A proposal to remove the rates cap on Northern Ireland’s most valuable houses won’t be introduced until spring 2026 at the earliest.
Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald revealed on Wednesday that her widely-reported plan to introduce higher rates bills for the region’s 8,000-odd most valuable homes had yet to make it onto the executive’s agenda.
The move was supposed to raise much-needed funds for the cash-strapped administration.
The chair of the Stormont’s finance committee Matthew O’Toole described the situation as “shambolic”.
The agenda of each executive meeting is decided by Ms Archibald’s party colleague and First Minister Michelle O’Neill, alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
At the end of last month, it was reported that the finance minister had brought a proposal to the executive to lift the cap by the beginning of the 2025/26 financial year in April.
However, when quizzed by members of the finance committee she said her paper had not yet been discussed by ministers.
She said the delay in it being considered by the executive meant it could not be introduced next April and could now only be considered for implementation in 2026, at the earliest.
“I had hoped that we would have considered it before now, because it would have had to go back out to consultation,” Ms Archibald said.
“It would have only required secondary legislation to make the amendments that I was proposing, but it would still have had a legislative process to go through.”
Mr O’Toole said the finance minister’s revelation suggested “the executive isn’t really serious about reforming how it does budgeting”.
“There appears to be a slightly shambolic situation,” he said.
“The finance minister briefed the media a month ago that she has brought changes to the rates system to the executive but it still hasn’t made it onto the executive agenda – and the minister refuses to give any more detail to an assembly committee, despite briefing the media more than a month ago.”
Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson said it “beggared belief” that the minister’s paper had not even been allowed onto the executive agenda.
“This raises serious questions as to the effectiveness of the office of the first and deputy first ministers,” the Upper Bann MLA said.
“At a time when our public finances are so constrained, we simply cannot afford this apparent inertia or glacial pace of decision-making.”
