Northern Ireland

At a high profile conference in January Sinn Fein called for a referendum on the border to be held during the next Stormont Assembly term. In practice this means before 2020. Almost immediately, the DUP’s Arlene Foster surprised Sinn Fein by suggesting that it might agree to a border poll.

The political establishment have portrayed 2012 as somewhat of a turning point for Northern Ireland, with society moving beyond the old sectarian divisions – we have been told this is ‘our time, our place’. As if to mock the chic advertising campaigns, the dispute around the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall has demonstrated that this is a myth.

Young people in Northern Ireland are angry and it's not surprising. We face a jobs crisis, with almost 25% of 16-24 year olds not in employment, education or training. The only jobs that are available for most are low-paid call-centre, retail and service positions, with long hours, poor conditions and no job security.

The eruption of sectarian rioting and attacks over several weeks in Belfast recently has demonstrated that the so-called “peace process” and the establishment of a power-sharing government have failed to end sectarian division.

On 21 July 1972, 22 bombs planted by the Provisional IRA exploded over a ninety-minute period in Belfast. Nine people died and more than 100 were injured. The day became known as Bloody Friday.

The question of an independence referendum in Scotland has provoked rumblings on both sides of the sectarian divide here. Peter Robinson has said that Unionists must not “stand idly by”, but instead do what they can to convince the Scottish people to remain within the Union. On the other hand, Martin McGuinness has welcomed the SNP’s move and suggested that they would like to see a similar vote on a united Ireland take place in the near future – perhaps in 2016, the centenary of the Easter Rising.

Across the public and private sectors the scandal of employers’ attacks on pensions has become a touchstone issue for workers and unions.

Brendan Lillis is a West Belfast man who is currently imprisoned in Maghaberry Prison despite a campaign that he be released on compassionate grounds. At the time of writing it has been reported that he has been moved from prison to an outside hospital, but he remains a prisoner.

Two weeks ago, rioting took place around the Catholic Short Strand enclave in predominantly Protestant east Belfast, in Northern Ireland. Petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown and shots were fired in some of the worst rioting in the area for a decade. The PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) used water cannon and plastic bullets.

The recent elections took place as the North faces into the deepest cuts to public spending in its history. The Executive parties have agreed to slash £4 billion from the budget over the next four years. Peter Robinson said this would be Northern Ireland’s first “bread and butter” election. However, the only significant reflection of this was in the historically low turnout.