Budget under threat - Wilson

Published Monday, 10 January 2011

Only four executive departments have finalised their budgets even though the overall Stormont budget was agreed last month, UTV can reveal.

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Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has warned the planned budget consultation is being threatened.

"So far despite the fact the information was supposed to be available before Christmas, only my own department, the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure, the Department of Justice and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry have published those", Mr Wilson told UTV.

"I don't think the consultation can take place in a proper way without that information being made available", Mr Wilson added.

Sammy suspects some Ministers do not want to deliver bad news. But there is no way around it, he believes.
UTV's Political Editor Ken Reid in his blog: Sammy getting cross

Mr Wilson described the situation as serious.

"I think for the whole process of scrutiny of government it is very serious.

"People need to know how departments intend to make their savings over the next four years and comment on that.

"The work of the assembly can't possibly be carried forward until this information is given to assembly committees."

MLAs and Ministers at Stormont will return from their Christmas break next week.

Comments

2 Comments

Michpost in Newtownabbey wrote (866 days ago):

These people who supposedly govern NI, need to wake up. They are all going to need something good to happen for NI before the elections. They can't agree budgets; they refuse to accept responsibility for NI Water's recent failures. They refuse to see the NIHE in anything but a good light. They take extended holidays despite the obvious fact that everyone else who has a job, returned to work, days ago. None of these things are being ignored by the public; they are all recorded and come the elections, expect a good number of new faces being seen around Stormont.

Tommy in Limavady wrote (866 days ago):

"Return from Christmas break next week" what is this all about, these people should be back at work long before this, my god the schools are back already. Can somebody not get a grip of these people and sort all this mess out. Money for ole rope comes to mind.