Stormont gets a Budget but fiscal whack-a-mole will only continue

First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Finance Minister Caomihe Archibald and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly speak to the media at Stormont Castle to announce the budget

Richard Ramsey

Following the recent restoration of Stormont, the new NI Executive delivered another important milestone last week with the publication of a Budget, amounting to £14.5bn of day-to-day spending and capital spending of £2.1bn. This is no mean feat given the challenges associated with a power-sharing arrangement and the very challenging financial environment in which the new Executive is operating.

The Finance Minister also said that agreeing the Budget is the first step to putting the Executive’s finances on a sustainable footing. So in that respect, it is a welcome development. However, the reality is that there isn’t much within the Budget itself to welcome.