Paisley challenges the Minister's view that an Executive would solve all issues, referencing previous statements where the Minister suggested that Unionist demands must be met before devolved government can return. He questions the idea of a 'magic wand' and argues that there is no simple solution.

Wilson agrees with Paisley, stating that having a Finance Minister from Sinn Féin has historically led to Budgets not being supported by other parties, contributing to the current financial deficit. He suggests that restoring the Executive might complicate matters further.

Hoare supports Wilson's points and highlights concerns from a Select Committee visit to Northern Ireland, noting growing worries about impacts on health, education, and housing due to lack of political leadership.

Girvan suggests that certain cost-saving measures proposed by Bengoa could be implemented without the need for Executive approval, indicating a readiness to address financial issues through management rather than political negotiations.

Farry asks the Minister to provide assurances regarding future Budget certainty and suggests that action needs to be taken soon to ensure stability for Departments and agencies in Northern Ireland.

Shannon proposes cost-saving measures within the Health Department by reducing reliance on agency staff, suggesting that employing more permanent NHS nurses would be a better solution.

Smyth criticises the Government's stance and argues that they are not addressing the root causes of the issue, such as Brexit-related problems. She emphasises the urgent need for resolution to enable parties to form an Executive.

Acknowledges the necessity of the Bill but expresses concerns about its rushed nature, lack of proper scrutiny, and the difficult choices it presents for public services in Northern Ireland. He highlights the potential negative impacts on education and healthcare funding, citing specific examples such as the significant rise in waiting times for breast cancer consultations. Kyle also emphasises the need to address the long-term challenges facing the health service and calls for better scrutiny of taxpayers' money.

Mr. Hoare expressed his concerns over the lack of political will to deliver public services in Northern Ireland, citing examples of community-led organisations struggling due to uncertainty about budgetary settlements. He emphasised the need for a local Northern Ireland Budget set by Northern Irish politicians and highlighted the potential negative impact on women and children who rely on these services. Mr. Hoare also mentioned concerns regarding the Police Service of Northern Ireland's budget and its implications on public safety and community policing.

Mr. Donaldson intervened, expressing frustration over the UK Government’s failure to deliver on commitments made in “New Decade, New Approach,” particularly regarding police numbers and funding for additional officers. He stressed that issues such as the protection of Northern Ireland's place within the UK internal market were not being addressed despite political promises.

Supports the Bill as necessary despite regretting the circumstances. Emphasises the importance of having a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly to make local decisions. Acknowledges that without Stormont, the Bill is better than nothing and essential for public servants to carry out their duties and serve the needs of the people in Northern Ireland. Also highlights the absurdity of trade barriers within the UK due to Brexit mismanagement and the need to resolve such issues.

Expresses sympathy for Alex Easton, criticises current situation where Northern Ireland Budget decisions are being made by Westminster. Suggests Sinn Féin's inability to present a viable Budget has led to this situation. Highlights the negative economic impacts of the protocol on Northern Ireland and the financial strain it causes. Raises concerns about education funding disparity between regions, highlighting low spending per pupil in NI compared to Scotland. Emphasises the need for flexibility in budget allocation to address various sector needs like health, policing, infrastructure, etc., and mentions controversial decisions made by civil servants regarding border posts despite protocol opposition.

Critiques the Conservative party for setting a budget without representation in Northern Ireland, highlighting issues such as ambulance delays, hospital trolley waits, education cuts, high unemployment, household overcrowding, and emigration. He also mentions unfulfilled promises like Magee expansion, Brandywell stadium, and Northlands addiction centre funding.

Intervenes to argue that the current situation would not have occurred if the DUP had remained in the Assembly, suggesting a political decision by the DUP led to the current deadlock.

Intervenes to remind Colum Eastwood about past investments made under DUP-led Executives in Londonderry, including airport development and hospital improvements.

Challenges the opposition's historical consistency, citing the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s refusal to take their seats at Stormont during a period of political turmoil, questioning why similar principles should not apply today for Unionists.

Robinson argued that the issues with Northern Ireland’s funding and governance have been neglected for too long, leading to significant costs and difficulties for businesses and consumers. He highlighted the need for better integration of Northern Ireland within the UK's internal market and criticised the Government's response to previous warnings about the protocol's impact on peace in Northern Ireland. He provided statistics detailing the financial support given through the trader support service (£358 million over two years) and noted that the funding system is unsustainable without reform, with projections indicating a 6% premium by 2074 compared to 29% in the 1970s.

Critiques the Government for failing to address issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol over two years. Argues that the current budget does not deliver on NDNA commitments, particularly regarding police numbers. Raises concerns about underfunding in education compared to other UK regions and criticises the impact of this budget on future financial planning.

Intervenes by highlighting that the budget will lead to a £2,000 reduction in household spending over three years, amounting to almost 10% of public spending per household.

Farry argues that having an Executive matters for Northern Ireland's wellbeing and finances. He expresses frustration over the delay in Budget decisions, which has led to overspends and hindered effective resource planning. Farry mentions the economic friction caused by the protocol but advocates for a pragmatic solution maintaining dual market access. He highlights implications of lacking a budgetary framework, particularly in health, education, and transformation efforts. Farry points out that Northern Ireland is wasting resources on managing division, estimating costs between £400 million and £800 million annually. He emphasises the need to reform public services and tackle inefficiencies for better outcomes. Overall, he fears a managed decline without reforms.

Ms. Lockhart argues against the current Budget allocations for health services in Northern Ireland, stating that they do not adequately support existing health needs and unfairly prioritise controversial services such as abortion without additional funding. She highlights the financial strain caused by the implementation of the Northern Irish Protocol, which she believes diverts necessary resources from healthcare and education.

Paul Girvan supports the clause allowing for financial flexibility, arguing that it addresses the costs of the Northern Ireland protocol on businesses and the need to recognise trade challenges. He cited specific examples like changes in trade axes from UK to Republic of Ireland and additional ships put on routes due to protocol-induced trade barriers. He also raised concerns about the £530 million spent on enforcement and digital assistance, suggesting it could be more efficiently allocated within civil services. Girvan emphasised that budget efficiencies need to be found while acknowledging limited funds available, warning against a narrative of unlimited funding. He highlighted the necessity for rebalancing budgets considering AME funding impacts on benefits and pensions, advocating for an integrated approach rather than siloed funding. Paul also addressed health inefficiencies like agency nursing costs versus outcomes, supporting the need for better fiscal management within the UK's budget constraints.

Ms Hanna argues against the proposed clause, emphasising that it lacks transparency and does not represent political priorities. She notes ongoing governance issues such as health service failures, GP crises, mental health challenges, climate targets mainstreaming, labour shortages, childcare support gaps, and school challenges. Additionally, she mentions the impact of austerity measures over a decade and a half.

Critiques the Finance Minister's inability to allocate funds properly, highlights discrepancies in educational spending between Northern Ireland and Scotland, emphasises the financial burden caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol on constituents' livelihoods, suggests that dismantling the protocol could free up substantial funding for health and education. He also supports the 'Dáithí’s law', which pertains to organ donation opt-out process.

Supports the Bill to ensure public services in Northern Ireland continue functioning, but criticises the lack of scrutiny time. Welcomes ringfenced funds for abortion services within the Bill and expresses concerns over the fall in women’s healthcare in Northern Ireland due to long NHS waiting lists and a lack of fully accredited endometriosis specialist centres. Urges the Government to outline how they will ensure proper scrutiny and involve voters whose voices have been diminished by political failures.

Sir Jeffrey raised concerns about the recruitment of additional police officers as per the New Decade, New Approach agreement and pointed out that this commitment was not fulfilled.

Mr Eastwood expressed frustration over delays in addressing addiction-related deaths and asked for clarity on Dáithí’s law related to organ donation, urging the Government to address this issue.

Ms Lockhart associated herself with remarks about Dáithí's law and pressed for clarity on abortion services, questioning if new money would be allocated from the Treasury to facilitate these services.