1 month ago
23
PA Media
Naomi Long said she is operating in a "crisis situation"
The justice minister has said the only way her department can "move towards balancing the books" is to make cuts to frontline services.
The executive has failed to reach a final agreement on the draft budget which was published in January, meaning government departments started the financial year in April without being certain how much they would have to spend.
Naomi Long said she was concerned about the impact on frontline services such a policing, probation, prisons and the youth justice agency.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland said a recovery plan which aims to lift police officer numbers to 7,000 by 2028 was in "grave doubt".
Liam Kelly said the number of Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers was "supposed to grow" to 6,500 by April 2026 - the end of year one of the recovery plan.
"I haven't waited for the Police Federation or the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to say it's a crisis, I have been saying it to the executive," she said.
"Without a budget, I cannot give certainty to the Chief Constable or to any other body that operates the justice system."
