By
Vivienne Russell
23 September 2010
There must be no ‘wringing of hands’ or ‘whingeing’ about the spending cuts to come, the Northern Irish finance minister has said.
Addressing CIPFA Northern Ireland’s annual conference in Newcastle, County Down, on September 23, Sammy Wilson said the next four years presented public sector finance officials with one of the most difficult periods in living memory.
‘The magnitude of the expected cuts and the tough choices that have to be made mean we have to plan carefully and do it now,’ he said.
‘Pain is inevitable, but however difficult it is going to be, we have to approach it in a constructive way. Wringing our hands or whingeing about it won’t take us anywhere, we have to get on and deal with it. This is what people expect of us; this is what devolution is about.’
Wilson also discussed possible changes to the rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland.
The coalition government is considering whether the tax should be lowered to 12.5% – the same rate as in southern Ireland – to help revive the Northern Irish economy. The rate across the UK is currently 28%, driving investment to the republic.
Wilson told delegates there were ‘significant expectations’ from the government. But, he added: ‘We need to be realistic.
‘A reduced rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland would not in itself be a silver bullet. Nothing is that easy. It could also be expensive.’
The minister also pledged to prepare Northern Ireland for the cuts ahead of next month’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
‘We cannot just wait for the outcome of the Spending Review and then respond to give people the decisions they need. The onus is on me as finance minister to develop a budget that charts the proper way forward.’
23 September 2010
There must be no ‘wringing of hands’ or ‘whingeing’ about the spending cuts to come, the Northern Irish finance minister has said.
Addressing CIPFA Northern Ireland’s annual conference in Newcastle, County Down, on September 23, Sammy Wilson said the next four years presented public sector finance officials with one of the most difficult periods in living memory.
‘The magnitude of the expected cuts and the tough choices that have to be made mean we have to plan carefully and do it now,’ he said.
‘Pain is inevitable, but however difficult it is going to be, we have to approach it in a constructive way. Wringing our hands or whingeing about it won’t take us anywhere, we have to get on and deal with it. This is what people expect of us; this is what devolution is about.’
Wilson also discussed possible changes to the rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland.
The coalition government is considering whether the tax should be lowered to 12.5% – the same rate as in southern Ireland – to help revive the Northern Irish economy. The rate across the UK is currently 28%, driving investment to the republic.
Wilson told delegates there were ‘significant expectations’ from the government. But, he added: ‘We need to be realistic.
‘A reduced rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland would not in itself be a silver bullet. Nothing is that easy. It could also be expensive.’
The minister also pledged to prepare Northern Ireland for the cuts ahead of next month’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
‘We cannot just wait for the outcome of the Spending Review and then respond to give people the decisions they need. The onus is on me as finance minister to develop a budget that charts the proper way forward.’
