In the run-up to Christmas the long- awaited Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland was released. It had been commissioned as part of commitments contained in the New Decade New Approach deal, which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020. Its scope is very wide ranging and there are serious issues flagged up which will require vision, courage and determination to address. Sadly, the recent history of attempts by our devolved administrations to reform public services, particularly health and education will not fill anyone with optimism about our ability to take the hard decisions that are needed, as our public representatives can only do what we as voters let them do.

Part of the problem is that