Northern Ireland

Conor Murphy calls for executive backing as draft budget prioritises health

Conor Murphy said a balance must be struck between health and other public services. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Conor Murphy said a balance must be struck between health and other public services. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Conor Murphy said a balance must be struck between health and other public services. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

FINANCE Minister Conor Murphy has called for support from his executive colleagues as he conceded that his latest spending plan "undoubtedly creates challenges for other public services".

The minister's draft budget earmarks increased spending on health of up £560m a year, countered by an across the board funding cut to all other departments.

A total of £21 billion has been pledged to the Department of Health in what is Stormont's first three-year budget for a decade, however, other departments are each expected to slash their spending by two per cent.

Despite DUP opposition, the executive yesterday voted to publish the proposed budget, which will now undergo a three-month public consultation that ends just a matter of days before the assembly's mandate expires at the end of March.

DUP First Minister Paul Givan said his party would oppose the final spending plan if improvements weren't made on the foot of the consultation.

He endorsed increased health spending but said there was a lack of a "detailed plan" on how the money would be deployed.

Paul Givan said the DUP would oppose the final budget if it was not improved
Paul Givan said the DUP would oppose the final budget if it was not improved Paul Givan said the DUP would oppose the final budget if it was not improved

"What we need to see is the details as to how that will deliver more nurses, more doctors, how it will address the waiting lists that exist, and we haven't got that in this budget," he said.

Mr Givan echoed Justice Minister Naomi Long's concerns about cuts to her department's budget.

Writing in The Irish News today, Mr Murphy says all five executive parties have publicly committed to prioritising health and social care – an approach he says is "shared by wider society".

But he warns that increased health spending will have implications for other departments.

"A balance has to be struck between health and other public services," he says.

"It is a difficult trade-off but that is the financial reality we face."

The minister calls for "political maturity" and urges his executive colleagues to "respect the commitment to health".