The report found nine planned pieces of Executive legislation have yet to be put to the Assembly
The failure of Stormont ministers to agree a budget is “catastrophic” for public services in Northern Ireland, a think tank report has said.
The Pivotal tracker report also warned that with seven months until the Assembly dissolves, Stormont faces a “rush” to pass key legislation, including the flagship Good Jobs Bill.
The independent think tank’s report, Running Out Of time: The Performance Of The Northern Ireland Executive in 2026, argues that ministers have struggled to work together on shared challenges.
It said: “Increasing tensions risk allowing Northern Ireland’s social and economic problems to deteriorate further.”
Devolved ministers have failed to agree a budget for the current financial year, with departments operating on contingency budgets since April.
Ministers have consistently made the point that they need more cash from the Treasury to address a funding crisis facing public services in the region.
Launching the report, Pivotal director Ann Watt said in the past seven months, the Executive had made “pockets of progress but ultimately fall short in some big-picture ways”.
She said: “Deciding a budget is a basic element of good governance. The inability to do so is a serious failing.
“Northern Ireland has not had a multi-year budget in over a decade, which has restricted planning for public service delivery and transformation.
“The absence of even a single year budget at present is catastrophic for public services.”
Ms Watt also raised concern that some “flagship areas of policy are at risk of stalling”.
She said: “There is a big difference between the planned legislative programme and the number of Executive Bills that have come before the Assembly.
“The Executive appears increasingly fragmented and this clearly has an impact on its effectiveness.
“Instead of divisions and distrust, ministers need to find a path towards unity, common purpose and shared responsibility for improving services for the public.
“Right now, the public struggles to see the difference Stormont is making in their day-to-day lives.
“There is a risk that the election means more point-scoring and growing divisions along party lines.”
The think tank said the Good Jobs Bill faces a “race against time” to be passed.
Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s proposed legislation aims to reform terms of employment, pay and benefits, work-life balance and the trade union framework.
However, the DUP has maintained the Bill requires more work and has not backed it being brought to the Assembly to start its legislative process.
The Pivotal report said it is not the only major piece of legislation at risk of “falling by the wayside”. It said nine planned pieces of Executive legislation have yet to be put to the Assembly.
The report said this includes the 16-18s in Education or Training Bill, which was in the legislative programme for 2025-26 and still has not been tabled, and the Race Equality Bill which is also yet to be introduced.
Pivotal said other major policy goals are at “risk”, including the expansion of Magee College and the development of Casement Park.
It also said there is “still no plan to properly invest” in the wastewater system.
Pivotal said: “With no budget agreed, several Stormont departments face huge overspending in the current year – including shortfalls of around £250 million in education and £800 million in health.”
The think tank said there had been action in some areas, including education reforms and reducing backlogs in courts.
It added: “Looking at the performance of the Executive as a whole, many previous failures in behaviours and cultures have continued – political point-scoring often crowds out discussion of substantive issues, difficult or unpopular decisions are postponed rather than addressed, and others are blamed for problems rather than the Executive taking responsibility for solutions itself.”
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