Opinion

Newton Emerson: Stormont needs to ensure a staycation is also fun

Newton Emerson

With Northern Ireland’s hotels, caravan parks and self-catering accommodation permitted to open from July 20, DUP economy minister Diane Dodds is urging us all to consider a staycation.

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Patrick Murphy: Schools opting out of academic selection is a sign of educational progress

Patrick Murphy

Never mind your Free Derry Corner, your rent and rates strike and your no-go areas - today's column comes from the north's first academic selection-free zone in south Down and south Armagh.

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Beg to differ

05 Jun, 2020

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Leaders will be judged on their handling of coronavirus crisis

06 Jun, 2020

Announcing an accelerated easing of lockdown measures yesterday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar invoked the Roman statesman, scholar and lawyer Cicero, who said: 'The safety of the people shall be our highest law.

As lockdown eases, we must continue to act responsibly

05 Jun, 2020

The fact that the executive is in a position to introduce further easing of the lockdown is a positive sign although it must be acknowledged that hard won gains can be quickly undone if people push the boundaries too far.

Retired nurse's cancer experience raises serious questions for health service

04 Jun, 2020

While the health service in Northern Ireland had to undergo a swift and necessary reconfiguration to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, there was always a risk that patients with serious conditions would face worrying delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Hotel reopening date a welcome step forward

03 Jun, 2020

While the ramifications of coronavirus are being felt throughout the economy, there is particular concern over the longer term impact on the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Letters to the Editor see all »

Not the time to ignite contentious and divisive topic of academic selection

05 Jun, 2020

Exceptional times require exceptional leadership.

Personnel changes will bruise a lot of egos, hence Mary Lou's interview

04 Jun, 2020

Recently Mary Lou McDonald gave an interview praising the IRA campaign and suggested that she might have participated in the campaign of murder and mayhem that we all endured for 30 odd years.

Complete forgiveness is only key that brings genuine freedom

03 Jun, 2020

In 1994 James Molyneaux is reported to have said: “A prolonged IRA ceasefire could be the most destabilising thing to happen to unionism since partition.”

Schools show there's a clear alternative to academic selection

02 Jun, 2020

Towards the end of May Archbishop Eamon Martin and the Catholic Principals Association had asked schools to suspend academic selection this year.

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Patrick Murphy: Schools opting out of academic selection is a sign of educational progress

Patrick Murphy 06 Jun, 2020

Never mind your Free Derry Corner, your rent and rates strike and your no-go areas - today's column comes from the north's first academic selection-free zone in south Down and south Armagh.

Newton Emerson: Stormont needs to ensure a staycation is also fun

Newton Emerson 06 Jun, 2020

With Northern Ireland’s hotels, caravan parks and self-catering accommodation permitted to open from July 20, DUP economy minister Diane Dodds is urging us all to consider a staycation.

Denis Bradley: All political parties need to wake up to the reality of climate change

Denis Bradley 05 Jun, 2020

‘Come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly’.

Alex Kane: Entire Executive should hang its head in shame over victims' pension shambles

Alex Kane 05 Jun, 2020

Lord Hain, former Northern Ireland secretary of state (2005-07), was in powerful form in the House of Lords on Tuesday evening, on the subject of the victims of the Troubles: "They had been expecting a pension to help them better survive in the last period of their lives, backdated to the Stormont House Agreement of December 2014.