As we emerge from a global pandemic and continue to deal with the repercussions of Brexit, Northern Ireland is once again without a functioning Executive and it remains to be seen whether it’ll return following this week’s assembly election.

It’s more important than ever, then, that we promote longer-term thinking in our politics and governance. What future do we truly want for this place, and what are we willing to do to achieve it?

As we approach #AE22, the Northern Slant team has come up with 22 questions we as voters should consider, to look beyond the election cycle and think longer-term about the potential of our devolved institutions and democracy.

We’ve broken our questions into four themes:

  • Thinking longer-term about today’s problems
  • Giving people a better start
  • Representing a place in transition
  • Finding and sustaining our place in the world

We’re asking for your help too. What have we left out? How do you think we could embed longer-term thinking at Stormont? Get in touch via our Contact Us page.

Thinking longer-term about today’s problems

Politics is about ideas, beliefs and principles. Governance and resilience are about compromise and preparation. Amidst unprecedented challenges like the pandemic and the surge in the cost of living, what do our politicians really think about the role of the state, and how can public services become better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead?

In a devolved assembly like ours, it’s a bit of a stretch to imagine initiatives on a par with the construction of London’s underground system, a New Deal-like public investment – or a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland. Nonetheless, we should still be ambitious for what we can achieve.

1) What should the legacy of the next Assembly mandate be?

2) What can we do to tackle the impact of the rising cost of living, beyond ad-hoc payments such as for heating bills?

3) What does a sustainable and effective health system look like post pandemic, and how can we, 1) pay for it, and 2) achieve it?

4) How can we improve the mental health of our society, in addition to the provision of related care services?

5) How can Northern Ireland be a better place in which to grow old? What does a sustainable and effective social care system look like?

6) We see governments elsewhere promoting future thinking. For example, Wales has its Future Generations Commissioner and the UAE has its Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. What steps can Stormont take to embed longer-term thinking?

Giving people a better start

Much has been said about how Northern Ireland leaves too many young people unprepared for future jobs, and the lack of a Stormont strategy for addressing the loss of talented young people. How much does Stormont really think about the next generation in its policy-making?

7) How can or should Stormont’s departments reflect the changing needs of our economy and society?

8) Is it time our Executive’s Programme for Government considered intergenerational justice in policy-making?

9) How can we deliver an education system that gives all our young people the best possible start in life and makes Northern Ireland a better place to be young?

10) How can we reverse the ‘brain drain’ from Northern Ireland?

11) As more and more people have the ability to work from anywhere in the world, how can we attract talent to live and work in Northern Ireland?

Representing a place in transition

It’s fair to say that last year’s centenary  was a lost opportunity both to appeal to and learn from those who have different perspectives about how we can look to the future.

If politics isn’t working for everyone, then it’s time to revisit how we represent a place in transition. Across Northern Ireland and the Republic there’s an increasing acknowledgement that politics and policy-making shouldn’t be restricted to politicians. We’ve seen, for instance, citizens’ assemblies rise on both sides of the border. Success of such experiments should give us confidence to rethink how we do politics and policy.

12) What lessons learnt from Northern Ireland’s centenary will or should parties take with them in efforts to improve community relations?

13) With the 2021 Census expected later this year, how can and should political parties respond to changing demographics to stay relevant especially as Northern Ireland’s citizens become more diverse and their priorities change?

14) How can we improve the way democracy works in Northern Ireland? 

15) Beyond citizens’ assemblies, what practical steps can be taken to encourage more citizenship participation in policy-making? Could Stormont, for example, do with a second chamber made up of citizens tasked with debating future implications of policy?

16) Given grievances on all sides of the Brexit debate about the referendum itself and its continued impact on Northern Ireland, how can we encourage better informed debate and scenario planning leading up to future referendums?

17) How can the relationship between civil society, policy and campaigning groups and our political institutions work best to speed up change?

18) What is, and should be, the role of the media in a divided society like Northern Ireland? 

Finding and sustaining our place in the world

As the world becomes smaller, Brexit, the Donald Trump presidency in the US and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have all impacted Northern Ireland’s place in and view of the world.

Whatever our views on the local constitutional or wider geopolitical questions, one challenge we all share is climate change. How we can and should tackle climate change is something we’ve covered at length on Northern Slant. How Stormont politicians rise – or don’t – to the challenge will have lasting effects on this place for decades to come.

19) In the wake of Brexit, what is the future of trade, both from and to Northern Ireland?

20) How can we support newcomers to Northern Ireland, especially those seeking asylum?

21) How can we educate a new generation to be conscious of the implications of their lifestyle and everyday decisions on the environment?

22) How can policy-makers ensure that the transition to a green economy is affordable and practical for everyone?

Also published on Medium.