Research published by Queen’s University Belfast last week showed that Northern Ireland has a considerably higher share of the most deprived areas in the UK – more than Scotland, Wales and any of the nine regions of England at 25%.

Belfast and Derry and Strabane councils have the largest areas within the most 10% of deprived wards, surpassing any of the other 374 UK local authorities.

This didn’t come as a shock. Deprivation, like so many social problems, has been long-term and chronic in the north.

The problem has been allowed to grow unabated, with political failure, ignorance, and an acute lack of working-class representation playing a central role in creating forgotten communities.

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While chewing over the report, Lyra McKee came to mind.

This week will mark six........

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