Northern Ireland budget talks enter 'no-deal territory' as DUP minister rejects Bryant's £1.5bn 'final offer'

From the Newshound archive · first published 25 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.

DUP Education Minister Paul Givan has warned that Stormont budget negotiations with Westminster are entering "no-deal territory" after Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant refused to improve his £1.5bn, three-year offer. Givan said the package could not even fund his department alone, let alone the full executive, which he calculated costs £1.6bn a year to run. Bryant has given devolved ministers until next Thursday to respond, warning he will set a budget at Westminster himself if they fail to act. Sinn Féin Finance Minister John O'Dowd backed Givan, calling the offer "not a fair deal" and accusing Bryant and his predecessors of failing to address an unfair funding formula.

Stormont departments have operated without a budget since the start of the financial year, currently spending up to 95% of last year's funding.

Bryant's offer, made in writing on September 10, includes £450m resource funding in 2026/27, then £400m in each of the following two years, plus £50m annually for public service transformation.

DUP's Diane Dodds branded Bryant's deadline "reckless", while Givan accused him of a "laissez-faire attitude" to the talks.