programme for government

There is an appetite for change. The current context provides the opportunity to do just that.

Soapbox on March 26, 2021, 10:10 am

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Jennifer Wallace (Head of Policy, Carnegie UK Trust) and Hannah Ormston (Policy and Development Officer, Carnegie UK Trust). With the consultation on a new Programme for Government now closed, the Carnegie UK Trust discusses what’s next for how the Executive reflects and responds to the consultation submissions and the broader need to place wellbeing at the centre of public policy and services The Carnegie UK Trust welcomes the focus on societal wellbeing in the new draft Programme for Government Outcomes …

Towards a politics of emergence: Can wellbeing shift the political conversation?

Peter Doran on September 29, 2016, 1:31 am

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The Carnegie United Kingdom Trust (CUKT) convened a high-level Conference at the Girdwood Community Hub in Belfast Wednesday to take stock of the Trust’s joint work with QUB School of Law on advancing the case for a wellbeing outcomes framework in the Programme for Government. A feature of the conversation at the packed venue was the blend of local and global themes and speakers. We heard from Rolf Alter, Director for Public Governance and Territorial Development at the influential inter-governmental think-tank, …

#Soapbox: The sorry tale of ‘Outcome-Based Performance Management’

Soapbox on July 5, 2016, 4:51 pm

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Dr. Toby Lowe is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Newcastle. Here he lays out in detail some of the flaws in a branded system ostensibly constructed to ensure delivery of government policy which the current NI Executive parties have agreed to implement at Stormont. The Northern Ireland Executive has just published its Draft Programme for Government Framework. Many people will no doubt want to comment on the priorities it contains. But there is actually a more fundamental problem …

Peter Doran explains the background to the new style of Programme for Government

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 29, 2016, 8:50 am

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What’s the background to the new framework of actions, outcomes and indicators that will sit behind the Programme for Government? What’s all this talk about wellbeing? Dr Peter Doran from QUB School of Law was involved in the Carnegie Roundtable that helped introduce the concepts to NI’s public sector over the past few years.

To create Northern Ireland’s new programme for government, everybody can join in.

Brian Walker on May 28, 2016, 12:14 pm

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After decades of practice it’s all too easy to adopt the scepticism of the opposition parties towards the “new framework for a programme for government”. John Manley in the Irish News is but one who recognises the gaps and omissions. But these refer to decisions to come. To criticise the approach for how to take them is unfair and misses the point. Arlene Foster has promised “a new way of doing things… not working in departmental silos.” Martin McGuinness promises …

Eastwood: “We wanted to put together a PfG with things that we could all be held accountable for…”

Mick Fealty on May 19, 2016, 10:29 pm

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EASTWOOD WALKS: “We wanted to put together a Programme for Government with actions, implementations and things that we could all be held accountable for. The DUP and Sinn Fein did not want to do that, so we were not prepared to sign up.”

#SluggerReport: Contrasts between northern and southern PfG processes…

Mick Fealty on May 13, 2016, 10:23 am

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PROGRAMMED GOVERNMENT: There is no obligation to consult in the Republic. The enhanced deliberative and legislative powers of Dail Eireann are trusted to filter out the worst single party excesses. Thus BOTH government and executive action begin now, not November.

McGuinness: “Work on the programme for government has been going on prior to the election for some months.”

Pete Baker on May 9, 2016, 2:55 pm

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With only two weeks set aside to allow the new Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government to be thrashed out, and agreed between the parties, you might think that time was of the essence. But apparently not… The BBC are reporting that there will be a delay to the start of those negotiations. That may be a surprise to the new Sinn Féin MLA for Foyle, Martin McGuinness. On Sunday he told the BBC that “On Monday, we will be entering discussions …

May’s #AE16 could be a precursor to a more open and competitive contest in 2020…

Mick Fealty on March 29, 2016, 12:33 pm

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Apart from in West Belfast, there’s not currently much in the ‘big politics’ column for the elections in May. The Lucid Talk figures are remarkably stable (it’s a relatively stable methodology), which doesn’t suggest there’s any kind of democratic tumult. In unionism, there’s speculation about who’ll get Basil McCrea’s seat, his former partner, John McCallister looks set to be squeezed out in a tough three-way battle for two Unionist quotas in South Down, and in East Londonderry Claire Sugden faces …

So what changed between the draft and final versions of the Programme for Government?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 20, 2012, 9:02 am

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The final version of the NI Executive’s 2011-2015 Programme for Government was published last Monday. What changes were made between the draft version issued in November 2011 and the final version issued in March 2012 after three months of consultation? Running section one of each version through a convenient comparison tool [Ed – Microsoft Word!] generated this handy PDF which tracks the changes. Nothing too sinister, but interesting to see how public feedback – and no doubt, fresh thinking from …

“I wouldn’t suggest that the executive’s programme for government is quite so meaningless…”

Pete Baker on October 5, 2011, 2:01 pm

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The once and future Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, and Sinn Féin’s candidate in the Irish Presidential race, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, is keen to promote his “strong track record in seeking Foreign Direct Investment, leading important Trade Missions and attracting investment and jobs”. But, as Mark Devenport highlights from the leaked draft programme for government, [as with so many things… – Ed] that’s only half the story. However, glancing at the draft obtained this week by my colleague Martina Purdy, you …

Last night’s leaders’ debate … and the draft programme for government (updated)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 4, 2011, 1:00 pm

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Opinion seems divided about the format and scheduling of last night’s leaders’ debate – available to view online. Personally, I liked the way that the format allowed the five party (northern) leaders to be put on the spot by members of the audience, tackling four areas each. It was at least as illuminating as the bickering bunfight that followed when the leaders got the chance to talk across and over each other. Update to bear in mind when reading the …