Northern Ireland Secretary to meet Executive to discuss budget pressures
The Northern Ireland Office said it is to discuss the exact scale of the financial pressures facing the Executive.
Northern Ireland’s Executive parties will meet the Secretary of State on Thursday to discuss the financial pressures the Executive is facing.
In a statement, the Northern Ireland Office said Hillary Ben had invited the parties to meet him at Hillsborough Castle to discuss the “exact scale” of the issue and to “offer support to enable them to agree a budget”.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby MP, will also be at the meeting.
A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said Mr Benn has “been engaging regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding its failure to agree a multi-year budget”.
They said it is “vital” the Executive “now urgently agrees a detailed plan to put Northern Ireland’s finances on a more sustainable footing and transition toward a multi-year budget”.
“The Secretary of State and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury have now invited the Executive party leaders to Hillsborough Castle on Thursday, where they will continue these engagements.”
Finance Minister John O’Dowd published a draft budget in January for the 2026/27 financial year, but the Executive has not agreed on it – insisting 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.
All departments are currently operating within a contingency allocation.