Finance Minister john O'dowd Is Encouraging the Public to
Help Shape the Future of Public Services by Sharing Their Views
and Ideas on His Draft Budget 2026-2029/30.
Launching a Consultation on the Proposed 2026-2029/30 Budget,
Minister O'dowd Said: A Multi-year Budget Provides the
Opportunity to Give Departments the Certainty They Need for
Long-term Planning and Create the Conditions to Drive
Transformational Change.
Setting a Multi-year Budget Is One of the Biggest Decisions We
Will Take During This Assembly Mandate.
I Want to Hear the Views and Ideas of Workers, Families,
Businesses and Communities. Your Input Will Be Vital in Shaping
the Public Services That Matter Most to You.
Any Spending Increase in One Area Will Inevitably Mean a
Reduction in Another. I Want Everyone to Get Involved and Have
Their Say. If You Believe Additional Funding Should Be Allocated
to a Particular Area, Please Share Your Ideas Including
Suggestions Where That Funding Should Be Reallocated from. It Is
Important That Proposed Ideas and Solutions Are Put Forward. I
Have Made the Same Request to My Ministerial Colleagues.”
Highlighting the Financial Challenges, Minister O'dowd Added:
There Is No Doubt the Ongoing Under Investment in Public Services
by the British Government Means That Both the Resource and
Capital Del Funding Position Remain Extremely Constrained. Our
Public Services Are Facing Increased Demand and Increased
Pressures with Increased Costs to Deliver the Services People
Rely on.
In This Context It Is Simply Not Possible to Provide Any
Department with the Funding It Has Requested.”
The Multi-year Budget Would Provide Departments with Day-to-day
Spending Allocations over the Next Three Years (2026-2029).
Minister O'dowd Added: I Am Proposing Providing Almost £26
Billion to Support Our Health Service, Including £495 Million
Dedicated to Cutting Health Waiting Lists.
Almost £10 Billion Would Be Provided for Education.
My Proposals Would Also See the Psni Workforce Recovery Costs of
£133.3 Million Met in Full and Increased Funding Towards Ending
Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Commenting on the Proposed Capital Allocations over the Four
Years (2026-2030), Minister O'dowd Added: I Believe This Draft
Budget Focuses Capital Investment Towards Our Programme for
Government Commitments.
Over £4 Billion Is Proposed for Infrastructure Projects Including
Funding for the A5, A6 and Belfast Transport Hub Which Are Vital
to Driving Economic Growth and Enhancing Connectivity.
I Am Proposing £441.7 Million for the Building of New Social
Homes with £433.7 Million for Water Infrastructure to Unlock
Capacity and Enable the Construction of More New Homes.
To Better Support Our Children and Young People with Special
Educational Needs, I Am Proposing £24 Million Specifically for
the Sen Schools' Estate."
The Minister Concluded: “With Demand for Public Services
Outpacing the Funding Available, Continuing to Do As We Have
Always Done Is Not an Option. THe Need for Transformation and
Consideration of Different Ways of Delivering Could Not Be
Clearer.
Delivering Our Programme for Government Priorities Will Require
the Executive Collectively, and Individual Ministers, to Take
Challenging Decisions to Prioritise the Available Funding to
Deliver the Desired Outcomes.
I Encourage Everyone to Get Involved in the Consultation and Help
Us to Work Together to Develop a Multi-year Budget That Makes the
Best Possible Use of the Resources Available. Have Your Say and
Help Shape the Future.”
The Consultation Will Run from 6 January 2026 to 3 March 2026, to
Respond Visit Https://www.Finance-ni.Gov.Uk/consultations/draft-budget-2026-202930.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Draft Budget Sets out Proposed Resource Del Allocations
from 2026-27 to 2028-29 and Proposed Four Year Allocations for
Capital Del from 2026-27 to 2029-30 As Follows:
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs –
£2,054.M Resource Del and £500.M Capital
- Department for Communities – £2,826.M Resource Del and
£1,339.M Capital
- Department for the Economy – £2,496.M Resource Del and
£1,048.M Capital
- Department of Education – £9,950.M Resource Del and £1,221.M
Capital
- Department of Finance – £893.M Resource Del and £138.M
Capital
- Department of Health - £25,921.M Resource Del and £1,833.M
Capital
- Department for Infrastructure – £2,029.M Resource Del and
£4,027.M Capital
- Department of Justice – £4,598.M Resource Del and £470.M
Capital
- The Executive Office – £678.M Resource Del and £56.M Capital
An Annual Breakdown of the Resource Del and Capital Del Proposed
for Each Department Is Available on the Department of Finance
Website Within the Written Ministerial Statement Along with the
Draft Budget Factsheet.
