Belfasttelegraph.co.uk - John Simpson RSS Feed

Get going now ... there’s a major crisis to tackle

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:04:54 GMT

The Northern Ireland Executive is preparing its strategy to tackle the on-coming economic crisis.

Development strategy has to be right this time

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:49:37 GMT

Minister must start reconciling economic, social and environmental themes

Momentum mustn’t end at development reviews

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:51:30 GMT

Has Varney been forgotten? Sir David Varney, appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is best remembered because his report in 2007 said ‘no’ to a reduced rate of corporation tax for Northern Ireland.

Explaining the income gaps is a complex issue

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:16:39 GMT

Earnings in Northern Ireland are lower than the UK average. Not only are average earnings lower, but the spread of earnings (from high to low earners) means that Northern Ireland has a less equitable distribution.

John Simpson: Economy has to go to the top of politicians’ agenda

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:22:14 GMT

The chairman of the CBI in Northern Ireland, Brian Ambrose, spoke ambitiously at the annual CBI lunch back in September.

Why our waste doesn’t always have to be rubbish

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:02:00 GMT

Friday, October 16, was a landmark date. For the Belfast region, this was the closing date for pre-qualification bids to build large capacity plants for mechanical biological treatment of waste MBT and a large energy from waste plant EfW.

Vital electricity decision now far too long overdue

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Northern Ireland needs an improved electricity transmission system. South of the border, the same message applies.

MATRIX proposals must be implemented otherwise an opportunity will be wasted

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:45:16 GMT

The MATRIX panel, led by Professor Damien McDonnell, has challenged Northern Ireland to put more effort into the introduction of new, more advanced technologies.

Are we really getting value for money from Translink?

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:26:29 GMT

Translink has published its attractive annual report for 2007-8. Passenger numbers are rising and over 70% of customers say that they are satisfied with the services offered.

Gas and electricity bills spark boisterous debate

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:00:19 GMT

Household home fuel bills are more than 50% higher than a year ago.

Homeowners pay 24% of income on their mortgage

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:49:43 GMT

Many housebuilders are facing frightening losses as market prices have fallen to the point where past costs cannot be covered at realistic prices. Where does blame fall: greedy or careful developers trying to anticipate the market place? Planners because they have over restricted the issue of planning approvals?

Research, innovation and business development...

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:52:17 GMT

Our universities have a good record in these fields, but can they deliver more impressive results?

Housing market must adjust to realistic prices

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:16:57 GMT

The housing market in Northern Ireland is suffering the pain of an inevitable correction. For some stakeholders, there is pain, big pain, before there will be gain! Most owners of houses purchased in 2006-7 are, theoretically, living with negative equity. More importantly, builders and developers who were assembling land for development in 2008-10 are facing a total capital loss possibly in excess of £300m.

Same credit crunch, same crisis: but what impact?

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:08:16 GMT

Internal action needed to save Irish housing market from global economic slowdown. Whether there will be a recession or how much average living standards will fall is uncertain. What is certain is that jobs will go and, for many, living standards will fall.

Executive decisions vital to safeguard NI Water’s future

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:00:18 GMT

NORTHERN Ireland Water (NIW) is too important as a public utility to be a shuttlecock between uncertain political direction and aggressive regulatory intervention.

Let Belfast Port lift the economy to new heights

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:55:23 GMT

The Port of Belfast has a £630m investment plan. This is desirable investment that should earn its own commercial return. Funding could come partly from the reserves built up by the port and partly by commercial borrowing.

Boom times for border as shoppers flock north

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:21:40 GMT

How Newry is becoming a very attractive city for southern bargain hunters Break for the border: nearly four in 10 shoppers at one shopping centre in Newry is thought to be from the Republic.

Company snapshot: Wrights Group Ltd

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:13:44 GMT

Wrights Group is the parent company in a group of Wright family-controlled companies located at Galgorm in Ballymena which designs and builds commercial buses. The largest subsidiary in the Group is Wrightbus.

John Simpson: Clutching a defeat from the jaws of easy victory

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:30 GMT

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), with links to Tourism Ireland, now has better market prospects than at anytime for the last 35 years.