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3 weeks ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | Felicity Graham |David McCann
I was sorting through some of the paperwork left behind by my mother a few years ago and came upon a book – a compilation of writings by authors aged eight to eighty-eight from throughout Northern California. I was about to discard it when I noticed a piece written by my father. As he rarely got a word in edgeways I found this extremely comforting. Maybe others might too.
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3 weeks ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | Terry Wright |David McCann
Selfies with the POTUS and his decisions spreading panic in Dublin, or so the DUP hopes, Northern Ireland gifted special status as the USA celebrates 250 years of the Declaration of Independence and the Deputy First Minister, Emma-Little Pengelly MLA, by all accounts scoring a ‘home run’ during the St Patrick’s Day jamboree in Washington and with President Trump’s tariff tactics judiciously ignored, the DUP did not hide a feeling of it being a good period for the party; an opportunity to...
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3 weeks ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | David McCann |Mick Fealty
The View had an excellent report last night highlighting some of the threats and abuse faced by our MLAs.An Electoral Commission survey on the 2024 UK general election found that many candidates continue to experience unacceptable levels of intimidation and harassment. A group of leaders from the Centre for Democracy and Peace’s Fellowship Programme have called for action to tackle the abuse.
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4 weeks ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | David McCann |Mick Fealty
Powered by RedCircleThe State of the State Report is back for 2025. With a full year of devolution under Northern Ireland’s belt, this report surveys sector leaders in Northern Ireland the public to find out their attitudes towards key issues. Northern Ireland has the biggest appetite for lower taxes of any region in the UK. 42% of people said they favoured lower taxes and lower spending. 27% said they preferred the opposite.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope |David McCann
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has just issued a public consultation on Developer Contributions for Wastewater Infrastructure but unfortunately this won’t be enough to resolve a few decades of underfunding. The 35 page document Developer Contributions for Wastewater Infrastructure – Consultation Document is aimed at raising desperately needed funds to upgrade and improve our dilapidated drainage system.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | David McCann
One of the bigger news stories locally this week has been the Labour government’s announcement that it is slashing the benefits budget in an effort to save five billion pounds a year by 2030. Whilst the London government argues that these measures are now a necessity in the face of the mounting and unsustainable cost, they’ve still received a tremendous amount of criticism not only from their own backbenchers but from the devolved regions as well.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | David McCann |David McCann
Happy World Poetry Day, everyone. A great moment to flag one of my favourite poems called For A Leader by John O’DonohueMay you have the grace and wisdomTo act kindly, learningTo distinguish between what isPersonal and what is not. May you be hospitable to criticism. May you never put yourself at the center of things. May you act not from arrogance but out of service. May you work on yourself,Building up and refining the ways of your mind. May those who work for you knowYou see and respect them.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | Andy Pollak |David McCann
I am going to return to the theme of my last blog earlier this month: the need for a forum to discuss not the constitutional politics which continue to divide the people of this island, but the values – peace, democracy, equality, community, environmental sustainability, Christianity in all its forms, and European-ness – which the great majority of Irish people, north and south, have in common.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | Arnold Carton |David McCann
There are historical examples where companies did indeed run countries but not for the good of the citizens. The British East India Company effectively ran India for over 70 years during the late 18th and early 19th century, extracting as much wealth for its shareholders as possible and even being involved in both the slave and opium trades over the years.
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1 month ago | 
sluggerotoole.com | David McCann
The Look North Festival is back this Friday and will run throughout the weekend, promoting the best of North Belfast. We are back with our event, which will examine some of the challenges and opportunities facing North Belfast with some former politicians in the area. Political Commentator, Lecturer and Election Nerd David McCann will host a panel of former politicians to look at the challenges facing North Belfast and some future opportunities.
