Divided executive 'speaking as one' on budget, says finance minister

The Finance Minister has said, despite "tensions around the table", the executive is focused on "speaking as one" to secure a better budget for Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd said the executive needs "movement" from the government to set a Stormont budget as it does not have the "quantum of funding" nor the "terms conditions" necessary to reach an agreement.

Ministers met with the secretary of state on Friday but it ended without any resolution to the budget crisis.

Sir Chris Bryant, who has said there was "no more money" available, earlier this week accused executive ministers of being financially "irresponsible".

The executive has not agreed a budget for this year, blaming the UK's devolution funding formula for leaving it short. Additional funding of about £1.5bn would be released in three tranches, with £525m available this year.

O'Dowd said ministers would hold a further meeting with Sir Chris next week.

Speaking after Friday's meeting, O'Dowd said it was "an issue of fairness and equality".

He said there "simply isn't the quantum of funding available to us to secure our public services" and deliver pay awards for staff.

"And we have made that case very, very clear again today to the Secretary of State," he told reporters in Lurgan.

"We are meeting again next week, but that will require movement from the British government.

"In the absence of movement the executive is not in a position to agree a budget."

O'Dowd added: "We're meeting again next week, and I think as long as there is engagement and discussions, there is always opportunity for movement."

He said ministers would hold a further meeting with Sir Chris next week.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly says a "balanced and reasonable" budget cannot be reached in Northern Ireland unless the government gives Stormont more money.

But Emma Little-Pengelly said Northern Ireland the executive "simply cannot legally reach a balanced budget with what is on the table".

"I'm asking the UK government to come forward with a reasonable and fair funding package," the DUP deputy first told BBC's The View programme.

She added: "We have reached out to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State because we are at that stage, now seven months into the financial year without a budget."

Ministers asked for the meeting on Friday with Sir Chris after he accused them of being "financially irresponsible".

It's understood there is to be further engagement after the meeting, described as "open frank but also remarkably constructive" by one source.

That means continued pressures on public services, Little-Pengelly said.

"I can see the devastating impact on our public services, our schools, hospitals, public sector pay if we do not get this issue resolved.

"This is a time for serious conversation, a time about getting round the table and making sure we can get this hammered out," she said.

She said despite "fractured relationships" within the executive following the Drumcree parading dispute, it was important to stand up "responsibly for people right across Northern Ireland".

"It is a case of giving the people of Northern Ireland a fair funding settlement to allow us to continue with those critical public services," she said.

On Wednesday First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she does not accept the government's assertion that there is no more money on offer to Stormont, amid the ongoing stalemate over the budget.

Stormont departments are facing a shortfall of up to £1.6bn, according to a spending watchdog.

Last month, Bryant made an offer of a financial package worth about £1.5bn over the next three years.

But executive parties said that did not go far enough and they have argued that significant gaps remain before they can agree to a deal that would allow them to set a budget.

With no agreed budget, public services have been operating under contingency arrangements allowing departments to spend up to 95% of last year's funding.