AND so a new year begins, with little expectation amongst those very well-acquainted with one another in Stormont that a cup of kindness will be passed around the Executive table when MLAs return to work later this month.

The problems keep stacking up at the big house on the hill, and there is little sign of the shared sense of endeavour and purpose that would be required to take the difficult decisions needed to begin tackling the many problems besetting this society.

Relationships that have rarely been above lukewarm headed south over the past 12 months, with all evidence pointing to further confrontation ahead.

Our water infrastructure is in a dire state, severely impacting and restricting potential house-building as planning permission cannot be obtained for projects without NI Water being able to connect new-build homes to a sewer network that is not fit for purpose.

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The lobby group for local construction firms, Build Homes NI, has stated that house completion rates are at their lowest level for six decades, just around 6,000 a year, nowhere near the level required to meet the lengthening waiting list for social........

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