New Holywell Trust podcast series: Making progress in NI

The series focuses on major challenges, including mental health, health service reform and housing, and is a follow-up to the previous Forward Together podcasts. In total there will be almost 20 new podcasts, financed by the Community Relations Council’s Media Grant Scheme.

Jess Sargeant of the Institute for Government is the first interviewee, and considers the quality of administration in NI and how it can be improved.

The Institute for Government published a review of NI’s system of government at the end of last year, which considered how the civil service had coped with a three year period in which there was no political leadership. Jess Sargeant concludes that the vacuum led to the emergence of a stronger civil society, with business organisations, human rights bodies and charities developing a stronger voice – which they continue to exercise, even after the Executive has resumed work.

However, the Renewable Heat Incentive failings illustrated the weaknesses in the administration. Unlike the situation in Scotland and Wales, the NI Civil Service is a separate entity from the British civil service and that has had implications about limiting skills development. Jess makes the point that the “power sharing arrangements are almost completely unique”, which makes bold decision-making “very difficult”.

“The fact that it works at all, is quite remarkable... we shouldn’t forget that.” But that does not deflect from the need to introduce reforms, she states.

Speaking about the new series Gerard Deane, Director of Holywell Trust, said: “We are delighted to bring out the second series of the Forward Together Podcast and to be working with Paul Gosling to do so. For this new series we are bringing together an in-depth series of interviews on a range of important topics that we hope people will enjoy and that will also help to influence positive change.”

The first episode is available to download using a podcast app or via the website www.holywelltrust.com.