Stormont Ministers’ Plans: Ambition Versus Reality

The current period is typically when children complete their Santa Claus wish lists. With their neatest penmanship, and often supervised by financially aware parents, children meticulously write and send their holiday requests. They anticipate no issues with delivery, as their desired items are generally received promptly and within financial limits. This situation contrasts sharply with Stormont, where two “wish lists” were presented this week, with minimal likelihood of immediate implementation. This is due to the awareness among the financially prudent ministers who drafted these proposals that budgets will remain constrained for the foreseeable future. These proposals, or strategies, were developed by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons. Minister Nesbitt’s three-year initiative aims to stabilise, reform, and enhance service provision across nearly all areas of health. Meanwhile, the Communities Minister’s primary objective is the construction of 100,000 private and social residences within the next 15 years. The initiatives demonstrated significant ambition but lacked specific details and financial breakdowns. Instead, what was presented was a conceptual framework illustrating potential outcomes for health and housing, assuming adequate resources were available. The difficulty persists in persuading a fatigued public that these plans are viable and achievable. This challenge is particularly acute for an Executive that encounters difficulties with major decisions, such as Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s rates reform plan, which did not secure backing from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and is currently undergoing public consultation. The minister attempted to present it to the Executive for endorsement on four separate occasions, and on each occasion, she was unable to secure its approval. This postponement indicates that the plan will not be prepared for the upcoming financial year. Similar disagreements might also contribute to the Executive’s inability to fulfill its 2024 legislative agenda. Less than half of the bills scheduled for introduction this year have been presented. Among the legislative proposals from Stormont ministers that have not yet been introduced are: a law to establish rights for the sign language community, a measure to revise public health statutes, and specific legislation concerning financial compensation for individuals impacted by mother and baby homes. First Minister Michelle O’Neill acknowledged to assembly members (MLAs) that merely seven out of the 20 bills put forward by the Executive have been presented to the assembly to date. She expressed her disappointment regarding what she termed the “slippage” and stated that the Executive intended to establish a defined strategy in the new year. This explanation did not satisfy Mathew O’Toole of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), who questioned O’Neill. He remarked, “The First Minister was keen to talk about Santa’s delivery but less keen to talk about the Executive’s failure to deliver even half of the legislation they promised just a few months ago.” He added, “They set themselves a low bar and missed it, by a long way.” In June, the Executive released a program detailing the legislation it aimed to advance in 2024. The First Minister stated that the Executive’s primary focus was to guarantee the prompt introduction of pending bills and that she, along with the deputy first minister, had contacted other departments requesting updates. However, it is believed that high-ranking civil servants have expressed exasperation over the absence of political impetus to advance legislation. There were also queries regarding whether the Executive’s targets were overly ambitious, given the pressure on ministers to compensate for the five years of governmental inactivity since 2017. During 2024, Scotland enacted 15 bills, whereas in Wales, only six pieces of legislation were passed. Dr Andrew McCormick, a former Permanent Secretary, cautioned against expediting bills without adequate examination. He proposed, “I think the legislative process needs to be done carefully and thoughtfully, rushed legislation is usually bad legislation.” He further commented, “The Assembly hasn’t been back all that long in terms of perspective of a legislative process, so I think it’s better that things take time and to get it right.” A further significant challenge is the draft budget for 2025/26, which still requires agreement. There was an expectation that ministers would approve the final allocations prior to Christmas and before releasing it for consultation, aiming for finalisation by the commencement of the financial year. This outcome remains possible this week, as an Executive meeting is scheduled for Thursday. Alternatively, ministers might only consent to dispatch the draft budget for consultation without the complete backing of the Executive. A similar event occurred previously in 2021 when Conor Murphy served as finance minister, but his proposed budget was thwarted when the DUP subsequently caused the collapse of the institutions in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. A repeat of this situation could unfold this week. Such an outcome would certainly not be among the finance minister’s desired objectives.