Debate contribution: Garvaghy Road: Policing Cost
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 28 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Garvaghy Road: Policing Cost
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5762155
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Five million pounds is what it is. People are aware of the implications that that will have on a justice system that is looking down the barrel of an overspend of over £100 million this year, just to stand still. Without wishing to advertise a particular supermarket, "Every little helps". That £5 million could be better spent elsewhere. It is also fair to say that we have to make sure that people are safe. We have no choice in this. The PSNI cannot decide that its budget has run out so it will not attend; it cannot decide that it does not have enough resources and absent itself from the situation. It has to turn up and do the job. I will give the Member an example. The difference between my being able to approve last year's PSNI pay award and not being able to approve it was around £5 million. We were finally able to receive that from the Executive, and it allowed me, albeit belatedly, to sign off on the pay award. The gap this year is much greater, but, having watched the restraint with which the PSNI conducted itself over the weekend and the dignity with which it held itself in such a difficult situation, I am sure that everyone in the House will agree that that money would be better spent on ensuring that its officers are properly and adequately paid.
235 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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