Debate contribution: Waste and Inefficiency in Government

Debate contribution by Miss Jemma Dolan on 23 March 2026.

MLA: Miss Jemma Dolan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 23 March 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Waste and Inefficiency in Government
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5465973

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. At the outset, I highlight the importance of our taking the opportunity now afforded to us by agreeing a multi-year Budget. The Ulster University Economic Policy Centre has referred to single-year Budgets as being a straitjacket that prevents strategic planning. When meeting Departments, whether in a constituency capacity or in Committee meetings, I have been told by officials that it often feels as though they are involved in a sprint when, instead, they should be engaging in a marathon, with long-term strategic planning that would deliver better outcomes. I acknowledge the Minister's work on the development of five-year plans for Departments that aim to improve service provision while targeting resources where they are most needed and will prove most beneficial. I have spoken regularly in the Chamber about our underfunding by the British Government and the impact that that has had on our public services. However, it is also true that reducing public-sector pressures requires transformation and reform of our services, which is simply not possible without providing long-term direction with a Budget allocation over several years. The motion highlights concerns about the Civil Service workforce but fails to acknowledge the work that is being undertaken through the people strategy 2025-2030, which seeks to address the challenges that the Civil Service faces. The strategy aims to move the Civil Service from reactive staffing to planned, data-driven workforce management, with stronger governance, shorter end-to-end process times and a single, reliable dataset for roles, skills and costs. Digital transformation will also enable the use of new, integrated HR and finance IT to streamline processes, improve workforce data and evidence value for money. As elected representatives, we are responsible for delivering the best public services that we can with the limited financial resources available to us, and there is an onus on all Ministers to do that. However, implementing cuts across the public sector in staff or in estates, which the DUP seems to suggest in the motion by referencing the 20% reduction in Scotland, would only harm our public services. Protecting front-line services requires efficiency, and that can best be served through the ongoing work on longer-term planning by having a multi-year Budget and through initiatives in the Departments' five-year plans. It is also vital that, when talking about our Civil Service, we acknowledge the hard work that is being done to deliver front-line services while we recognise that improvements are required. The implementation of the people strategy over the next five years is needed to improve capacity and ensure that it has the capability, culture and leadership to deliver high-quality public services, adapt to changing needs and respond effectively to future challenges.

450 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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