Cannot run public finances based on who gets most dramatic headline – O’Dowd
The Stormont Finance Minister was responding to comments made by the chief constable last week.
The Stormont Finance Minister has said he cannot run finances “based on who gets the most dramatic headline”.
John O’Dowd made the comment after being asked about concerns raised by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher last week.
Mr O’Dowd presented his Budget statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, describing £16.8 billion investment in public services, with health (£8.5 billion), education (£3.3 billion) and justice (£1.4 billion) receiving the largest allocations.
However UUP MLA Colin Crawford put to the minister comments from Mr Boutcher last week, that budget pressures on the PSNI are so severe that it is “remarkable” the region has any police force left at all.
Mr Boutcher told the Northern Ireland Policing Board that without additional investment and an uplift in officer numbers, his ability to protect the public would continue to “erode”.
The PSNI has submitted a business case to the Department of Justice for more than £200 million in additional funding over the next five years.
Mr O’Dowd said the business case is being scrutinised.
“I’m awaiting the outcome of that scrutiny of that business case. When it comes to me, I will continue to engage with the Minister for Justice as to how we support policing moving forward, and ensure that investment in policing is sufficient, is delivering the safer communities that all our citizens want,” he told MLAs.
“But there is a process to follow here, and that process will not be speeded up, there is a process to follow and I’ll be following it.”
Pressed further by DUP MLA Joanne Bunting, Mr O’Dowd added: “As I said, there is a process to go through, we cannot run our public finances as to who gets the most dramatic headline on whatever day of the week it is.
“We have to run our public services on the basis of Programme for Government priorities and assuring ourselves that the limited public resources we have are being best utilised.”
