According to ‘The Belfast Telegraph’s’ report on the matter, our leaders at Stormont believe Northern Ireland is racing towards something of a fiscal cliff… ‘Devolved ministers in Northern Ireland have yet to agree a budget for the current financial year and have insisted they need more financial support from the Treasury to plug an estimated £1 billion hole in their balance sheet and deliver spending plans that avoid dramatic cuts to public services. On Thursday, DUP deputy First Minister Emma ... Read more...
According to ‘The Belfast Telegraph’s’ report on the matter, our leaders at Stormont believe Northern Ireland is racing towards something of a fiscal cliff…
‘Devolved ministers in Northern Ireland have yet to agree a budget for the current financial year and have insisted they need more financial support from the Treasury to plug an estimated £1 billion hole in their balance sheet and deliver spending plans that avoid dramatic cuts to public services.
On Thursday, DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly warned that it would be an “impossibility” to agree a balanced budget this year without inflicting “devastating” cuts if more support from the UK Government was not forthcoming. Sinn Fein Finance Minister John O’Dowd claimed the Government’s approach to Stormont’s financial difficulties has become characterised by “drift” as he suggested ministers in London were preoccupied by the leadership wrangles within the Labour Party.’
The report went on to quote the Secretary of State as he disagreed…
“Well, I don’t think you could describe a record budget settlement in the Spending Review last summer, the extra money that has come since then, the £235 million in public services transformation funding that we’re here in part to celebrate today as drift or a lack of urgency…It shows that the Government is providing support, but I do need the Executive to meet me halfway. And it’s not unreasonable. It’s a point I’ve made before, and I will reiterate, it’s not unreasonable to say, what is your plan to try and achieve fiscal sustainability?
“Why are the budget pressures, the overspend that is being described, appearing to go up and up? What action is being taken to deal with that? What is the nature of the pressures?”
Whilst the Executive continues to wrangle with London over the further financial support, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced he has ringfenced £80 million pounds as part of an effort to reduce waiting lists in Northern Ireland. As per the BBC report, the £80 million…
‘…forms part of the executive’s programme for government commitment to cut health red flag and critical waiting lists.
“Reducing waiting times and improving access to care are among my sharpest areas of focus as health minister and central to the executive’s programme for government commitment to do what matters most for people across Northern Ireland, ” said Mike Nesbitt.
Details of how the funding will be allocated across health and social care services in 2026/27 to support waiting list reductions will be confirmed in the coming weeks.’
The BBC report also points out that the money is part of the yet to be agreed draft budget, the same one the Executive feels it cannot balance without further assistance from the Treasury, assistance they are currently arguing with the Secretary of State about.
