Executive

Stormont Finance Minister John O’Dowd was pressed over the impasse as the Executive continues to insist on further funding from Westminster.

Budget stalemate at Stormont ‘cold comfort’ to workers awaiting pay uplift

Agriculture minister Andrew Muir said the powersharing executive would need to decide “in days” whether it was going to agree a spending plan for the current financial year.

Muir tells Executive it is ‘make your mind up time’ on NI budget

Jonathan Buckley prompted debate within unionism over cooperation talks. Pic: Mark Marlow/PA Wire

DUP's Buckley warns nationalists would be 'affronted' at TUV proposals

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley, during a press conference at Carleton Street Orange Hall in Portadown, Co Armagh, back in September. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

DUP's Jonathan Buckley in call for unionist unity over Drumcree

DUP MP Carla Lockhart speaking during an Orange Order parade in Portadown, Co Armagh. Pic: Mícheál Ó Scannáil/Press Association

Carla Lockhart expected to quit DUP early next week and sit as independent

Prime Minister Andy Burnham chairing a meeting of the National Economic Council alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey (right) and Juliet Chua, Director General, Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat in Glasgow. Northern Ireland was not represented. Pic: Russell Cheyne/Press Association

NI absence from UK economic forum not a 'meaningful sanction' for O'Neill

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey delivering his budget in the House of Commons, Westminster.

Northern Ireland to miss out on further funding if budget not agreed – Bryant

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has been the most vocal voice within the DUP calling on the leadership to withdraw deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the Stormont Executive

DUP party officers to meet amid ongoing fall-out over Drumcree dispute

Veteran unionist commentator Alex Kane. Photo: PA

Alex Kane on Carla Lockhart: MP 'not yet crossed her Rubicon'

Kate Nicholl MLA, left, with Food Allergy NI members

Kate Nicholl: An allergy strategy is necessary in NI

Blue-green algae at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh (PA)

Bid to stop NI Water protection from environmental penalties

Alan Lowry, chair FSB NI

‘We need responsible budgeting’: NI businesses warn against more tax hikes

Sinn Fein finance minister John O'Dowd gives an update on budget negotiations following a meeting of the Stormont Executive with Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant (Picture: Claudia Savage/the Press Association)

Budget ‘can’t be agreed without more funding’

At the heart of Stormont lies a dysfunctional Executive, writes Doug Beattie

Doug Beattie: Stormont reform can no longer be treated as optional

Alliance leader Naomi Long has said the Stormont Executive is failing to make “pro-business decisions” to improve economic growth in Northern Ireland.

Stormont failing Northern Ireland businesses, Alliance leader says

Morning View

Editorial: Stormont ministers need to do their jobs and agree a budget
News Letter editorial for Wednesday, October 7, 2026:
Editorial

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she has not thrown in the towel over hopes of further funding from the UK Government.

O’Neill ‘hasn’t thrown in the towel’ in the fight for a ‘fairer funding model’

The Education Authority (EA) has told principals it is currently managing a budget deficit of £143 million.

Schools told to avoid new commitments amid budget uncertainty

A Stormont budget being set in London would be a “profound failure” by both the Executive and the UK Government, Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole has said.

Stormont budget being set in London would be ‘profound failure’ – O’Toole

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant. Pic: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Bryant says Stormont budget 'contingency plans' already ordered

First Minister Michelle O'Neill (centre left) and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald (centre right) at the Garvaghy road ahead of a Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL) No 1 march in the first parade along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for almost 30 years, after the parade was given clearance in a late-night hearing.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson condemns actions of Michelle O’Neill

Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows, and his dog Cassie, in a party video broadcast on Friday.

Burrows says we're 'stronger together' as he calls on people to come home to UUP

Education Minister Paul Givan MLA speaking to the media about the proposed Education Inspections Bill in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. Picture date: Monday June 1, 2026.

Budget negotiations entering ‘no-deal territory’, Paul Givan warns

Sir Chris Bryant told Stormont party leaders there will be no improvement on the current financial offer to assist with setting a budget.

Sir Chris Bryant warns he will set Stormont budget if Executive fails to

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant tells party leaders there will be no improvement on budget offer

DUP leader Gavin Robinson spoke to the News Letter ahead of the annual party conference on Saturday.

Gavin Robinson: Unionists can win - but only the DUP can deliver it

Gavin Robinson said First Minister Michelle O’Neill’s trip to Cardiff to meet the Scottish and Welsh first ministers to press for constitutional change was “embarrassing”

DUP aims to broaden appeal with ‘common sense’ approach to Stormont
Party leader Gavin Robinson said the agenda recently at Stormont has led other voters to look again at his party.
Rebecca Black

Executive accused of ‘outsourcing’ responsibility for governing

Morning View

Editorial: A5 shows NI can’t afford current climate act

Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons rejected criticism of the number of new social homes being built.

Assembly clashes on housing as minister accused of ‘deeply concerning’ record

The report analyses progress against 12 child health indicators, such as infant mortality, mental health and asthma

NI has highest infant mortality rate in UK, paediatricians warn

Alliance Councillor Nicola Parker with the free period products.

Stormont urged to extend free period product funding

CFI Financial Group, a long-established name in online trading and investing, has appointed Federico Cirulli as Chairman of the Board.

Ad Feature Trading giant appoints new chairman

Trade unions have urged Stormont to agree a fair budget or face an intensifying programme of industrial action

Unions urge Stormont to agree fair budget or face more industrial action

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons

Criticism of Gordon Lyons over Irish Language strategy 'unwarranted' says judge

Stormont has not been able to agree a multi-year budget in over a decade, said the report

No Stormont budget 'catastrophic' for Northern Ireland's public services

Robbie Butler has taken up the reins of the Department of Health from Mike Nesbitt

New health minister 'wants to give nurses a raise but Executive has to say yes'

The Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has said Stormont will have to engage in “self-help” and look at revenue raising to resolve Northern Ireland’s budget issues.

Stormont executive needs to do ‘a bit of self-help’ on finances, says Bryant

Robbie Butler signing in as the new minister at the Speaker’s Office in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, and is pictured with party leader Jon Burrows and Speaker Edwin Poots. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Quicker NHS care is Butler’s priority but stays silent on hospital row

Robbie Butler signs in as Northern Ireland's new health minister

Justice Minister and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Naomi Long rejects SDLP comments slamming the Executive over Mike Nesbitt's resi...

Morning View

Editorial: Children deserve a bright future in Northern Ireland

Sinn Fein has “no intentions” of collapsing Northern Ireland’s powersharing institutions, Finance Minister John O’Dowd has insisted.

Sinn Fein has no intentions of collapsing Stormont, John O’Dowd says

Minister of Finance John O'Dowd has announced how Local Growth Fund cash will be spent. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

O'Dowd reveals how Executive will spend cash it wanted to give community sector

Financial figures for each department need to be inflation proofed.

Workers Party Regional Spokesperson Nicola Grant commenting on the Draft Three Y...

Nicola Grant said while raising awareness and putting procedures in place give women protection and create a safe environment. We must look at the root causes of violence and the oppression of women.

Nicola Grant Workers Party Regional Spokesperson has outlined a number of Party ...

Terrace house on Springfield Road £1980 per month. Pure exploitation of the housing crisis

Tony Walls Workers Party Representative for Lower Falls Belfast has called for a...

Tony Dorrian on the right hand side of the photograph with Workers Party comrades

Workers Party Representative Tony Dorrian calls on the Department for the Econom...

The Right to A Home is A Human Right.

Tony Dorrian Workers Party Representative is calling on the Executive to Ditch t...

Violence against women and girls is growing and not enough is being done to create a safe society for them

Workers Party calls on the Executive to do more to tackle domestic abuse

Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Retail NI

Executive must hit the ground running: Roberts

Sinn Fein's leader, Mary Lou McDonald (right) with party colleagues speaking to the media after a meeting with Sinn Fein's negotiating team at Stormont, Belfast on Monday April 29, 2019. Photo: David Young/PA Wire

Why are we letting abstainers call all the shots in NI politics?

Koulla Yiasouma said the system is under pressure

Review demands '˜urgent reform' of children's mental health services

Sinn Fein is refusing to form an Executive because of disputes about the Irish language and Arlene Foster

Westminster will step in if no Stormont budget by autumn

John McCourt is confident the report will vindicate his story

HIA inquiry report '˜will vindicate claims of abuse'

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