NI Secretary Instructs Officials to Consider ‘Contingency Plans’ Around Budget

NI Secretary instructs officials to consider ‘contingency plans’ around budget

Sir Chris Bryant acknowledged the situation at Drumcree but said time is already ‘long past’ a budget should have been agreed for this financial year.

Bryant says Stormont needs to agree a budget despite Drumcree - with 'contingency plans' already ordered

The Secretary of State says that while he appreciates that the Drumcree crisis has distracted the Executive parties, a budget should have been set a long time ago – and officials have been instructed to “consider contingency plans”.

Jon Burrows calls for extension to Stormont budget deadline amid political tensions

Stormont Parliament Buildings and (inset) Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows Tuesday 29 September 2026 Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has called on Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant to extend Thursday’s deadline for the Executive to agree a three-year budget, arguing that recent political tensions have made agreement within the current timeframe unlikely. Mr Burrows confirmed on Monday that he had written directly to th…