The Aporia
The Aporia
McCambridge, J. (2026, October 16). Ministers cannot agree budget without increased funding, O’Dowd warns. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/chris-bryant-stormont-northern-ireland-uk-government-government-b1301150.html
McCambridge, Jonathan. “Ministers cannot agree budget without increased funding, O’Dowd warns.” Evening Standard, 16 Oct. 2026, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/chris-bryant-stormont-northern-ireland-uk-government-government-b1301150.html.
McCambridge, Jonathan. “Ministers cannot agree budget without increased funding, O’Dowd warns.” Evening Standard, October 16, 2026. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/chris-bryant-stormont-northern-ireland-uk-government-government-b1301150.html.
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Mr O’Dowd, a Sinn Féin minister, warned on October 16, 2026, that Stormont ministers cannot agree on a budget for the 2026/27 financial year without increased funding from Westminster. The departments have been operating without a budget since the start of the current financial year and are only allowed to spend up to 95% of last year’s funding. O’Dowd emphasized that there isn’t enough funding to secure public services, deliver pay for teachers and health workers, and other essential sectors. He stated this after unionists brought a motion seeking to remove several Sinn Féin ministers from their posts due to their involvement in protests against the Drumcree parade in Portadown. O’Dowd insisted that Stormont ministers are united on this issue and want progress but need movement from the British Government to achieve it.
