Latest news with #NorthernIrelandStatisticsandResearchAgency
Belfast Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Daughter's bedtime story encouraged NI councillor to seek help for mental health amid local suicides
Donal McMahon, Local Democracy Story A councillor has opened up about how his daughter's bedtime story gave him the courage to get help for his mental health. Mark Gibbons said a 'brave rabbit' in the book prompted him to be brave himself and admit he needed help after going through a difficult period in his life. And the independent elected rep added that he is speaking out amid a number of suicides in the area he represents. As well as seeking the help of a counsellor, Mr Gibbons – a published author himself – also found support at the Rostrevor men's shed. The Newry, Mourne and Down District Crotlieve councillor spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week on doing the 'best thing he ever did' in opening up on his feelings. He said: 'What sparked off going public for me, was that this past couple of weeks there have been a number of suicides across the district and the vast majority have been men. 'I just said to my wife: 'Claire… look I need to reach out here to people to let them know what I went through and it's ok, you can speak out and ask for help, you just need to be a little bit brave and do it.'' The recently published Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency statistics show the rates of suicide at 220 a year. The suicide rate per 100,000 population was higher among those with a marital status of single or divorced, compared to those recorded as married or widowed. It was councillor's own struggle with mental health that helped him to focus more on his pastime of writing, which resulted in his first supernatural fiction book set the surrounding landscape of his home village of Rostrevor. The local postman managed to turn his hobby into a life-saving method of being creative and went on to publish a book entitled 'Cloch Mor Lore' under his pen name 'Frank O'Neill'. Though, it was a different book of children's fiction that actually gave him the courage to pick up the phone to ask for help. He added: 'I was reading a book my daughter has about a wee rabbit and he has to be a little bit brave all the way through the story and I just thought of that, to be a little bit brave and reach out. 'Last year there were a couple of big things that happened in my life and I had to reach out to somebody and it's the best thing I ever did. If it helps even just one person, who reads about this and thinks well if that man can open up to the public then I can make a quick call for a couple of minutes and get help.' The creation of Men's Sheds has become a well regarded phenomenon in recent times for providing social gatherings which are beneficial for mental health and friendship. The sheds encourage people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, as well as supporting projects in their local communities. The ethos is to improve wellbeing, reduce loneliness and combat social isolation. Councillor Gibbons added: 'Everything is good now for me. The Rostrevor Men's Shed has also been a huge help, and always has been. In a nice twist of irony, the very shed I wanted to create for people who might be struggling with their mental health ended up helping me when I was at my lowest. 'These days, I can only make it on a Wednesday evening because of Saturday work commitments, but even one night a week makes a big difference. And to see the Shed celebrate its 10th anniversary is truly fantastic. They are a wonderful group of men. 'My writing helps too. Taking the councillor hat off, even for an hour, and putting the Frank O'Neill one on gives me space to breathe and do what I love. I'd be lost without it, and I love getting lost within it.' He continued: 'If you're feeling low, find people, a club, or an activity you've always enjoyed. For me, it's my family, my community work, my writing, and the Shed. They all play a big part in my mental wellbeing. 'You are not alone. And never be afraid to reach out to a counsellor if you need to. It's a hard call to make, but a game changer when you do.' Information and contact details for local Men's Sheds can be found online. Anyone who needs to talk to someone about mental health issues can call the Samaritans on 116123 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
NI councillor says daughter's bedtime story encouraged him to seek help for mental health
Donal McMahon, Local Democracy Story A councillor has opened up about how his daughter's bedtime story gave him the courage to get help for his mental health. Mark Gibbons said a 'brave rabbit' in the book prompted him to be brave himself and admit he needed help after going through a difficult period in his life. And the independent elected rep added that he is speaking out amid a number of suicides in the area he represents. As well as seeking the help of a counsellor, Mr Gibbons – a published author himself – also found support at the Rostrevor men's shed. The Newry, Mourne and Down District Crotlieve councillor spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week on doing the 'best thing he ever did' in opening up on his feelings. He said: 'What sparked off going public for me, was that this past couple of weeks there have been a number of suicides across the district and the vast majority have been men. 'I just said to my wife: 'Claire… look I need to reach out here to people to let them know what I went through and it's ok, you can speak out and ask for help, you just need to be a little bit brave and do it.'' The recently published Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency statistics show the rates of suicide at 220 a year. The suicide rate per 100,000 population was higher among those with a marital status of single or divorced, compared to those recorded as married or widowed. It was councillor's own struggle with mental health that helped him to focus more on his pastime of writing, which resulted in his first supernatural fiction book set the surrounding landscape of his home village of Rostrevor. The local postman managed to turn his hobby into a life-saving method of being creative and went on to publish a book entitled 'Cloch Mor Lore' under his pen name 'Frank O'Neill'. Though, it was a different book of children's fiction that actually gave him the courage to pick up the phone to ask for help. He added: 'I was reading a book my daughter has about a wee rabbit and he has to be a little bit brave all the way through the story and I just thought of that, to be a little bit brave and reach out. 'Last year there were a couple of big things that happened in my life and I had to reach out to somebody and it's the best thing I ever did. If it helps even just one person, who reads about this and thinks well if that man can open up to the public then I can make a quick call for a couple of minutes and get help.' The creation of Men's Sheds has become a well regarded phenomenon in recent times for providing social gatherings which are beneficial for mental health and friendship. The sheds encourage people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, as well as supporting projects in their local communities. The ethos is to improve wellbeing, reduce loneliness and combat social isolation. Councillor Gibbons added: 'Everything is good now for me. The Rostrevor Men's Shed has also been a huge help, and always has been. In a nice twist of irony, the very shed I wanted to create for people who might be struggling with their mental health ended up helping me when I was at my lowest. 'These days, I can only make it on a Wednesday evening because of Saturday work commitments, but even one night a week makes a big difference. And to see the Shed celebrate its 10th anniversary is truly fantastic. They are a wonderful group of men. 'My writing helps too. Taking the councillor hat off, even for an hour, and putting the Frank O'Neill one on gives me space to breathe and do what I love. I'd be lost without it, and I love getting lost within it.' He continued: 'If you're feeling low, find people, a club, or an activity you've always enjoyed. For me, it's my family, my community work, my writing, and the Shed. They all play a big part in my mental wellbeing. 'You are not alone. And never be afraid to reach out to a counsellor if you need to. It's a hard call to make, but a game changer when you do.' Information and contact details for local Men's Sheds can be found online. Anyone who needs to talk to someone about mental health issues can call the Samaritans on 116123 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
Belfast Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Average employee in Northern Ireland down nearly £30 in June
But details published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) said there had also been a drop of £28 in median pay over the month, to now sit at £2,344. Over the quarter from March-May 2025, the unemployment rate for Northern Ireland was 2.1%, which was a 0.6% increase over the period and described by Nisra as 'statistically significant'. There were 30.2 million weekly hours of work performed in June, which was a 4.2% rise on the prior quarter and a 2.9% rise from the equivalent period in 2024. However, the economic inactivity rate now sits at 26.3%, which was a 0.4% rise over the year. Economic inactivity is defined as 'the proportion of people aged 16 to 64 who were not working and not seeking or available to work'. There were 300 redundancies in June, with a total of 2,160 redundancies made in the 12 months leading up it. That figure was down by 400 from the total of 2,560 for the previous year. And there were 210 proposed redundancies in the month, taking the annual total to 3,030, which was almost 5% higher than the figure for the previous year (2,890). During the month, there were 38,500 people on the claimant count, which covers those claiming jobseeker's allowance or unemployed recipients of universal credit. That was 3.9% of the workforce, and the figure is 28.8% higher than that recorded before the pandemic in March 2020. The figures follow an unexpected increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to 3.6% in June, up from 3.4%. Mark McAllister, chief executive of the Labour Relations Agency, said the figures, combined with the rise in inflation, 'make a bad combination especially with pending pay negotiations and the potential for pay-related disputes'. 'This, together with an uptick in the number of announced redundancies compared to last year, may give cause for concern. 'Whilst long-term trends are not in place, there does not seem to be a let-up in employees bemoaning the cost of living and employers bemoaning the cost of doing business.' Jenny Rankin, associate and employment expert at DWF Law, said: 'The latest labour market figures for Northern Ireland show a mixed picture against a difficult economic backdrop. 'Strength in formal employment and wage growth are both positive indicators. More people are actively looking for work but unable to find it, suggesting some cooling in the market. 'With food prices rising and UK inflation taking an unexpected hike in June 2025 we are likely to see employees seeking higher wages. Quite simply it costs more money to live. 'If employers cannot meet the increased wage demands, we may see some movement in the market as employees may be forced to search for other roles for higher pay.'
The Journal
02-07-2025
- General
- The Journal
Ireland's population reaches 7 million for first time since the 19th century
THE POPULATION OF the island of Ireland has reached 7 million for the first time since the 19th century. A joint project between Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NIRSA) combined 2022 Census data from both sides of the border and found the total population to be 7.1 million. In 2022, the population south of the border was 5.15 million and the population north of the border was 1.91 million. The research also found that Northern Ireland is more densely populated than the Republic. The population density was 73 per square km south of the border and 141 per square km to the north. Advertisement CSO Ireland / YouTube People in Northern Ireland are slightly older, with a median age of 40, while the median age in the Republic was 38. Both of those median ages were lower than the EU's 44. Northern Ireland has a larger proportion of people aged 65 and over at 18%, compared to the Republic's 15%. There are also slightly more females on the island than males. The population of the island of Ireland was made up of 3,484,496 males and 3,575,186 females, a sex ratio of 97.5 males to every 100 females. The population on the island of Ireland was roughly 8.5 million before the Great Famine of 1844. By the end of the famine, the population had fallen down to about 6.6 million. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Post
05-06-2025
- General
- Irish Post
Northern Ireland's population to peak in 2033
NORTHERN Ireland's population is expected to reach its highest point in 2033, hitting nearly 1.95 million, before it starts to gradually decline, according to a recent report by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The study emphasises a low birth rate as the main contributing factor. The projections show that by 2031, the number of deaths will surpass births, marking a demographic shift that is only going to continue. Any future population growth is likely to rely entirely on migration, which is becoming a particularly thorny issue across the whole of Europe. However, the report assumes migration will continue at its current pace, resulting in an overall population increase of only 1.1% between 2022 and 2047, which is significantly lower than growth rates seen elsewhere in mainland Britain. Another worrying detail in the report is the rapid ageing of Northern Ireland's population. By the middle of 2027, pensioners are projected to outnumber children for the first time. The working-age population, which includes those between 16 and 64 years old, is projected to begin shrinking by 2028. By 2047, more than a quarter of the population will be aged 65 or older, compared with about one in six today. Northern Ireland is predicted to have the largest drop in its child population and the largest increase in pensioners compared to Britain. These projections are based on current trends and assumptions. Changes in government policies, specifically on migration, could alter future demographic changes. Ireland's population has long been shaped by the migration of its people. Historical upheavals such as the Great Famine in the mid-1800s, led to mass starvation and the emigration of millions. Ulster was particularly affected. Between 1845-1851 the population fell by 340,000, a nearly 16% drop, with the worst losses in the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh and Monaghan. Since then, Ireland has seen changes in population both within and outside its borders but still hasn't returned to its pre-Famine peak of 8.5 million in 1845. See More: Great Irish Famine, Irish Population, NISRA, Northern Ireland
