with better ideas in 30 seconds for free than the months of work and hundreds of thousands they have spent. Or maybe it just shows that they are right about ‘the transformative potential of AI’.

But ideas are ten a penny. It is the implementation that matters.

It was New Year last week, and I am sure many readers made some New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe you want to get fit, lose weight, get a new job, etc. Goals are meaningless unless you take action. If you sit on your hole all day watching Netflix and eating Monster Munch, then you are not going to get very far towards your goal.

Likewise, our public services know what they need to do, but they just don’t do it. They prefer to kick the can down the road continually. You could wallpaper the walls of Stormont with all the ‘Strategic reviews’ that they churn out—reviews that are destined to sit in a drawer somewhere, never to be implemented.

Can I suggest that the new professors turn their intellect towards the question of how to break free from our inertia culture?

Can I also extend an invitation to Profs Stephen Farry and Jodie Carson that Slugger would be more than happy to give them the space to explain or expand on their ideas.

You can read the report here (Word Doc).