INTO Vere Foster Lecture: Thurs 10 December 2020

Each year, INTO Northern Office holds a Vere Foster Lecture in memory of our first President.

Over the years, guest speakers including historians, Dr Eamon Phoenix, Dr Niamh Puirseil and Mr Jim McDermott have been invited to make a short presentation on various topics ranging from Vere Foster, Margaret Skinnider, Jim Larkin, INTO and the foundation of UTU and Shared Education: A New Way Forward?

This year’s lecture is delivered by Paul MacFlynn, Co-Director NERI and is entitled “Mind the Gap – Education and the Economic Divide on the Island of Ireland”:

Over the last 40 years, the economic dynamic on the island of Ireland has changed dramatically. Now Brexit has brought into sharp focus the fate of the all-island economy and the differing fortunes of both economies. Education is a key driver of economic growth and is fundamental to understanding the scale of the gap in outcomes that now exits on the island of Ireland. How we invest in education and how we reward education are two key questions that need to be examined. Learning lessons from the experience of both economies can lead to a more equitable and sustainable economy and society on the island of Ireland. 

Download a PDF copy of the Vere Foster Lecture presentation.

Watch this year’s lecture:

Speaker Bio:

Paul Mac Flynn is Co-Director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute and is based in the Belfast office. In addition to managing the Belfast office he has co-responsibility for the NERI’s research programme and for its strategic direction.

He leads on the NERI’s analysis of the Northern Ireland economy along with all research into the impact of the United Kingdom‘s departure from the European Union. Other research areas include regional productivity, the all-island economy and the future of work.

He is a graduate of University College Dublin with a BA in Economics and Politics and the University of Bristol with an MSc in Economics and Public Policy, specialising in the economic impacts of political devolution in the UK.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s lecture was pre-recorded with social distancing measures in place. It is available to view above.

READ MORE about Vere Foster and how INTO pay tribute to him.