Church and Society Commission14 Mar 25

Programme for Government is ‘a positive step’ but more detail required

The Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission has studied the recently released Programme for Government for Northern Ireland and has commented that it is ‘a positive step forward’.  However, the Commission says that the document would have benefitted from clearer targets and more specific detail on delivery times, without which it is in danger of becoming an aspiration rather than a detailed programme of work.

Its full response to the Programme for Government is below:

The Commission fully appreciates the tight financial position within which the Northern Ireland Executive must operate. Consequently, it acknowledges that not everything on an ever–expanding ‘wish list’ can be delivered, at least not in one financial cycle. In this context, the Programme for Government is a significant achievement.

Overall, the Commission recognises that this is the first Programme for Government in ten years and, as such, shows a determination by political leaders to set Northern Ireland on a firm path of stability, reconstruction and growth. It represents another step in the task of restoring confidence in our political institutions and is tangible evidence that parties with very different perspectives can work together for the sake of all our communities and for the common good.

The Commission welcomes efforts enshrined in this Programme for Government to address the many and serious challenges in the Health Service. There is considerable value in cross–border co–operation in this area of policy through the sharing of specialities and new medical techniques, and their application in care and treatment.  Cutting waiting lists and increasing investment in services will bring some comfort and relief to tens of thousands of people. However, additional information on timelines is required before a considered assessment can be made. 

The commitment to start building 5,850 new homes by 2027 is a welcome initiative, especially in the context of escalating homelessness. Although it falls far short of the social housing figure that is required, it nevertheless signals an intention to address the issue. Housing provision on a cross–community basis is a foundation for a fully integrated society and, as such, a high priority in the development of society in Northern Ireland.

Childcare intervention is urgently required. Here, Ministers say that they will agree a strategy, but this must be implemented at speed. Too many parents are having to opt out of work because of the prohibitive cost of childcare. This drastic step by talented people not only denies them the right to use their skills but is a barrier to economic growth.

Northern Ireland has traditionally suffered from a brain drain of young people fuelled by a cap in university places. A joined–up plan between the Department of Education and the Department of Economy is needed to tackle this trend.

We are encouraged by the focus on Special Educational Needs (SEN) but are concerned that there is no mention of the many other issues currently causing strain and friction across the full education landscape. Central to this is a long–terms plan and the provision of the core funding urgently required to address crumbling educational infrastructure.

The Commission also welcomes mention of what is required to address the ever–growing issues of climate change and environmental preservation. We encourage policymakers to acknowledge the daily work of our farmers, often under significant financial pressures, so that all of us (and many others beyond Northern Ireland) can have good and nutritious food to eat, and to proactively work with (and listen to) the agricultural sector and rural communities in meeting these challenges. In particular, we welcome plans to tackle the environmental disaster in Lough Neagh as well as recognition of the work to deal with water and wastewater. Given the scale of these challenges, we would have liked to have seen greater urgency, and more concrete deadlines towards achieving sustainable targets.

In other areas, the Commission is disappointed by the absence of a much–needed additional funding stream for policing. Keeping and maintaining the peace is a fundamental and rudimentary obligation of government. Officer numbers are historically and dangerously low and reinvestment in equipment is urgently required. If services to the public are to be maintained, then the Northern Ireland Executive must step in with a meaningful budget to ensure that the PSNI can function at a level that delivers confidence for all.  The particular challenges of policing along a land border mean that communities in these areas, on both sides of the border, require further support for maintaining law and order, and co–operation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána must remain a high priority. The Commission welcomes the emphasis in the Programme for Government on tackling violence against women and girls, including its reference to the important role of community, voluntary and grassroots organisations in helping to address these issues. Furthermore, it is encouraging to see the commitment to introduce better access and support for victims and survivors in the criminal justice system.

There is much to do, and this Programme for Government is but a start, a positive first step. We believe that it would have benefitted from clearer targets and more specific detail on delivery times. We now wait to see what is contained in the Northern Ireland Budget.

A Prayer for Northern Ireland

God of our ancestors, God of our future;
from whom all authority comes,
We pray for the legislative Assembly and its Executive;
By your gracious help may it give Northern Ireland good governance, serve with integrity and seek the common good;
that all people may live peaceably, and grow in respect for one another;
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.