John O'Dowd
Upper Bann · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“As I set out in response to the previous question, we have in place the vacant property rate relief scheme and the small business rate relief scheme, which are very successful. I set aside £10 million in the draft Budget for small business rate relief to be invested.”
“I am particularly keen to hear from those impacted by vacant commercial units and especially about how any phased increase can be implemented in a sustainable way that is fair, proportionate and sustainable within the tax system.”
“I outlined my intent to take that approach in my statement on 18 November, alongside the fact that reform of rating policy should support growth, make better use of property and ensure that the system is fair, proportionate and aligned with wider economic objectives.”
“The accelerator will operate alongside our highly successful Back in Business scheme, which has helped to bring over 100 vacant high street properties back into use since May 2024. Those issues have been the subject of considerable interest and comment in the Assembly, and it is right that we grasp the nettle now.”
“There are no circumstances in which a hard border would be good for the people of Ireland; it would not be good for anyone. Those who suggest that are being naive at best and dangerous at worst, in the sense of not understanding this society. <BR /> <BR />Rural communities along the border are one and the same.”
“This announcement represents the next step in that. That said, I also put on record my intention to strengthen support for small businesses. In that vein, £10 million has been set aside in the draft Budget to broaden the impact of the small business rate relief scheme in order to increase the number of businesses that can benefit from it.…”
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“The benefits of a multi-year Budget are as follows. I would prefer it if there were more money in the Budget, I have to say, but being able to plan on a three-year basis allows a wide range of our public services to ensure that they are able to look at transformation differently, because they know their budget over the next number of years, and at how, where and why they deliver services. It allows them a longer-term planning process. I also want to work pay etc into a three-year Budget so that our workers — the important people who deliver the public services — are aware of their pay scales over the remaining years of the Budget, but that has to happen in discussion with the unions.”
“It has started to an extent. We are engaging with Departments on their sustainability plans and five-year plans etc. However, it will intensify as we move forward, because I want to see a multi-year Budget presented to the Executive around December, to have an agreed Budget at that stage and then to go out to consultation.”
“It is. I have said that perhaps we can expedite the timescales on some aspects, but I believe that it is the best way forward.”
“We are consulting on a number of areas — one second, please. <BR /> <BR />We have completed our consultation on the cap and early payment. That report is on my desk, and I am studying it to see the way forward on that. We are out to consultation on a number of items to do with how we support businesses and on how we raise rates from them, it has to be said. There are a number of areas that have been completed and a number on which we are currently or will shortly be going out to consultation.”
“In a range of areas, we are supporting not only the environment but NI Water and Executive colleagues in the provision of social housing. I will say this again: at some stage in the House, you will bring me a plan.”
“I am sure that the Speaker will challenge me over that at a later stage. <BR /> <BR />The Executive fund NI Water to the tune of half a billion pounds every year, so a significant amount of funding goes to it already. I accept that that is not the amount that is needed, but it is a significant amount. I have already set out to you the Infrastructure Minister's three-pronged approach to NI Water, which I support. <BR /> <BR />We are building social homes. It has been confirmed that we are building around 1,000 this year. I will work with the Communities Minister to ensure that even more homes are built in this financial year. <BR /> <BR />I have not given up on any of the issues. We have forwarded to the AERA Minister £5 million to support his Lough Neagh action plan, and that amount has been ring-fenced.”
“The cheek of me to ask the Opposition what their ideas are. It is really rude of me to do so, it really is.”
“As Infrastructure Minister, I lobbied hard for more money to go to NI Water. I support the current Infrastructure Minister's plans for a sustainable drainage Bill, because we send hundreds of millions of cubic litres of water to waste water treatment works that we do not need to send there, so let us correct that. The Infrastructure Minister is engaging with Executive colleagues on the need for more funding for NI Water, and I will support her in that. I also support her consultation on developer contributions. I want to hear your ideas.”
“For the record, I have not dismissed the Fiscal Council's report. It has to be noted that the Fiscal Council report makes no recommendations. It has views on a number of areas that I would expect such an independent body to examine fully. Of course, it was going to examine whether water charges should be paid directly by members of the public. That should come as a surprise to nobody in the House. The question that you have to ask yourself is this: should we charge £590 per annum per household? That is the figure that is in the report, I believe. Are you prepared to endorse that? That is the question. <BR /> <BR />I have never heard a proposal from the Opposition on how we should move forward with NI Water. I support the current model and the provision of more funding for NI Water.”
“The Member will be aware that FTC takes on a number of guises, and its use is flexible. The issue of repayment is open to discussion, debate and engagement among the various partners. The use of the National Wealth Fund is, again, open to engagement and discussion. It may prove beneficial to the completion of the stadium, and I am aware of it. It is at the back of my mind when I think about those matters.”
“As the Member knows, I have engaged with the NIO and the Treasury on the matter and, with others, secured the additional £50 million that is now on the table to move the project forward. The best way forward now is for all the partners to get around the table and discuss the matter. I have heard all sorts of projections of the cost of the stadium — some may be right, and some may be wrong — but, until we sit down and engage with partners, we simply do not know. It would be foolish of me or anyone else to say on the airwaves how much they are prepared to put on the table. I want to do it in partnership with others.”
“The Minister for Communities has made two bids for the stadia. I understand that one bid was for around £5 million in 2024-25 and the other was for around £2 million in 2025-26, and both bids have been met in full. I am committed to supporting all sporting organisations. I do not care who plays the sport or the shape and size of the ball, because sport is a good thing. I am therefore prepared to work with the Communities Minister on all matters with regard to sporting organisations and on how the Executive support them.”
“I am mindful that my role is to protect the public purse. In doing so, it would not be wise for me to negotiate in public or on the airwaves. The best way forward is for all interested parties to get around the table and set out clearly what they are prepared to do to deliver the project. Since last Wednesday's announcement of the £50 million, we have seen huge momentum behind the project, and all partners should now get around the table to plan how we will finance and deliver the project. I am confident that we will be able to do that.”
“My Department will shortly be starting work on developing the upcoming multi-year Budget, which will provide the Communities Minister with an opportunity to set out his capital requirements for meeting any remaining funding shortfall.”
“I have been engaging with the Treasury and the Secretary of State about the redevelopment of Casement Park. I welcome the funding from the British Government. It should give momentum to that important project, which is good news not just for Belfast but for the wider region. Casement Park is an Executive commitment of more than a decade and was reaffirmed in our Programme for Government. All partners should now work together to make progress. I am committed to doing all that I can to make sure that a stadium at Casement Park is delivered. <BR /> <BR />Now that the outcome of the spending review is known, the Minister for Communities should engage with all partners to set out how he plans to move the project forward.”
“Engagement has reopened. I am pursuing the matter, and I will ensure that the needs of the Department for Communities and the Executive are heard at the highest level.”
“On the basis that we have not yet been able to reach agreement with the Treasury on the matter, I am confident. It is a benefit to the Executive, but the Treasury will see it as a loss to it. It has a point of view that I do not necessarily agree with, but it will come to the table saying, "If we give you that, we lose a certain amount, so that is a loss to the Treasury".”
“My understanding is that the Department for Communities forecasts that it will pay approximately £10·4 billion in welfare benefits in 2025-26. That funding is made available by the Treasury as annually managed expenditure (AME). As part of the 2025-26 Budget, given the Communities Minister's concerns about the transition to universal credit, the Executive agreed to earmark an allocation of £16·9 million to the Department for Communities for benefit delivery. That allocation reflects its bid for that purpose and will ensure the delivery of annual statutory payments and other support services, including employment support, as well as social security parity with Britain.”
“Dealing with the Treasury is a unique experience in that regard. We have, however, had some recent success, so I intend to build on that and on the working relationship that we have built up with the Treasury on these matters. It is an important area, and, if we can have some of that money coming back into the Executive for our use, we will certainly not miss the opportunity to make a strong case for that to the Treasury.”
“There is a long-standing commitment in the Fresh Start Agreement that the Executive can bid for a share of demonstrable, Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)-verified fraud and error savings. A business case, along with other information, was previously submitted to the Treasury. Those discussions have stalled, however, and I am keen to progress the matter with the Treasury. On 10 April 2025, I wrote to the Chief Secretary to the setting out a number of Executive-specific issues to be considered. I reiterated the issue of fraud and error and my desire to make progress in that area. I have asked my officials to pick up those conversations with Treasury officials and to continue to engage with Department for Communities officials on the matter as well.”
“I have made it clear to LPS that, where those people exist and there is no alternative, we have to bring them to court.”
“I have no specific figures or lists in front of me that would suggest that there is a particular problem in one or other area. If those are available, however, I will ensure that the Member receives them. <BR /> <BR />LPS has a focus on the matter. I have met LPS officials on a number of occasions, and the issue is on the agenda on each of those occasions. We press home the need to ensure that all rates are collected and that that is done fairly and compassionately. LPS gets that and is taking measures to do so. It is putting in place measures that ensure that the rates of people who can pay them are collected or, where necessary, that a programme of repayment is put in place. Unfortunately, we are always running into people who refuse to pay or who work the system in certain ways.”
“There needs to be compassion and cooperation from LPS for those who are willing to pay their rates, but there also needs to be court action for those who refuse. That is the balance that those who collect rates have to achieve daily.”
“I will clarify in writing the point that you raised with regard to what percentage it is of the overall rates. <BR /> <BR />Anyone who persistently avoids paying their rates will end up being brought to court; that is the reality. It has to be remembered, however, that, in many instances, people not paying their rates or not paying them in full are facing severe financial difficulties, including small and medium-sized enterprises and domestic properties. LPS works with those people to put in place a fair rates recovery programme to bring the rates in. <BR /> <BR />There is one figure that is clear. The overall value of collectable rates rose by 6% in 2024-25, so we are collecting more rates than previously. I accept that there is a historical deficit that continually needs to be challenged.”
“For persistent non-payment, however, LPS will pursue legal recovery actions. <BR /> <BR />I urge any ratepayers having trouble in paying their bill to contact LPS as soon as possible. Payment arrangements can be made for historical unpaid rates, and LPS can assist by offering direct referrals to support services such as Make the Call and Advice NI's debt management service.”
“The £180·9 million is a cumulative figure of rates carried forward from previous years. It comprises £84·9 million from 2024-25 and £96 million from earlier years that included the pandemic period. It is worth highlighting that the £180·5 million in rates carried forward into 2024-25 was reduced by 47%, down to £96 million, through ongoing billing and collection activities — a significant achievement. <BR /> <BR />Land and Property Services (LPS) remains committed to collecting unpaid rates and continues to take proactive steps to do so. The ongoing billing, collection and recovery processes are designed to maximise rate collection. To maximise rate collection, LPS will make arrangements with ratepayers that will mean that not all rates are collected within a single rating year due to payment arrangements extending into future years.”
“With the Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 5 and 15 together, and I request an additional minute to respond. <BR /> <BR />In the 2024-25 rating year, a record-breaking £1·6 billion was collected directly from ratepayers, the largest amount ever collected in a single rating year, providing much-needed funding for our public services. That was achieved despite a difficult financial climate following the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living/doing business crises. At the close of the 2024-25 rating year, £180·9 million in rates remained due for payment. That represents a 0·2% increase compared with the previous year's figure. However, that slight increase must be viewed in the context of the overall value of collectable rates having risen by 6% in 2024-25.”
“Regulated competition, particularly in the banking system, is a good thing to ensure that the public have access to services and banks and get quality for their money and the services that they seek from a bank. I am happy to raise that when raising the issue about Fermanagh.”
“Areas make an application through LINK, and it will assess the needs of the area, including what access there has been previously, to ensure that communities have access to cash. However, as the Member who asked the previous question said, when you have large rural communities such as that in Fermanagh, which was turned down for a hub, and in Tyrone, that is disappointing. I will raise that issue with the banking sector.”
“The Member will be aware that the Executive and, indeed, the Assembly have no direct locus over banking services, but I am more than happy to make representations to LINK on that matter. I heard the news about the second call being turned down, and that is hugely disappointing. I will make representations to LINK on that and call on it to ensure that areas such as Fermanagh and South Tyrone are represented and have access to cash equal to other areas.”
“I am deeply concerned about the impact of bank branch closures on local communities, particularly in our rural towns and villages. While I do not support bank closures, and they should only take place as a very last resort, the banking hubs ensure that there is still some level of banking presence in rural towns and villages for customers while also bringing people into our local town centres. It is important that the banking sector rolls out the hubs at speed in affected areas, and I encourage communities to request a cash access review directly with LINK if they face difficulties accessing cash locally.”
“I visited Warrenpoint banking hub on 10 April to see at first hand how the services that it provides are supporting the local community there. At the visit, I met local banking representatives, who operate out of the Warrenpoint hub, and representatives from Cash Access UK, which oversees the hub roll-out. I pressed them on the need to urgently increase the roll-out of those hubs to other areas that have been impacted on by bank closures. I also highlighted the disparities in the locations of the hubs, especially for rural areas such as Fermanagh and Tyrone, where there are currently none. <BR /> <BR />Last week, I addressed the Financial Conduct Authority's reception in Belfast to mark the launch of its new five-year strategy and raised the importance of maintaining access to cash in rural areas.”
“As with all arm's-length bodies and government companies, we can only provide multi-year funding when the spending review allows us to do so. The announcement on Wednesday by the Chancellor in Westminster allows the Executive to bring forward a multi-year funding package. That will allow the Infrastructure Minister to provide NI Water with a multi-year budget as well. Across our budgets, we are still in a constrained period, but the advantage of a multi-year budget is that you are able to plan in a more strategic way rather than from year to year, and that benefits organisations such as NI Water.”
“I have had no discussions with the Infrastructure Minister about a new funding model, but I have had discussions with the Infrastructure Minister about increased funding for NI Water and engagement with me on how the Executive can support her and her Department in bringing that forward.”
“The Member will appreciate that those are no longer my proposals and that the current Infrastructure Minister is making those proposals. I understand that the consultation ends towards the end of June and that, at some stage beyond that, the Infrastructure Minister will bring the relevant information to, I assume, the Assembly and the Committee.”
“Following the Chancellor's spending review announcement on 11 June, I will bring proposals to the Executive on a multi-year Budget, covering three years for resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and four years for capital DEL. That will allow for more long-term and strategic planning.”
“I welcome the sustainability report from the Fiscal Council and thank it for its work on this. While the report is very comprehensive in its coverage of the history and current funding model of NI Water, the options provided to support greater investment are limited. Indeed, the report highlights the complexity of the issue. In my previous role as Infrastructure Minister, I was clear that the challenges with water infrastructure are a consequence of underfunding for basic public services over many years and that the solution does not lie in introducing water charges and charging hard-pressed workers and families for an essential public service. <BR /> <BR />The Executive's Budget 2025-26 recognised the importance of NI Water by providing it with £105·7 million from reinvestment and reform initiative (RRI) borrowing.”
“I think that it has been. The independent evaluation of phase 1 of the dormant assets grant programme has been ongoing since November 2023. An interim evaluation report was published in July 2024, and a second interim evaluation report was published in January 2025. The evaluations to date confirm the continuing success of the grant programme in strengthening third-sector organisations. Many reported outcomes and impacts are directly attributed to the grant funding. Grant holders reported either that they would not have achieved the outcomes at all without the grant or that they would not have achieved the same quality, pace and scale. That highlights to me the fact that the funding programme has been successful.”
“<BR /> <BR />In February 2025, I approved the development of the third phase of the fund, which will be announced tomorrow. It will support voluntary and community organisations across the North to be stronger and more resilient to deal with future challenges.”
“I am delighted that over £25 million has been awarded from dormant assets funding, under the policy directions set by my Department to increase capacity, grow resilience and encourage sustainability in the voluntary and community sector. Earlier this month, I attended the launch of the Digital Futures report, made possible by dormant assets funding and delivered through the National Lottery Community Fund. Voluntary, community and social enterprises are at the core of our communities, doing incredible work to improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable people. Equipping them with the right digital skills and support to enhance the valuable services that they provide, particularly in improving the health and well-being of people, can only be welcomed.”
“The Holtham report examined the issue of policing and justice here and the weight that it carries in our overall level of need. That formed part of our deliberations with the Treasury and the settlement that we reached with it.”
“It is not normal practice for me as Finance Minister to meet the chief executives of the various arm's-length bodies and public bodies that other Ministers have responsibility for. I have committed to meeting the Justice Minister, and I will sit down with the Justice Minister and will discuss that. If the Justice Minister suggests that I should meet the PSNI Chief Constable and is comfortable with that, I will be comfortable with that as well. First and foremost, we have to respect the role of the Justice Minister in the matter.”
“The history to the ring-fencing of funding for waiting lists is that it was as a direct result of a commitment in the Programme for Government by the Health Minister. I can confirm that the Minister of Justice has brought forward a bid for ring-fenced funding for the PSNI. That may well happen as part of the three-year budgetary programme that the Executive are entering and the discussions that are ongoing at official level. We will be around the Executive table in the near future. As I said, in principle, I support more funding for the PSNI, but this question remains: what can it do to help itself?”
“However, as I said in my statement earlier, the first question that I ask anyone who is coming looking for money off the Executive is this: what can you do to help yourself? I will ask the same question of the Justice Minister and the PSNI.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As I said, that is, first and foremost, a matter for the Justice Minister. I am hoping to meet the Justice Minister tomorrow to discuss the recent business case that the PSNI submitted to her Department and then on to my Department. That business case has been approved, but there are still affordability issues. <BR /> <BR />I believe that the matter is best dealt with as part of the three-year Budget period that I am now entering into and am in discussions on with all Departments. I accept that, in principle, there is a case for further funding for the PSNI, particularly for recruitment and retention, and I will do everything that is within my power to provide that.”
“The final Budget provided earmarked funding to the Department of Health for reducing waiting lists, reflecting the Programme for Government commitment. Funding for the PSNI is primarily a matter for the Minister of Justice. Including the indicative June monitoring allocations, Budget 2025-26 provided the Department of Justice with a resource budget of some £1·425 billion, which is the highest budget settlement that it has ever received. Of that, some 95% was un-ring-fenced, providing significant flexibility in the management of the Department's budget. The PSNI also benefited from £37·8 million of Treasury earmarked funding for national security. It is now for the Justice Minister to determine how best to use the budget that was provided for her Department against the competing priorities that she faces.”
“I have to be careful not to cross into the domain of other Ministers but I will work with the Dublin Government in any regard to ensure continued financial support — indeed, increased financial support — for this place. I will play my part in that.”
“Moving forward, the Executive will have to agree their Budget as part of the three-year budgetary programme; four years for capital. I have no doubt that the need for social and affordable housing will be front and centre in those discussions. I am keen to continue to support the Communities Minister in the delivery of social and affordable housing. I have no doubt that the rest of the Executive are as well.”
“Would the Member support such a clause being introduced to the other projects that the Executive have funded?”
“"Yes" is the answer to the second part of your question, although not to your initial statement, it has to be said. Yes, I will continue to engage with the Treasury on the £123 to £128 range in the Holtham report. One of the key outcomes of the negotiations is that the Holtham report remains on the table. The Treasury is still open to engaging on that report, and it is very important that we still have a comprehensive, detailed analysis of our level of need on the table and that the Treasury is still prepared to talk about it.”