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PODCAST

The State of Us

From BBC News NI. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey react and reflect on the stories that impact all our lives and speak to those who can help us understand why we’re in the state we’re in. This podcast is a new way of talking and learning about the news in Northern Ireland. There’ll be lots of candid conversations, special guests, with wisdom, informality and some fun along the way.Nothing will be off the table on “The State of Us”. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Contact

news news commentary

All Episodes

27:12

The State of Stormont

The State of Us ·

2025/09/02

Summer is over, its back to the benches for our MLAs – how are relations on the hill? BBC NI Political Editor Enda McClafferty tell Tara Mills and Declan Harvey what’s coming up in the 18 months left of this political mandate.Also: Why the Stormont canteen resembles an American TV drama, and Declan’s terrible taste in ties. Get in touch: thestateofus@bbc.co.uk

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33:28

The income you need to survive in Northern Ireland

The State of Us ·

2025/08/28

Tara and Declan talk to the women taking on the government over the cost of raising a family in NI.Louise McCullough and Rachel Benson are single mums, who are desperately trying to get themselves and their families out of poverty. Louise has two degrees, and is working towards her Masters qualification, she works 20 hours a week, the maximum she’s allowed to to retain her benefits. Rachel works part-time, but can’t afford to take on more hours. On The State of Us today, they give us their

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31:02

The cocaine flooding NI’s streets

The State of Us ·

2025/08/26

Are we in the grips of a cocaine crisis? It is the most prevalent Class A drug in Northern Ireland, and there has been a dramatic increase in use according to those working on the ground. BBC Reporter Kelly Bonner tells Tara Mills and Declan Harvey about the people injecting it 20-30 times a day, and the devastating consequences of their addiction.Also – is Ireland the gateway for the drugs trade from South America into Europe?And what can be done about it?Help and support is available at:

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46:14

Palestine Action: Northern Ireland’s first arrest

The State of Us ·

2025/08/21

Máire Mhic an Fhailí is the 74 year old woman who was arrested in Belfast earlier this month under the Terrorism Act.She was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “We are all Palestine Action”. Palestine Action became a proscribed organisation in July under the Terrorism Act, making membership of or support for the group a criminal offence.MPs voted to proscribe the group after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in June, spraying two Voyager aircraft with red paint and causing £7m worth of damage

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31:45

Secrets of a weather forecaster

The State of Us ·

2025/08/19

The accuracy of weather forecasting has improved almost beyond recognition in recent years. But despite those strides, there are still gaps in public trust.On The State of Us today, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey chat to the weather team about how tricky it is to get things right. Cecilia Daly and Barra Best answer questions like: How does weather forecasting happen? Why are there weather stations in Castlederg and Katesbridge? What’s the difference between “rain” and “showers”? And how

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43:55

The State of Ballymena

The State of Us ·

2025/08/14

It's been two months since scenes of hate and violence erupted on the streets of Ballymena, County Antrim – and the fallout is still evident weeks later.Many homes remain boarded up on Clonavon Terrace, which bore the brunt of rioting described by the police as "racist thuggery".Tara Mills and Declan Harvey revisit the street, along with the MP for the area Jim Allister. The target of much of the aggression in June was the town's Roma (Gypsy) community and other foreign nationals. Some who fled say

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36:38

How can we fix Lough Neagh?

The State of Us ·

2025/08/12

The sight of Northern Ireland's waterways being covered in slimy, potentially toxic blue-green algae has become a regular occurrence in recent years - and 2025 is no different.The algae has been detected almost 100 times across Northern Ireland since the start of the year, with the majority of sightings in Lough Neagh and the Lower Bann, as well as Lough Erne.Lough Neagh, the UK's largest freshwater lake, has been blighted by large blooms of the potentially toxic algae in recent years.With these

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26:54

Chasing politicians into churches and more

The State of Us ·

2025/08/07

Members of a high-profile Irish evangelical Christian family chased the DUP chairman of the Education Authority, Mervyn Storey, through a church car park in County Antrim to challenge him over gender identity issues - they claim he’s being hypocritical.The state of our hospital waiting lists continues to be shocking… but have many of us just accepted it?Houses in religiously mixed neighbourhoods of Northern Ireland sell for more, but what impact do nearby painted kerb stones have on the value of a

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27:59

Why do some men kill?

The State of Us ·

2025/08/05

The rising number of women murdered in Northern Ireland is causing concern. Why do some men kill, and what can society do to stop them?Declan and Tara speak to Michael Conroy, who delivers training for professionals in supporting the healthy personal development of boys and young men.

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29:56

Maguiresbridge murders: A rural village plunged into...

The State of Us ·

2025/07/29

A mother and her two children murdered in their own home. The man suspected of killing them, their husband and father, died on Monday night.Vanessa Whyte (45), and her children, 14-year-old James Rutledge and 13-year-old Sara Rutledge, were shot and killed on Wednesday.Police say a triple murder and attempted suicide is one line of inquiry for detectives. How does this community even begin to put the pieces back together after such a tragedy? Tara and Declan discuss how the complex reporting of

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32:10

Lasagne-gate

The State of Us ·

2025/07/22

What really goes into our food? Tara Mills and Declan Harvey talk to the Northern Ireland business that is taking on food fraud. It’s a multi-billion pound industry, and it means that what you think you’re putting in your mouth – might be nothing of the sort.Remember the horse meat scandal? Well, that could be just the tip of the iceberg.Dr Terry McGrath and Dr Maeve Shannon from Bia Analytical in Belfast – talk about the latest technology being used to tackle this ever growing problem.From sawdust

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26:24

“I lost £5,000 after going to an IVF middleman”

The State of Us ·

2025/07/15

Beth Rogers, 32 from Belfast had already started imagining the baby she and her partner would have, when a chance post on social media revealed the company she had been using had gone bust.Apricity Fertility is an IVF concierge clinic, it acted like a middleman between patients, donors and doctors.As the use of IVF increases, this type of clinic is on the rise. Because Northern Ireland has a severe shortage of donor eggs, Beth had to secure a donor in England.She and her partner paid Apricity £4,600

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28:43

Libel lawyer to the rich and famous…and to Gerry...

The State of Us ·

2025/07/08

He’s had clients like Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp & Britney Spears.He’s received Xmas cards from both sides of the political divide in NI, but after representing the former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in a defamation case against the BBC earlier this year, libel lawyer Paul Tweed raises questions for the corporation.He learnt a lot from boxing promoter Barney Eastwood, and now, aged 70, the solicitor has no plans to bow out of the fight. This time, he’s going up against the social media giants like

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27:19

A mother jailed for cruelty and assault against her...

The State of Us ·

2025/06/30

A mother who subjected her young son to repeated abuse, including forcing his head into a cat litter tray, has been sentenced to six months in prison.Ruth Anne Jennings, 53, of Oakvale Place in Maghera, was sentenced at Londonderry Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to three counts of assaulting her son, Jamie Jennings.The court was told that two of the assaults took place in 2012, with a third occurring in 2016.Jamie Jennings spoke to Tara and Declan about the years of abuse he endured at

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35:12

What do kids really get up to on their phones?

The State of Us ·

2025/06/26

As we approach the end of the school year, P7 pupils are preparing for the move to big school, and as part of that, might be getting access to their own phone for the first time.The State of Us team has asked 240 kids about their online lives – the results might surprise you.It’s something parents/guardians are often unsure about, and can be a familiar dinner-table battle for families.We haven’t identified the children or the schools, so that they could be as candid as possible.The children are all

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29:51

The A5 upgrade has been blocked…again

The State of Us ·

2025/06/24

A major upgrade to one of Northern Ireland's main roads has been thrown into doubt after a judge ruled in favour of a group of farmers, residents and landowners who challenged the legality of the project.The long-delayed A5 scheme, first announced 18 years ago, has now been knocked back three times by the courts.At the High Court in Belfast, Justice McAlinden ruled the construction should not go ahead in its current form because the plans do not comply with government climate change targets.The

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47:17

Suppressing a sex abuse secret: Why the voice of...

The State of Us ·

2025/06/19

Tara Mills and Declan Harvey talk to international rugby commentator Mark Robson.He has one of the most recognisable voices in rugby broadcasting.To outsiders, he has been living the dream - travelling the world covering a sport he is passionate about.But in reality, he was suppressing a dark and distressing secret.He was abused at Bangor Grammar School by the prolific paedophile Lindsay Brown.The vice principal served two sentences for abusing boys at the County Down school - seven years in 1998

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47:15

Suppressing a sex abuse secret: Why the voice of...

The State of Us ·

2025/06/19

Tara Mills and Declan Harvey talk to international rugby commentator Mark Robson.He has one of the most recognisable voices in rugby broadcasting.To outsiders, he has been living the dream - travelling the world covering a sport he is passionate about.But in reality, he was suppressing a dark and distressing secret.He was abused at Bangor Grammar School by the prolific paedophile Lindsay Brown.The vice principal served two sentences for abusing boys at the County Down school - seven years in 1998

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33:40

Tattle Life: A £300k payout in libel damages for...

The State of Us ·

2025/06/17

A County Antrim couple have been awarded £300,000 in libel damages after they sued controversial gossip website, Tattle Life.Entrepreneurs Neil and Donna Sands secured the pay-out in a defamation and harassment lawsuit over abusive comments posted on the website.The defendant companies and operator of the site, Sebastian Bond, can now be revealed after reporting restrictions were lifted at Belfast's High Court on Friday 13th June.The website which hosts threads commenting on influencers, celebrities

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48:21

Race riots, Minister resignation calls & the Casement...

The State of Us ·

2025/06/12

Police were attacked with fireworks, bottles and bricks in violent unrest across several towns on Wednesday – the third night of violent protests in Northern Ireland over immigration. It began on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena. Two teenage boys appeared in court, speaking through a Romanian interpreter. Both deny the charges.It spread to the nearby town of Larne - when masked youths attacked a leisure centre and set it on fire - which had been sheltering

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