Stormont: What has changed one year on from devolution’s return?

Education Minister Paul Givan has taken steps to improve access to childcare, with a subsidy scheme of £25m being set up last year allowing some families to make savings, which is set to be extended into the new financial year.

He also warned, just weeks into his job, that it would cost £400m to overhaul the childcare system properly in Northern Ireland.

Childcare groups are also still pressing the executive to deliver a full strategy for early learning and childcare.

Pauline Walmsley, chief executive of the Early Years Organisation, welcomed the commitment to build on the childcare subsidy scheme, but added: “We all recognise, however, that this is only the start and that we need the minister’s request for a £450m multi-annual budget to be agreed.”

But childcare is far from the only issue requiring extra financial firepower.

Just a glance at departmental in-trays shows the backlog of problems our politicians faced when they went back to work 12 months ago.

On health, waiting lists continue to grow longer with the latest figures showing more than half a million people in Northern Ireland now on lists for a first consultation with a hospital consultant.

The tug-of-war between the health minister and the rest of the executive over money will continue in 2025, as ministers from other parties argue that every department needs a fair share of finite funding.

It’s not just more money that Stormont needs, but new laws too.