Decision time for ministers over ‘fairer’ funding for Northern Ireland – O’Dowd

It is “decision time” for the UK government to properly fund Northern Ireland, Stormont’s finance minister has said ahead of meetings with the new Secretary of State.John O’Dowd said while Sir Chris Bryant and Chancellor John Healey have recently come into post, their officials are aware of the issues in the region.Stormont ministers have been unable to agree a budget for the current financial year, with departments operating on contingency budgets since April.Stormont Finance Minister John O’Dowd (PA)PA WireMinisters across the four party Executive have consistently made the point that they need more money from the Treasury to address a funding crisis facing public services in the region.From Saturday, just 95% of last year’s funding will be available to spend after the Executive passes a deadline to agree a budget under public finance laws.Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole had sounded alarms about this deadline, pressing Executive ministers to act to avoid facing this effective funding cut.The main Stormont parties are to have their first in-person meetings with Mr Bryant later, with the budget expected to dominate discussions.Mr O’Dowd said he had spoken with the Mr Healey last week and “put across our case”, adding the Executive parties are united in the view that the administration is underfunded.“I thought during the engagements with (previous Northern Ireland secretary) Hilary Benn there was an opportunity to resolve this matter, I hope that opportunity remains with the new administration,” he told BBC Radio Ulster on Friday morning.“The new administration has come into power saying they are going to do things differently, they want to create change, they want to create prosperity in every postcode.“There is an opportunity here for them to properly fund the Executive and allow Executive ministers to get on with delivering services and supporting our economy.”Read MoreHe added that Scotland and Wales “receiver fairer funding settlements” than Northern Ireland, “in the region of billions of pounds over their level of need”.“I think we’re at the stage now where it is decision making time, that engagement at official level has been going on, so officials are perfectly well briefed, it is now time for ministers to get their head round the issues and start making decisions,” he said.Asked about whether the Stormont Executive has been pressed to introduce more revenue raising initiatives, Mr O’Dowd said Treasury “shouldn’t run government”.“They’re not going to run the Executive,” he said.“It’s not up to Treasury officials to dictate to elected representatives. They’re not elected here to make such decisions, the Executive is elected to make such decisions, and the Executive has made decisions around those matters.In a statement on Friday morning, Justice Minister Naomi Long expressed her disappointment that agreement remains outstanding over a Stormont budget.She said Northern Ireland’s justice sector is not funded appropriately, adding the lack of investment has “hindered the progress of reform and transformation”.“Allocations in the proposed Draft Budget do nothing to reduce that historic funding gap and this will continue to impact on a range of areas such as policing, prisons, legal aid, courts and probation,” she said.“There is very limited further action that my department can take in terms of savings measures. Our proportional budget strength has declined while demand on the justice system has risen starkly, meaning that we have continually had to make efficiencies each year. My department has now reached the point where all reasonable options have been exhausted.“If the draft budget is implemented, without additional funding being provided to meet our inescapable pressures, this will result in a further and unacceptable slowing down of the justice system, compromising its ability to preserve life, protect the public and keep people safe.”