£86,000 a year. That's how much it costs to hold prisoners in Northern Ireland according to a report on an inspection of Magheberry maximum-security prison. The report said that the actual cost at Maghaberry would be higher, making it more than dou… more »

Reports claim Ulster companies are dumping tonnes of Republic's waste here No, I'm not talking about god-awful boybands. Is this what they mean when they talk about cross-border co-operation? Lisburn Council has written to the DoE demanding an investiga… more »

Everyone loves to hate the work-shy, tax-dodgers that (allegedly) inhabit universities, but it now seems the education minister wants to know if Northern Ireland has too many students (or too few). 44% of 18-21 year olds are enrolled for full-time highe… more »

The Competition Commission has attacked the local "big 4" banks (Northern, First Trust, Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland) over their high charges on personal accounts in an interim report which forms part of an investigation into a complaint by the Consum… more »

I'm yet to be convinced of the merits of throwing £33 million at loyalist communities over the next few years in the hope it will encourage them to play nice. There's no doubt that some of the areas are in a desperate need of regeneration, but the… more »

Buying cheap red diesel is a victimless crime, right? I mean the dealers are champions of the common people, providing ordinary folk access to goods at discounted prices. The only victim is the chancellor of the exchequor. Try telling that to the wild… more »

They can't be serious can they? The Communication Workers' Union representing the Royal Mail staff is to hold a ballot to see if its members want to strike again - because Royal Mail is "victimising" those who took part in the last strike and "treating t… more »

Every time we visit Canada to visit my mum's relatives we have to bring over as many packets of Tayto Cheese and Onion as we can fit in our suitcases. Why? Because over there a pack of Tayto Cheese and Onion (often from a multipack) goes for anything fro… more »

Strikers return to work, but how much has the strike contributed to the decline of the postal service? The illegal strike by Royal Mail workers in Belfast is due to end as the company promises to allow a third party to look at relations between manage… more »

Local politicos argue over Ulster's links, but would either Scotland or the Republic be that worried about co-operation with Northern Ireland? Not for the first time, our local politicians (of both hues) have today failed miserably to see the big pict… more »