About a month ago Paul Craine told Agenda about the quite stark findings of his second IoM population atlas. The statistics showing a significantly aging population were bad enough in Mr Craine’s first population atlas but the latest version tells an increasingly concerning tale. So what’s to be done? Find out on this week’s Agenda. Have we been too focussed on policies to keep growing the economy and the public services we need and enjoy? Should we instead be developing policy that leads to a happier, more contented society that’s not forever chasing its tail. Anyone out there bold enough to have a dream?!

The Public Accounts Committee heard from the Treasury Minister and some of his officers last week. During a lengthy session topics included the structural deficit in the government’s budget, the sustainability of ever increasing health spending, government pay and the triple lock pension guarantee. Listen to some of the highlights of that session on this week’s Agenda. The Treasury Minister was talking a tough talk on getting public finances but will we see the talk turn into real action?

Kirstie Morphet has certainly not allowed the grass to grow under her feet since being elected to the Legislative Council just over a year ago. She’s not shy of tackling issues like homelessness and social exclusion and is not afraid of rocking the political boat to get things done. In tomorrow’s LegCo sitting she’ll take the lengthy Justice and Home Affairs (Reform and Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 through its final stage which should result in much needed reform to our criminal justice system. Find out more about this new kid on the Tynwald block on this week’s Agenda. Has Tynwald found a new radical voice?

Before becoming an MLC Paul Craine was a geographer and judging on his latest publication he still is in his spare time. So what is a population atlas and why should we be quite concerned about the evidence contained in this second edition? The statistics showing a significantly aging population were bad enough in the first population atlas but the latest version tells an increasingly concerning tale. Dry statistics have never been more exciting than this - you’ll be on the edge of your seats by the end of the program - be warned.

Michelle Hawood and Ann Corlett have recently returned from the annual Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Conference. It’s a sad reflection of the world we live in that it is still felt necessary to hold such events but, unlike the Isle of Man, most parliaments around the world continue to be male dominated. Find out why women continue to struggle to get equal representation on Agenda with Amy Griffiths. Are women unfairly targeted in social media just because they are women? Why is it so hard to break down centuries old prejudices? And how have the women faired in this more equal House of Keys?

Douglas Central MHK Ann Corlett may not be the most vocal of our politicians but she is definitely busy. In a wide ranging interview for Agenda she explains how the Gas (Economic Regulation) Bill will help protect customers, discusses her role as Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys, and tells us what she’s doing as a member of the Enterprise Department. She also gives an update on her often misquoted proposal to make the streets of Central Douglas safer. Mrs Corlett’s Gas Bill seems to be timely with the Iranian war driving up prices, making it the only gas bill people will be pleased to see!

The Legislative Council considered four Bills at it’s sitting last week including Bills covering Gambling Legislation, Public Records, Income Tax and Employment. Legislation tends to be the poor relation of all the duties performed by Tynwald but it really does influence all our lives. In an attempt to bring these Bills alive to you Agenda spoke with MLCs Gary Clueit and Tanya August-Phillips. E-gaming represents a big part of our economy so it’s important Tynwald gets the regulation right and what’s not to like about cementing Income Tax rules so that large international companies based here pay a bit back to fund government services?

Fed up with all the hype and spin surrounding last week’s budget? Still not entirely sure what the budget was supposed to deliver? Agenda caught up with the Treasury Minister before his budget was debated in Tynwald to find out what he hoped it will achieve and why it was formed in the way we eventually saw last Tuesday. To find out what he thought before he had to react to public comment listen to this week's Agenda. It’s understandable that Chris Thomas maybe isn’t fully behind a budget that was largely constructed before he got there but he puts on a pretty good show of sounding convincing.