As expected, the new executive has moved quickly to tackle the most pressing issue facing the re-established power-sharing administration, namely the ongoing industrial action by healthcare workers, including thousands of nurses.
In his first announcement on the first full day of business in the Assembly, health minister Robin Swann yesterday declared that pay parity with England would be restored for this year and next year.
This move is estimated to cost £109 million, with the health department finding an additional £79 million for this year. The extra £30 million that is required has been financed by drawing forward proposed funding allocations for future years.
The fact that the money has been found to pay the healthcare staff is hugely positive but there is also the crucial issue of safe staffing levels, which was a key demand by the nurses, including the Royal College of Nursing whose members took part in strike action for the first time.
Mr Swann said his department is providing a written commitment 'to immediate high-level engagement with unions to produce a costed implementation plan' within an agreed short period.
The new executive is now hoping that the unions will agree to halt their industrial action and we must now await their decision.
It is clear that progress has been made in terms of meeting the demands of nurses and other employees but it is regrettable that this issue was not resolved before it reached crisis point.
There is a lesson to be learnt by the authorities in how such disputes are handled and shows that when the sincere concerns of professionals are brought to officials, in health, education or other areas, they must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
There was another funding announcement yesterday, this time by the education minister Peter Weir, who allocated £45 million to 18 schools for building improvements.
Again, this is a welcome development and a step in the right direction.
However, the reality is we are going to need a huge injection of cash to address hospital waiting lists, welfare mitigation payments, school budgets and much needed infrastructure projects.
Finance minister Conor Murphy has said the amount being offered by the British government as part of the Stormont deal 'falls way short' of what was expected.
If funding commitments were made to the parties then they must be honoured.
