Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has invited leaders of the Executive parties to talks at Hillsborough Castle, where the UK Government has been urged to fix the “faultline” in how Northern Ireland is funded. The discussions come as Stormont ministers have failed to agree a budget for the current financial year, with departments operating on contingency budgets since April.
Sinn Féin Leads Calls for Fair Funding
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O’Neill were among their party’s delegation. Ms McDonald said there was a “very, very significant deficit” in how Northern Ireland was funded compared to Scotland or Wales. She stated: “We are on common ground with all of the parties of the Executive, and we are here to make the case for proper funding. The failure of the British government and the British state to fund this place correctly isn’t a phase. It’s not just a moment in time. This is a permanent fixture.”
Ms McDonald added: “I think it is a matter of huge frustration for everybody around the Executive table, for all of the political parties, that we are constantly in this position, that we are constantly in a position where we have to just ask for the basic level of funding to ensure that the level of service provision and opportunity is provided to people here.”
O'Neill's Déjà Vu and Call for Change
Michelle O’Neill expressed frustration at the recurring nature of the budget crises, noting that since she assumed her leadership role, she has dealt with seven British prime ministers in 10 years. She said: “That underlines the chaos of Westminster.” Referring to the likelihood of Andy Burnham becoming the next prime minister, she added: “I think today’s budget discussion is very much scene-setting for Andy Burnham, the incoming prime minister. I have a real sense of déjà vu this morning, a real sense that we come here, we make our case, we’ll actually all be making our case for the funding model that our people deserve. And then, potentially, what happens at the end of these processes that we get some sort of cash injection that’s a one off, that does not fix the problem that we have.”
She challenged the UK Government: “Do they want to fix the faultline? And fixing the faultline means addressing the unfairness, it means making sure they have a proper funded model that allows us to invest in our public services, that allows us to invest in people, that allows us the levers in which to grow our economy.” She warned of a choice: “Do more of the same and throw a few pound at a problem, hopefully it goes away, and then revert back to this conversation again next year. Or actually fix the fundamentals and fix the faultline and actually invest properly.”
Alliance Party Highlights Funding Disparity
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long described the talks as an “important day” for Northern Ireland’s finances. She said: “We’ve been very clear now for a long time that we still believe, despite recent changes to the funding formula in Northern Ireland, we remain funded below need. That is a real challenge. It’s not just an opinion, it is something that has been raised now by a number of independent assessments that recognise that Scotland and Wales are both funded above need and Northern Ireland below need. That has to be dealt with because it has serious issues and consequences for our public services.”
Ms Long added: “We also have to talk about how we get out of the mess of current again, because so far what we have had is every time there’s a crisis, people ride in like a white knight with a chequebook and fill the gap in order to allow the Assembly to continue and to stabilise things, but that isn’t a formula for sustainability. All that leads to is short term gain with no long term sustainability and stability in our finances. What we need now is a properly funded programme that will last over a number of years into the term of the future Executive.”
Ulster Unionists Call for Better Governance
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows said calls for more funding had to be accompanied with a recognition that better government was needed at Stormont. He said: “We need to be credible and responsible, negotiate hard for more money, spend it more wisely, cut waste. We’ll also be making the case to help Northern Ireland grow by getting things like cuts in corporation tax, in VAT and hospitality and tourism that allows us to compete better with the Irish Republic.” He added: “We will be arguing very hard for the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland to get a better settlement for the people of Northern Ireland, but we will be honest with the Secretary of State that we also think politicians here can do better in spending that money more wisely.”
The talks at Hillsborough Castle also include the chief secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby MP, and are attended by Sinn Féin, the DUP, the Alliance Party and the Ulster Unionists. The UK Government faces pressure to address the structural funding imbalance, with Northern Ireland's public services under severe strain.
