Stormont Departments Receive £32m Boost

Stormont departments are to receive a financial boost of £32m with unemployment, road work and fuel poverty schemes taking the biggest cut of the money.

Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has redistributed unspent money around various departments confirmed the extra unexpected funding in a statement today.

The announcement is the latest in the so-called Monitoring Round, where unspent money is surrendered by departments, before ministers make fresh bids for a share of what is gathered.

Minister Wilson commented: "The Department for Regional Development and the Department for Employment and Learning were the main recipients of additional funding. Indeed spending on the roads network in Northern Ireland will now be at a record high in this financial year. This will impact positively on the local economy by boosting the construction sector and assist unemployed people back into work."

Concluding the Minister said: "The Executive is acutely aware of the particularly difficult circumstances in the Education and Health sectors. In light of this the Executive agreed that we allocate now a £30million Resource to the Department of Education for the 2012-13 financial year to allow early action to address pressures. The Health capital investment pressures will be considered as part of the wider review of Budget allocations."