Debate contribution: Northern Ireland Fiscal Council Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr John O'Dowd on 5 May 2026.

MLA

Mr John O'Dowd

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

5 May 2026

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Northern Ireland Fiscal Council Bill: Consideration Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5524843

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Apologies to the House for my phone going off during Diane's contribution. I thank all Members who have contributed to the debate on this important issue. I also thank the Finance Committee for its detailed scrutiny of the Bill throughout Committee Stage. As Members will be aware, the Bill contains provisions that will place the Fiscal Council on a statutory footing. I hope that all Members will agree that the Fiscal Council has made a significant impact on improving the transparency, scrutiny and understanding of our public finances since it was established in March 2021. Its assessments are insightful and highly valued. They make an important difference to improving transparency, scrutiny and understanding of the Budget and monitoring process. The Bill will enable the council to continue its work, operating independently. That phrase was used throughout the debate by most, if not all, Members, and I will return to that as I proceed through my comments. The Bill will enable the council to operate independently from ministerial, Executive, Committee or departmental interference. Indeed, as Members will be aware, clause 6 of the Bill states:

"In particular, in carrying out its functions under section 2, the Council is not subject to the direction or control of— (a) a Minister, (b) a ... department, (c) a Minister of the Crown or a department of the government ..., or (d) the Assembly."

As Members consider how to vote on the amendments today, we have to ask ourselves whether, at this stage, we are placing directions on the council by supporting amendments that direct what work it should carry out, rather than leaving that to the professionalism of the current council members or those who will be there in the future. I may agree or disagree with various aspects of the amendments proposed by Members on what they believe the council should be interrogating, investigating and reporting on, but that is not why I will be voting against the amendments. I am not voting against the amendments on the issues that Members have raised, be they the cost of division, economic studies or the Programme for Government. I will be voting against the amendments because I firmly believe that the council, as an independent body, should set its work programme in line with OECD principles and best practice from elsewhere. That is why I will vote against your amendments, not because I believe that the council should not be carrying out the work that you suggested but because it is for the council to decide whether it carries out that work rather than the Assembly directing it to do so. Therefore, I encourage Members to stick by the independence of the council, ensure that it sets its programme of work, that Ministers, Departments or indeed the Assembly do not interfere with its work. We must allow the council to get on with its work of reporting and ensuring that we have continuing improvement in the transparency and independence of our public services. During evidence from the Fiscal Council, the council chair confirmed that any further requirements would not be desirable at this stage because a majority of the Executive's Budget comes from the block grant. That is specifically in relation to the impact on the economy etc. I know, through other proposed amendments, that the OECD principles are core to this for me. Let us learn from best practice elsewhere. Scotland has a slightly different model, which was referred to by a number of Members. Even then, if we are going to have a truly independent body, let it be independent rather than us setting the work programme for it.

I would argue that it is not legislated against, in the sense that we are allowing the Fiscal Council to set its own work programme. Therefore it can look at whatever area it believes is relevant to its broader principles, and deliver reports accordingly. In fairness, it has been a good debate. There is broad agreement on the general role of the Fiscal Council. Understandably, there will always be different views on how we set its programme of work and what it should be looking into. In that sense, all the amendments are valid, but I want to reassure those who tabled the amendments that I am not voting against the idea that the council should do a cost of division report or should not do a report into the Programme for Government or into the economy. I am voting against those amendments because I believe in the independence of the council and in allowing it to set its own work programme.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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