Stormont has choices to make over budget, says Hilary Benn

There are choices Stormont “has got to make” over its draft multi-year budget, Secretary of State Hilary Benn has said.

He said Northern Ireland’s devolved government has “very considerable responsibilities” and expressed hope a “balanced budget” can be delivered.

Benn was speaking after Stormont’s finance minister published his spending proposals on Tuesday for 2026 to 2029/30.

Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd said a multi-year budget would “allow us to transform our public services”, but other executive parties have criticised his proposals.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Benn said the Northern Ireland Executive has received a “record settlement” from the government.

“The Northern Ireland Executive has very considerable responsibilities in respect of the Northern Ireland economy,” he told MPs.

“I note the fact that the finance minister has published a draft three-year budget.

“It is the fact that we had a three-year spending review that has now given the Northern Ireland Executive the opportunity to do the same for the first time in a number of years.

“As the minister said, there are choices that the executive has got to make.

“It’s true of all governments around the world, and I look forward to seeing them coming forward with a proposal for a balanced budget.”

An eight-week public consultation has been launched over the draft budget plans before it would need to return to the executive for approval.

Earlier, Stormont’s economy minister defended her Sinn Féin colleague’s budget proposals.

Caoimhe Archibald said the executive had a “very constrained financial position” but a multi-year budget would enable ministers to “plan more strategically”.

“It’s very easy to say what’s wrong with something,” she told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme.

“It’s much more difficult to put forward solutions and alternative proposals.

“What the finance minister said yesterday is that he’s in listening mode, he wants to engage – he wants to find a way forward.”

Other parties in Stormont’s power-sharing executive have raised concerns over the plans.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said the proposals were “deeply flawed” and would “require significant changes if they are to command our support”.

The Alliance Party said their ministers had “serious concerns about their ability to meet their statutory obligations and fulfil Programme for Government commitments”.

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in a statement said the draft budget “ignores public service reform and fiscal advice”.

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) assembly member Matthew O’Toole, leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said it was an “unambitious ghost budget, bereft of vision”.