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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Simon Hamilton: Finance minister warns of 'considerable' job losses | Simon Hamilton: Finance minister warns of 'considerable' job losses |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Finance Minister Simon Hamilton has spoken of "considerable" job losses in the public sector, but cannot put an exact figure on cuts through voluntary redundancy. | Finance Minister Simon Hamilton has spoken of "considerable" job losses in the public sector, but cannot put an exact figure on cuts through voluntary redundancy. |
| He said the "fine detail" of proposals was being finalised and due to go before the Northern Ireland Executive shortly. | He said the "fine detail" of proposals was being finalised and due to go before the Northern Ireland Executive shortly. |
| The 2015-16 budget has set aside £100m for a redundancy plan. | The 2015-16 budget has set aside £100m for a redundancy plan. |
| Unions have warned this equates to thousands of posts being axed. | Unions have warned this equates to thousands of posts being axed. |
| Mr Hamilton said ministers had "rough numbers they need to lose". | Mr Hamilton said ministers had "rough numbers they need to lose". |
| He said job cuts were likely to go beyond the forthcoming 12 month period. | He said job cuts were likely to go beyond the forthcoming 12 month period. |
| Mr Hamilton was speaking at a meeting of the assembly's finance committee and warned of tough years ahead. | Mr Hamilton was speaking at a meeting of the assembly's finance committee and warned of tough years ahead. |
| "Tighter, difficult times are going to be the new norm," he said. | "Tighter, difficult times are going to be the new norm," he said. |
| He also said that the Treasury had yet to approve how Stormont plans to repay a £100m emergency bail-out. | He also said that the Treasury had yet to approve how Stormont plans to repay a £100m emergency bail-out. |
| Protocol | Protocol |
| Mr Hamilton has asked the Treasury if the executive can break with protocol and pay the money back from its capital budget, not its resource allocation. | Mr Hamilton has asked the Treasury if the executive can break with protocol and pay the money back from its capital budget, not its resource allocation. |
| The money, to ease current financial pressures, was conditional upon the executive agreeing a draft budget for next year. | The money, to ease current financial pressures, was conditional upon the executive agreeing a draft budget for next year. |
| Previously, Mr Hamilton has said Stormont's 2015/16 budget is "rooted in tough choices". | Previously, Mr Hamilton has said Stormont's 2015/16 budget is "rooted in tough choices". |
| Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Department of Education revealed it would not be possible to completely protect front-line services. | Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Department of Education revealed it would not be possible to completely protect front-line services. |
| BBC Northern Ireland Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart said that although the department says it will try as far as possible to protect services for children its budgets for both annual resource spending and capital building works will be heavily cut, with the former dropping by £162m and the latter £36m. | BBC Northern Ireland Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart said that although the department says it will try as far as possible to protect services for children its budgets for both annual resource spending and capital building works will be heavily cut, with the former dropping by £162m and the latter £36m. |
| The biggest resources cost is staffing and the impact is described as "challenging", with job losses likely. | The biggest resources cost is staffing and the impact is described as "challenging", with job losses likely. |
| It is understood the biggest impact will be on education and library boards and schools budgets, and some services provided by outside bodies will be cut completely. | It is understood the biggest impact will be on education and library boards and schools budgets, and some services provided by outside bodies will be cut completely. |
| They include safeguarding behaviour, information technology and community relations programmes. Sure Start and pre-school budgets will fall by £4.5m in total. | They include safeguarding behaviour, information technology and community relations programmes. Sure Start and pre-school budgets will fall by £4.5m in total. |
| Efforts to provide more nutritious school meals will end because of a cut of almost £5m and the Department of Education plans to save £3m on its administration. | Efforts to provide more nutritious school meals will end because of a cut of almost £5m and the Department of Education plans to save £3m on its administration. |
| The Irish National Teachers' Organisation said that cuts to the Department of Education's budget could result in up to 2,000 teacher redundancies. |