AQO 2319/22-27 Oral question to the Minister of Finance
To ask the Minister of Finance how the 2025-26 Budget reflects the Programme for Government 2024-2027 priority of green growth.
Asked by Andrew McMurray MLA on 1 September 2025
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 1 September 2025
- Answer due by
- 9 September 2025
- Answered
- 9 September 20258 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Finance
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 9 September 2025. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Mr O'Dowd
Green growth contributes to the priorities in the Programme for Government to:
and on:
In recognition of the importance of those priorities, the Executive earmarked allocations of £15 million and £17 million respectively in Budget 2025-26 for them. Of the £17 million that has been earmarked for protecting Lough Neagh and the environment, £12 million is for the just transition fund for agriculture, which will help the agriculture sector deliver its contribution to meeting carbon budgets and emissions reduction targets. In addition to those specific allocations, individual Ministers will also be able to utilise their 2025-26 Budget allocations to direct their departmental budget allocations to the agreed Programme for Government priorities. My officials have also undertaken some further analysis to assess the extent of the wider alignment of the Budget 2025-26 to Programme for Government priorities. I hope to be in a position to publish that analysis shortly.
Mr McMurray
I thank the Minister for his answer. Given the growth of renewables, specifically offshore renewables, what assurances can the Minister give to the industries in South Down that any forthcoming finances and policies will be regionally balanced?
Mr O'Dowd
As I said to one of your colleagues, my job as Finance Minister is to present a Budget to the Executive and the Assembly. If and when it is agreed, it is up to each Minister to use that Budget as has been agreed and outlined and to certainly do so in line with all the policies that govern us as Ministers, particularly the Programme for Government. Regional balance is vital, and, as I outlined, it always comes into the equation on any decisions that I make on the positioning of staff or resources.
Mr Gildernew
Minister, what steps are being taken to improve the alignment of Budget data with the Programme for Government?
Mr O'Dowd
That piece of work has started and will have to continue. Obviously, we prioritise our Budget against our Programme for Government. Therefore, as part of the Budget sustainability plan, the Executive committed to the development of a future work plan. My officials recently completed an initial analytical exercise to align Budget allocations with the Programme for Government. The work mapped high-level departmental spending areas to Programme for Government priority missions and well-being domains, using the departmental estimates to identify how those areas contribute to the Programme for Government. It is hoped that the initial analysis will be published shortly.