The Northern Ireland Executive will today launch its first Programme for Government setting out legislative strategy and detailing spending priorities. At yesterday's ministers' question time, the Alliance Party deputy leader, Mr Seamus Close, accused the Minister of Finance, Mr Mark Durkan, of "putting the cart before the horse" by announcing his budget a week before the Programme for Government.
Mr Close said he was particularly concerned that regional rates - a tax always described as "nebulous and non-transparent" by Northern Ireland politicians under Direct Rule - were set to increase by 8 per cent.
"The Minister is now imposing the very same tax he used to criticise on the people of Northern Ireland," he added. Mr Durkan admitted there was a need to re-examine the rates system but said the Executive could simply not afford to abolish the charge.
The proposed rates rise of 8 per cent represented £17.6 million extra revenue for the treasury, the Minister of Finance explained. He was, however, committed to a "wholesale review" of regional and district rates as the Executive looked at other ways to raise additional funds for the budget.
The Minister of Health, Ms Bairbre de Brun, announced that an extra 300 hospital beds would be available as part of a major crisis plan to avoid a repeat of the difficulties during last winter's flu epidemic. Another 1,000 community care places are to be set aside to cope with those needing treatment but not sick enough to be admitted to hospital. Health trusts and GP surgeries will also provide free flu vaccinations for everybody over 65. Meanwhile, the salaries of health service chief executives could be curtailed under the new Health and Personal Social Services Bill introduced by Ms de Brun yesterday.
In other business, the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill passed its final stage with MLAs voting by 57 to 14 to support the Bill put forward by the Minister for Social Development, Mr Maurice Morrow. The minister said the Bill would lay the foundation for a new fairer system of child support, which would be better equipped to get the money to those in need.