Northern Ireland’s criminal justice system is facing major challenges due to proposed budget cuts, MLAs have been warned.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said that a potential 2% cut to her budget would have an impact on the PSNI and Northern Ireland Prison Service as well as make it difficult for the department to meet all of its statutory obligations.
A three-year budget for Northern Ireland, which envisages a significant reconfiguration of Executive spending priorities to boost investment in the region’s under-pressure health service, is currently out for public consultation.
However, the DUP decision to withdraw Paul Givan as First Minister has thrown the proposed multi-year budget into doubt.
During ministerial question time at Stormont Mrs Long was questioned about a PSNI decision to postpone the recruitment of 85 officers due to financial pressures.
I have made it very clear to the Finance Minister and the Executive the draft 2022-25 budget would be incredibly damaging and create major challenges, not just for policing but for the entire justice system
She told MLAs: “In my recent letter to Executive colleagues I had advised that the chief constable has decided, on a precautionary basis, to defer the March 2022 recruitment intake.
“This decision is based on the assessment made of the impact on the draft budget for PSNI.
“This is one of many steps that will need to be taken to live within the draft Department of Justice budget settlement of which the PSNI is the largest part.
“The PSNI has indicated that to proceed with the March intake it would incur between £4-5m of fixed costs for 2022/23 and beyond.
“In the context of a draft budget which requires major reductions in spending, the PSNI has concluded it would be best to defer this intake and review the situation once the final budget is set.
“I have made it very clear to the Finance Minister and the Executive the draft 2022-25 budget would be incredibly damaging and create major challenges, not just for policing but for the entire justice system.”
Independent unionist MLA Alex Easton asked: “At a time when the police are under-resourced and morale at an all-time low, is it not up to you to find the money for police recruitment so we can tackle law and order issues across Northern Ireland?”
Mrs Long responded: “I am not sure exactly where the member thinks I will find the money. It is not as though we keep the budget down the back of my sofa in the department.
To say it is a serious issue is not to exaggerate the challenge
“For me to be able to find the money requires the Executive to decide to prioritise these issues.
“There is an onus on me to make my views clear and to make the case strongly, I have done that. But I cannot magic up the money.”
Mrs Long added: “At the moment we would see a fall of 2% in the department’s budget.
“That will make it incredibly difficult for prison service in terms of the resources available to do their job.
“There is a question mark if we will have sufficient resource to meet all of our statutory duties with the current budget settlement.
“To say it is a serious issue is not to exaggerate the challenge.”
