Connect Belfast

Connect are delighted to be partnering with the @humefoundation on our exciting event 'Checks and Balances: the Role of Opposition in UK and Ireland.' 📅Taking place during the Imagine Festival @ImagineBelfast on Thursday 26 March, the lineup inlcudes: ➡️ SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole ➡️ Sinn Fein TD Eoin Ó Broin ➡️ Irish Labour Party TD Ivana Bacik ➡️ Former UUP MLA John McAllister ➡️ Scottish Labour Party representative ➡️ Stephen Farry Professor of Strategic Policy, Ulster University. imaginebelfast.com/event/checks-a…

The Week that Was [27.03.26] 📍In the Assembly this week, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA confirmed that he would not be able to bring forward legislation on Minimum Unit Pricing during this Mandate. He described this as a “missed opportunity” and said that the DUP, who have previously supported the introduction of MUP should allow the issue to be debated in the Assembly. 📍Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP said Northern Ireland is the part of the UK where it is “most dangerous to be a woman” and said the levels of violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland is a source of “enormous sadness” and “shame.” He was answering a question from Claire Hanna MP in relation to recent deaths of two women as well as the conclusion of the Natalie McNally trial. 📍The TUV held their Party Conference in Cookstown on Saturday with Party Leader Jim Allister MP saying “there should be no Executive as long as the protocol exists" and describing Stormont as “dysfunctionalism on stilts.”

Fascinating conversation on ‘Checks and Balances’ and important role of opposition in UK & Ireland with John McAllister @EOBroin @MatthewOToole2 @sarahrees500 @StephenFarryUU

Our @ImagineBelfast discussion on role of the opposition, joint event between @ConnectBelfast & @humefoundation: fascinating insights from Eoin O’Broin, John McAllister, Matthew O’Toole & Sarah Rees wrt Senedd, Dail, Stormont legislatures. Thanks to chair Stephen Farry @UlsterUni

Kick-off time at our event with the @humefoundation as part of the @ImagineBelfast festival 🎤 📍We are hearing from our panel who are currently sharing thoughts on the role of the opposition across the UK and Ireland.

Tonight @ 6.30pm 🔻 Still time to get your tickets!

Great to support @pivotalpolicy yesterday enabling PLDP alumni to attend the NI Leadership & Governance Conference!

Great to be at the NI Leadership & Governance Conference today. #NIGovConf26 👉 So far, we are hearing themes of transformation from Executive Ministers speaking to delegates.

NI Assembly: What to Watch this Week MONDAY 📍Education and Economy Question Time 📍Motion on ‘Tackling Waste and Inefficiency in Government’ TUESDAY 📍Health Question Time + Ministerial Statement on Minimum Unit Pricing 📍Motion on ‘Renewables to enhance Northern Ireland’s Energy Security’ THURSDAY 📍Health Minister will brief the Committee for Health on ‘HSC Trusts Governance and Accountability’ 📍Permanent Secretary Hugh Widdis will give evidence on Out of Court Disposals at the Committee for Justice The full Business Diary is here: aims.niassembly.gov.uk/assemblybusine…

Less than a week to go until our event with the @humefoundation at @ImagineBelfast! 🎟️Get your tickets here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/checks-and-b…

The Week that Was [20.03.26]: 📍Four Executive Ministers were in Washington this week for St Patrick’s Day engagements with Ministers Lyons, Givan, Nesbitt and Little-Pengelly all travelling to the US. 📍Speaking after meeting with President Trump, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA said the meeting was a “really good opportunity to make sure that Northern Ireland was on his radar in a positive way” and said she thought this was the “first time that Northern Ireland has actually had a scheduled, published meeting with the President of the United States.” 📍Also, this week, the Economy Committee held a special meeting with the Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald MLA to discuss an £81 million allocation from the UK Government to implement an electricity cost reduction scheme in Northern Ireland. The Minister said that DUP Chair Phillip Brett MLA had made “numerous false statements” and that the scheme would “not even have applied here if it weren’t for the efforts” of the Department for the Economy and the Department of Finance. 📍The BBC are reporting this morning that the Minister has now brought a proposal to the Executive on the implementation of a £30 reduction in electricity bills for all households in Northern Ireland for the next three years. The reduction is due to begin in July and legislation is now being prepared in Westminster.

NI Assembly: What to Watch this Week MONDAY 📍Motions on the Women’s Health Strategy and Illegal US and Israeli Attacks on Iran 📍TEO and Finance Question Time WEDNESDAY 📍Economy Committee briefing from the Utility Regulator and from the Department on HE Financial Needs 📍TEO Committee briefing from the Irish Language and Ulster Scots Commissioners THURSDAY 📍Health Committee briefing from the NI Ambulance Service The full Business Diary is here: aims.niassembly.gov.uk/assemblybusine…

Alliance Party leader, Naomi Long MLA is addressing @allianceparty Conference. 📍She said Alliance will prove wrong any suggestions that Alliance has plateaued. 📍She said more people want to engage in politics of delivery and ambition rather than the politics of the past. 📍She said the Alliance Party is in Government not because it is easy, but because it matters. #APNI26

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham is addressing the @allianceparty Conference. 📍He said a cross party approach is now needed across the UK nations regarding reform of Westminster. 📍He said the UK political system does not work for anywhere outside of London and the South East. 📍He said we must join forces if change is to be achieved. #APNI26

Today we are at the @allianceparty Conference in Belfast. We will be regularly updating on what’s happening at the Conference throughout the day. #APNI26

The Week that Was - 13.03.26 📍Prime Minister Keir Starmer MP visited Northern Ireland this week, attending a number of engagements including the British and Irish Governments’ joint St Patrick’s Day reception on Wednesday night and met with local community groups. 📍The Prime Minister has travelled to Cork for UK -Ireland Summit which will take place on Friday. Arriving on Thursday, the Prime Minister announced a £937m investment from the Irish Government to the UK which will include an energy interconnector between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and one between Wales and Ireland. Starmer said the investment shows that closer ties with Ireland are delivering for people in the UK. 📍The Alliance Party Conference takes place in Belfast on Saturday. Speaking ahead of the Conference, which will cover topics including Lough Neagh and online safety, Party Leader Naomi Long MLA said she does not measure electoral success in seats, but “in what we actually go to the public with, in terms of delivery and in terms of aspirations for the future.” She also said that she has the “enthusiasm, the energy and the vision to lead the party through these elections and beyond.”

NI Assembly: What to Watch this Week MONDAY 📍SDLP Opposition Day with Motions on Equalising the First and deputy First Minister titles and the All-Island Economy 📍AERA Question Time TUESDAY 📍Communities Question Time 📍Final Stage: Budget Bill WEDNESDAY 📍Infrastructure Committee Briefing on the Department’s Budget The full Business Diary is available here: aims.niassembly.gov.uk/assemblybusine…

The Week that Was [06.03.26] 📍Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP delivered her Spring Statement this week. Finance Minister John O’Dowd welcomed the additional £390 million in funding for the Northern Ireland Executive but said the “reality is that severe pressure on the Executive’s finances remain.” 📍In the Assembly, the Minister also said that the open-book exercise currently being carried out by the UK Treasury is due to be completed by mid-March. The Minister confirmed that the consultation on the draft multi-year Budget has now closed with over 300 responses received. 📍Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP appeared before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on Wednesday. The Secretary of State said that the Government were “doing their bit” in granting the £400 million reserve claim to the Executive and now it is up to the Executive to “do its part.” He said the Executive could make choices about revenue raising which they have largely not taken, and there are therefore “consequences” for this.

📍At Westminster, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP will attend the @CommonsNIAC on Wednesday. 📍The Chancellor is also due to deliver her Spring Statement on Tuesday.

NI Assembly: What to Watch this Week MONDAY 📍TEO and Health Question Time WEDNESDAY 📍The Economy Committee will receive a briefing from the Department on the Mid-Term Energy Strategy Review THURSDAY 📍The AERA Minister is due to brief the AERA Committee on DAERA priorities and progress The full Business Diary is available here: aims.niassembly.gov.uk/assemblybusine…