THE 'NORTH'S already-strained public services are forecast to decay further with no ministers in place to take strategic decisions, a think tank's latest report warns.
Pivotal's 'Who is governing Northern Ireland?' paper says squeezed budgets and the absence of leadership at Stormont for four of the past six years has left the region's health, education and justice sectors at breaking point.
The report highlights how the civil servants overseeing government departments are unable to make significant decisions, increasing the likelihood of already ailing public services deteriorating further.
It says Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has set a budget but has deferred any big decisions to a restored assembly and executive.
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Meanwhile, Pivotal predicts a "black hole" in the public finances of up to £1bn that will see departments competing for scarce resources.
"There is no legislative basis for many significant decisions to be taken by anyone at the present time," the report notes.
It cites how reforms of the regional health and social care system that were recommended in Rafael Bengoa's 2016 blueprint have barely begun due to "failures by politicians to take decisions combined with years without an assembly and executive".
The report says senior Department of Health officials can talk about pressures on emergency departments and GPs but are unable to implement any of the policies needed to alleviate the problems.
Pivotal stresses that it's not the fault of civil servants but that "officials have been put in an impossible position".
Other strategic delays the think tank highlights include the ability to green light a third tranche of Engage funding to support children’s educational catch-up following Covid and signing off on the promised childcare strategy.
Pivotal director Ann Watt said it was clear the north was "being governed on a limited and piecemeal basis".
"Civil servants are in charge of departments, but are unable to make any significant, cross-cutting or controversial decisions," she said.
"The secretary of state has stepped in with legislation to address some major issues, but otherwise has said that he is leaving decision-making for the return of an assembly and executive."
She said there were "severe constraints"on tackling the challenges in health, education and the cost of living.
"That would be difficult at any point in time, and all the more so when people, businesses and society here all face so many major issues. The cost-of-living crisis is devastating. The health service is over-stretched. There are significant financial troubles in education," she said.
"It’s not clear who – if anyone – is responsible for making decisions in Northern Ireland at present – the absence of the Assembly and Executive means there hasn’t been proper government here for four of the last six years, and we are seeing a real deterioration in public services as a result. People are feeling the effects of all this in their day-to-day lives."
