Paul Gosling

5 days ago | sluggerotoole.com | Paul Gosling

When our society discusses Irish unity – as it increasingly does – we need to focus more on the realities of what a united Ireland will be. At present, too much conversation considers the question of identity and too little on how this new country will function, what it will feel like, how it will integrate those who do not want to belong and how we will get there. This is the purpose of my new book, ‘A New Ireland – A Five Year Review’.

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Paul Gosling

Even when Stormont is ‘functioning’, it continues to be dysfunctional. There is barely a difficult political decision that the Executive has the collective guts to take. This isn’t (just) about the people who make up the Executive, it is the structure which requires consensus, and that means deferral and avoidance of any decision that the DUP and Sinn Fein can’t agree on. In practice, that covers a vast swathe of policy from health to water, from Casement Park to early school leaving.

3 weeks ago | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Paul Gosling

Relationships with bloc to remain uncertain as future government likely to be more antagonistic to Brussels and could pull out of agreementThe combination of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump as globally powerful leaders has had a seismic impact on European politics. Suddenly security is a major concern across the continent — including for the United Kingdom and Ireland. While it doesn’t make Brexit irrelevant, it does help to place it in context.

3 weeks ago | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Paul Gosling

Financial journalist Paul Gosling says his experience of fraud shows you can never be too vigilantCarefully checking bank and credit card statements is essential – but easily overlooked. Doing so has saved me several hundred pounds over recent months. In February of this year I received my monthly statement from American Express. The total was a lot higher than usual and I was shocked to see a charge of £510 in favour of the Royal Opera House in London, dating from January.

Mar 18, 2025 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Paul Gosling

The economic inactivity rate in Northern Ireland is over 5% higher than in the UK as a whole — 26.6% compared to 21.5%. The rates are highest (above 32%) in the Derry City/Strabane and Belfast council areas. There are various causes of economic inactivity — the long health waiting lists and higher rates of disability (24% of the population here, 17% in England), for example.