PM pledges to work ‘constructively’ to resolve NI public sector finance concerns

The Prime Minister has said he wants to work constructively to resolve concerns over funding of public services in Northern Ireland.

All of the political parties that met with Sir Keir Starmer at Stormont on Monday said they had raised issues around budget pressures.

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said she believed there was a willingness from the new government to address their concerns.

Public finances in Northern Ireland have been under strain for several years, with particular concern about the health service and hospital waiting lists which are the longest in the UK.

All of the main Stormont parties have appealed for more funding for the region.

Sir Keir said he understood the concerns that had been raised with him.

He said: “A number of issues were discussed this morning and as you would expect, finance came up, the health service came up, Casement Park came up.

“We addressed those constructively.

“I understand the case in relation to investment and financing in particular.

“We will work to resolve those issues constructively.”

He added: “Today was very much about the way in which we will address those issues, those challenges and to be very clear about the importance of it to me and the collaborative way in which we will take this forward.”

Ms O’Neill said in the days since the election result, the issue of funding of public finances had already been raised with the new government several times.

She added: “I do believe there is a willingness there in which they want to work constructively with us.

“That will be tested over time.

“We have taken every opportunity to press home the need for a proper funding model for here for us to be able to reverse the damage the Tories have inflicted on us for 14 years.”

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said: “We talked to him about the ongoing challenges to deliver for people in Northern Ireland, public finances and ensuring that political stability will come when people see the benefit of the political process here.

“That involves a request for investment in health, stabilising public services more generally.”

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said he raised concerns over health funding. His party holds the health ministry in the Stormont powersharing Executive.

He said: “We absolutely ensured that he knew that we see a fundamental problem in the funding model for our public services, in particular health.

“We have already reached out to Labour representatives with regards to how do we improve the outcomes in health.”

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he hoped it would be a “new dawn” after 14 years of Conservative rule.

He said: “Keir Starmer is somebody who gets it, he understands this place, he has been here many times, he worked here and he knew the issues before we even raised them.

“Even saying that, we still raised them.

“This place needs more money to function, our health service is at the point of collapse and can’t survive much longer without a proper injection of funding.”

New Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said on Sunday that he wanted the Stormont Executive to look at ways it could generate its own income to help deal with public sector budget pressures.

He also pointed out that public spending in Northern Ireland was higher than in England. The region received about £124 per head for every £100 per head spent in England.