About this episode

The episode explores the economic challenges and opportunities in Northern Ireland, focusing on political stagnation and infrastructure issues.

In this episode of the Trading Up podcast, hosts Jim Fitzpatrick and Richard Ramsey dive into the biggest economic threats and opportunities facing Northern Ireland today. From the global ripple effects of US and UK political instability to rising inflation and defence spending, the hosts unpack how global geopolitics directly impacts local business. Locally, they examine the severe consequences of political stagnation at Stormont. They highlight the urgent wastewater infrastructure crisis surrounding Lough Neagh, revealing how this failure is stalling an estimated £13 billion in housing and economic development. Can Northern Ireland adopt regional devolution models like Manchester to improve planning and infrastructure, or will local politics continue to stall growth? Whether you are a business leader or an investor, tune in to discover key geopolitical risks, the hidden potential of public sector AI transformation, and bold economic predictions for the year ahead. Brought to you in association with EY. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of EY or its other member Firms. EY proudly sponsors the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jim Fitzpatrick, Richard Ramsey

Topics covered

• economic threats
• political instability
• infrastructure crisis
• regional devolution
• geopolitical risks
• public sector AI transformation

Keywords

• Northern Ireland economy
• political stagnation
• infrastructure crisis
• geopolitical risks
• housing development
• public sector AI
• regional devolution

Sponsors

EY

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University Belfast

Places: Northern Ireland, Lough Neagh

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