Northern Ireland strikes: Civil service boss makes urgent call for funding

The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, has called for funds to be released for pay to stop Thursday's strike.

Ms Brady said there is "an urgent need to provide an immediate budget allocation".

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said it was "disappointing to see leaked correspondence at this sensitive time".

Almost £600m is being promised for pay claims if the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) returns to Stormont.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris says the money will be available as part of a broader £3.3bn package for a restored Northern Ireland Executive.

Ms Brady said this "represents one of the last opportunities to avert the strike action planned for this week".

In a letter to Mr Heaton-Harris, she called for greater urgency.

"You have publicly stated that the UK government cannot, and will not, stand by and allow public services and finances to decline further," she said.

"This Thursday will represent the single biggest day of industrial action in a generation, reflecting the strength of feeling and deteriorating, and frankly untenable, position we are now in.

"Urgent action is required to address unacceptable public sector pay disparity."

A NIO spokesperson said its "absolute priority and full focus is to see a restored executive delivering for people and workers in Northern Ireland".

"We have offered a fair and generous package worth £3bn - which will help a restored executive address a range of pressing issues in the round - from public sector pay to support with ensuring sustainable public services," the spokesperson said.

"This offer is on the table for parties to take forward at pace."

Meanwhile, the heads of more than 50 public bodies in Northern Ireland have written to the prime minister and Northern Ireland secretary demanding the separation of the public sector pay dispute from the restoration of Stormont.

The Northern Ireland Public Sector Chairs' Forum said it was immoral to link funding of public services to political development, and are calling for Chris Heaton-Harris to deliver an immediate equitable pay deal for their workforce with the rest of the UK

The forum's Chair Nicole Lappin says tomorrows unprecedented strike action is fuelled by the 'frustration of unfairness'

The DUP has said the government has not yet done enough to address its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements and so is not yet ready to return to devolved government.

There has been no devolved government since the institutions were collapsed by the DUP in February 2022.

Teachers, nurses, civil servants, bus drivers and train drivers will be among those taking to the picket lines on Thursday.

In total, tens of thousands of workers from 15 unions will be part of the mass walk-out.

On Monday, Mr Heaton-Harris held more talks with the parties.

He said he would set out his next steps "in due course", which could involve laying out primary legislation at Westminster, but he did not give further details.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said "significant progress" had been made on this, however he said there was more work needed on Stormont's finances.

The Stormont Assembly will meet on Wednesday after a successful Sinn Féin recall petition.

Each time the DUP has blocked the election of a speaker meaning no assembly business can take place.