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Northern Ireland ministers to discuss budget pressures Northern Ireland ministers discuss budget pressures
(about 14 hours later)
Northern Ireland Executive ministers are expected to discuss the serious financial pressures on their budgets at a meeting on Thursday afternoon. Northern Ireland Executive ministers have discussed the serious financial pressures on their budgets.
They face having to make £200m of cuts between October and April, equivalent to 4% of all departmental budgets.They face having to make £200m of cuts between October and April, equivalent to 4% of all departmental budgets.
Two new members of the executive - Health Minister Jim Wells and Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey - will take part in the negotiations. While a paper by Finance Minster Simon Hamilton was circulated, it was not formally tabled for discussion and no decisions were taken.
The pair were promoted following a DUP ministerial reshuffle on Tuesday. Justice Minister David Ford said there had been "an unwillingness to have a serious, meaningful discussion".
However, the new minsters know that when it comes to department funding, they will not be able to enjoy any honeymoon period. 'General discussion'
Finance Minister Simon Hamilton has been stressing the need to find £200m in savings during this financial year. "In the face of difficult spending issues, intransigence on the streets that is causing difficulties for the community, and intransigence around economics at the executive table, we have simply failed to live up to the responsibilities that the people of Northern Ireland gave the executive parties as a whole," the Alliance Party leader said.
"Unless the executive gets agreement, then we have difficult problems and there seems to be no sense of understanding as to where we are."
Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy said there was a "general discussion but not a formal one".
"It's now clear that irrespective of what is happening to other parties internally, that shouldn't impact on the good government of Northern Ireland and we need to deal with these financial issues as quickly as possible," the Ulster Unionist assembly member said.
Financial pressuresFinancial pressures
Mr Hamilton has been stressing the need to find £200m in savings during this financial year.
That includes nearly £90m in fines imposed by the Treasury because of Stormont's delay in implementing welfare reforms.That includes nearly £90m in fines imposed by the Treasury because of Stormont's delay in implementing welfare reforms.
The Northern Ireland Executive's financial pressures are estimated to be increasing at a rate of £5m per week.The Northern Ireland Executive's financial pressures are estimated to be increasing at a rate of £5m per week.
While DUP ministers said they believe the budget shortfall must be addressed urgently in order to avoid breaching Treasury spending limits, Sinn Féin ministers have continued to resist paying any Treasury fines.While DUP ministers said they believe the budget shortfall must be addressed urgently in order to avoid breaching Treasury spending limits, Sinn Féin ministers have continued to resist paying any Treasury fines.
Their party has argued that the welfare changes should be subject to further negotiation with Westminster.Their party has argued that the welfare changes should be subject to further negotiation with Westminster.