The Ulster Unionist Party Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA has written to the Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA, asking that his department re-opens the public consultation on the budget.  

He has also asked the Head of the Civil Service, Jayne Brady, to convene all-party talks to develop a Programme for Government in the absence of an Executive.

Doug Beattie said:

“The absence of a functioning Executive should not stop preparatory work taking place. I have written to the Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA, asking him to re-open the consultation on the budget so local people can have their say on how they want their money to be spent. This would mean that when an Executive is restored we can hit the ground running.

“This should also be an opportune time to convene all-party talks to start work on a Programme for Government so that when an Executive is established, a lot of valuable work will have been done. I have written to the Head of Civil Service, Jayne Brady, asking her to convene these talks as soon as possible.”