Political, policy and regulatory developments impacting Northern Ireland. What you need to know this week
Programme for Government published for consultation
On Monday (9 September), the NI Executive published its draft Programme for Government (PfG) 2024 – 2027 for public consultation. ‘Our Plan: Doing What Matters Most’, acknowledges that the Executive are working in a reduced mandate of just three years with public services remain under pressure and funding failing to keep pace with demand. There is therefore a recognition in the document that they need to “act quickly to prioritise what matters most”. It is different from the two previous outcomebased draft PfGs, focusing on three core areas:
Building New Foundations – upgrading the region’s public sector infrastructure to strengthen its communities and create opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs, communities, and innovators. This includes delivering upgrades to sports stadia and increasing opportunities for local sports; improving transport infrastructure for safer, more active and sustainable travel, connected communities and inclusive economic growth; and delivering an ambitious programme of decarbonising all housing stock in NI, existing and new homes. There is also a aspiration to “pursue opportunities to improve and grow the region’s public infrastructure, such as water services and planning”.
Doing What Matters Most Today – the Executtive’s immediate priorities for this year and throughout the remainder of the mandate. These are providing better support for our children and young people, enabling affordable childcare, growing our economy, increasing housing supply and tackling homelessness, taking care of everyone by improving Health and Social Care services, protecting our environment and cleaning up our water, and making our communities safer, including a particular focus on women and girls.
Shaping a Better Tomorrow – building “a foundation for the longer-term”, recognising that the region faces “challenges shared everywhere through global geo-political tensions, environmental deterioration, the cost of living crisis, but also suffer from unique local problems arising from our past, such as low economic productivity and poorer wellbeing outcomes”. The Executive has therefore set three Missions for now and the future:
People – Working to support everyone at all stages of their life to ensure they have the chance to succeed by improving life opportunities.
Planet – Harnessing the potential of a green growth economy while ensuring we provide an equitable transition to a sustainable and affordable society as NI takes responsibility for decarbonising its economy and society. This
includes introducing a Renewable Electrcity Support Scheme and a change to Electrcity Grid Connection Charging policy to lower the barrier for reneables.
everyone and our story continues to be an inspiration to others.
In addition to the Missions, the Executive has a cross-cutting commitment to Peace. This is about making sure that everyone feels the benefit of a growing economy, improved environment, and a fairer society.
What Next: Speaking in the Assembly, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA said that the PfG would deliver “transformational change”and “make a real difference” to people’s lives. First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA described it as “an ambitious and focused programme, that everyone in society will now get a chance to shape it into the final document and that, alongside the final document, we will be able to judge our success by how we measure the outcome”. The leader of the Oppostion, the SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole MLA welcomed “the fact that [a PfG] has been published”, but said that his party was “clear that the people of Northern Ireland expected clear targets and clear plans to deliver. the programme “, asking the First Minister and deputy Minister “to point to a single, specific new target that the Executive have agreed to in the Programme for Government that is measurable and which the public can judge you by”. The 8-week consultation closes on 4 November 2004.
Stormont departments facing £767m spending pressure
On Tuesday (10 September), responding to a Private Member’s debate on Budgetary Pressures, Finance Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA told the Assembly that Stormont departments are facing spending pressures above their budget of £767m and called for “urgent action”. Dr Archibald said that Stormont can expect to get around £500m extra from the October Westminster budget which will go a “significant way” but leaves a funding gap of £267 million. The Finance Minister also said that if ministers do not operate within budget there will be “grave consequences” for future public funding, as the Treasury has warned any overspend this year will trigger the suspended repayment of a previous £559m overspend. Dr Archibald said the Executive “will look at all options to deliver efficiencies, generate revenue, enhance borrowing powers and examine fiscal devolution”. This included a “progressive taxation system”, possibly signalling an increase in rates bills for some households or businesses.
What Next: Meanwhile, yesterday, the First Minister and deputy First Minister met the UK Chancellor, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, to discuss the Executive’s budget. Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald MLA, who was also in attendance at the meeting, described it as “useful” and said ministers stressed the need to “prioritise investment in public services”. First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA called for the Labour administration to “change tack”.
Report highlights Renewable Energy cost savings for NI
A new report by Baringa has revealed that achieving the 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 target will unlock an additional saving of £110 million per year, reports Business Eye this week. The report: Renewable Rewards: How you save from the switch to renewable electricity, commissioned by RenewableNI, examines the impact made since 2000 and forecasts the savings for 2030 if the target from the Climate Change Act is achieved. Among the key findings were that the transition to renewables has avoided more than 13 million tonnes of CO2, equal to taking 315,000 cars off the road today and that between 2020 and 2023 renewable electricity saved each consumer £160 off their bills.
What Next: RenewableNI Director Steven Agnew said: “There has been a lot of focus on the costs of the transition to renewable electricity without a proper assessment of the savings made by technologies which have zero fuel cost. He added that the cost of delivering enough new projects to meet the Climate Act target is greatly outweighed by the rewards, thereby noting his disappointment that climate change was not included in the Executive’s nine priority areas for action in its draft Programme for Government.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA: “Our people and public services deserve fair funding, and today [Thursday 12 September] I brought that message directly to London in my meeting with British Government Chancellor Rachel Reeves.The new British government now faces a stark choice:To either continue the heartless cuts of their Tory
predecessors or seize this opportunity to begin repairing the damage inflicted on our public services and communities by 14 years of cruel austerity”.
Alliance: “We’re glad other parties are now on the same page as us about the underfunding of policing and justice in Northern Ireland, says @PaulaJaneB. Alliance will continue working towards a fairer financial deal for NI, and for a budget that actually reflects need”
Ulster Unionist Party: “Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson @alcham49 has called on other Parties to stop spinning inaccuracies over baseless claims of additional funding for the health service. Read More here.”
Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA: [Regarding reports from NI Water that some customers in L’Derry and East Tyrone have reported a taste and smell in their drinking water supply] “People are now seeing (and tasting and smelling) decades of environmental degradation and underinvestment in water. But the Lough Neagh ‘action plan’ offers little more than scoping and fiddling at the edges.The PfG is even vaguer. Where is the urgency from the Executive?”
Belfast Telegraph: “”I don’t want the party to be confined to one tradition. People don’t exist in the old binaries that they once did.”@ClaireHanna talks to @SuzyJourno about wanting SDLP to be a party for all – and how she’s “not half- hearted” about Irish unity.”
On Sunday (8 September), Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry announced his resignation. It comes after Mr Farry missed out on re-election to the North Down seat he previously held to unionist Alex Easton at the general election earlier this year. He had been deputy leader of Alliance since 2016, a role he said was a “privilege.” The Alliance Party Executive will meet on 12 September to set the timescale for the election of the new deputy leader.
On Monday (9 September), Tonia Antoniazzi MP (Labour, Gower) was elected as Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Committee for the Economy receives briefing from Northern Ireland Skills Council
On Wednesday (11 September), the Committee for the Economy received an oral and written briefing from the Northern Ireland Skills Council on the Employer Skills Survey 2022. Among the issues discussed were the digital skills gap, increasing access to apprenticeship programs, addressing the high levels of economically inactive people in NI, green jobs and regional balance. Chair of the NISC Kathleen O’Hare said that the Skills Survey contained many concerning figures, including high economic inactivity, low productivity, high levels of young people NEET and limited workforce diversity.
On Wednesday (11 September), the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP accounced the establishment of an independent inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor in 1989. In his statement, Mr Benn told Parliament that “this Government takes its human rights obligations and its responsibilities to victims and survivors of the Troubles “extremely seriously”. He cited the unfulfilled commitment made by the Government to establish an inquiry into the death of Mr Finucane “first in an agreement with the Irish Government, and then to this House” as the reason for his decision.
On Monday (10 September), the Department of Finance published a report on responses received to its consultation on the removal of rates support measures for businesses and households. The consultation directed by the former Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris, ran between November 2023 and February 2024. Over 1,400 responses were received from ratepayers, businesses and a range of other stakeholders. Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald said:
“Rates are an important source of funding in supporting public services bringing in some £1.5 billion of revenue each year. I will be bringing forward short, medium and long-term rating policy proposals including a more strategic longer- term policy approach in the coming weeks”.
On Thursday (12 September), the Committee for Communities heard from Pivotal Public Policy Forum regarding their recent report into Economic Inactivity in NI which showed that, over 26.7% of the working age population are economically inactive, the highest rate in the UK. The category of economically inactive people where there is the biggest disparity between NI and the rest of the UK and Ireland was people with sickness and/or disability the Committee heard. According to the report, 11.9% of the working age population in NI are out of work because of sickness and/or disability, compared to 6.9% in the UK as a whole. One concerning trend raised by members of the Committee today was the increase in the number of people citing mental health as a reason for economic inactivity.
Ministers to talk infrastructure at north-south meeting
Yesterday (13 September), Taoiseach Simon Harris TD hosted the latest gathering of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). It was be the first meeting of the NSMC since Mr Harris replaced Leo Varadkar as Fine Gael leader, and second since the Executive was restored in February. BBC News reports that infrastructure projects, including the A5 and Narrow Water Bridge, were on the agenda for the meeting, as well as the work of all-island bodies like Tourism Ireland and cross-border sectors such as healthcare and trade. In a statement, Mr Harris said he would engage with the Executive to “improve day-to-day life and opportunity on this island through practical North-South co-operation”.
European Court of Justice rules Apple must pay Ireland €13bn in back taxes
On Tuesday (10 September), the European Court of Justice confirmed the European Commission’s 2016 decision that Apple must pay €13 billion of illegal state aid, plus interest, to the Irish Government. The decision will pave the way Apple to turn over to the Government money that has been held in an escrow account in Dublin ever since it was ordered to collect the taxes pending the outcome of appeals. At the end of last year, the escrow account held almost
€13.8 billion. Margrethe Vestager, the EU commissioner for competition, said at a press conference in Brussels judgment was a “big win” for the commission and “tax justice”.
Not enough zoned land in key areas to meet housing targets says new report
A new report from Goodbody stockbrokers says that the eastern and midlands region of the Republic has a shortage of residential zoned and serviced land to meet development needs over the next six years, according to the Irish Times. The firm estimates that there is sufficient land to supply to supply 417,000 units across Ireland. However, the northern and western regions account for 40% of those potential units but only 18% households in the State. Meanwhile, the key eastern and midlands region, which includes Dublin and surrounding counties, accounts for only 34% of the available land but 48% of households. The report highlighted that the percentage of Irish households based in the eastern and midlands region has been little changed over the past 45 years. The report says “it is vital that local authorities ensure that there is sufficient zoned and serviced land available to meet housing targets. Infrastructure plans should be co- ordinated in line with housing requirements across departments, agencies and semi-states that are responsible for these areas.”
‘Sinn Féin on roll in north but south remains prize’
In this week’s Irish News, Brian Feeney writes that it would be transformative for Sinn Féin’s ‘northern wing’ if the party were to successfully get into government in Dublin at the next Irish general election. Feeney cites recent polling, which puts the party on 30% and shows that it is attracting substantial support among the middle-class and women in Northern Ireland, to demonstrate the party’s transformed fortunes there. However, he contends that for “Sinn Féin in the north, the
party getting into government in Dublin would be an immediate game-changer, with ministers sitting across from each other in the North-South Ministerial Council producing all-Ireland policies”. Feeney acknowledges however that this that prospect looks unlikely as polls in the Republic show people prefer the present coalition to one with Sinn Féin. He concludes that in the meantime, until the next Assembly election in 2027, “the party can set about proving they can run this place for the good of everyone without fear or favour, which is what they intend to do”.
Saturday 14 September – Tuesday 17 September 2024
Liberal Democrats Autumn Conference 2024: Brighton Centre, Brighton
Wednesday 18 September
Oireachtas returns from Summer Recess
Friday 20 September – Saturday 21 September 2024
DUP Party Conference 2024: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaws Bridge, Belfast.
Sunday 22 – Wednesday 25 September 2024
Labour Party Annual Party Conference: ACC, Liverpool
Friday 27 – Saturday 28 September 2024
Sinn Féin Ard Fheis: Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone
Saturday 28 September 2024
UUP Autumn Conference: Crowne Plaza, Belfast
Sunday 29 September – Wednesday 2 October 2024 Conservative Party Annual Conference: The ICC, Birmingham
Saturday 5 October 2024
SDLP Annual Party Conference: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast
Monday 7 October 2024
UK Parliament returns from Conference Recess
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Chancellor Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP will deliver the UK Government’s Autumn Budget.
Monday 4 November 2024
NI Executive Draft Programme for Government 2024 – 2027: Public consultation closes.
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