NI Justice Department Received Only Half Of Requested Brexit Funding

Northern Ireland's Justice Department received less than half of the extra Brexit funding it requested, with only £850,000 of the expected £2million being allocated.

The extra money was part of a redistribution of cash from Westminster to be used for Brexit planning by the Justice Department (DoJ).

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Ulster Unionist Mike Nesbitt discovered that Stormont's DoJ had initially bid for almost £2m but received only £850,000, with an additional £300,000 being allocated to the PSNI.

Mr Nesbitt said: "It must be assumed that if the Department of Justice bid for £1.96 million then it is needed, so it is concerning to find they were allocated just £0.85 million, with an initial £0.3 million going to the PSNI."

Spending is now under review to ensure the funding is put to best use.

Mr Nesbitt continued: "In his correspondence to me, permanent secretary Peter May makes clear that the bid included preparation costs for Brexit planning in the DoJ and PSNI.

"I will be writing to him to ask what the implications will be of them receiving such a small fraction of what they bid for."

The Strangford Assembly member also branded the lower than anticipated amount of money as "really concerning."

As the UK hurtles towards it's exit from the EU, PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton has insisted that the justice system is at risk of being dramatically affected by Brexit.

Potential changes include the loss of the European Arrest Warrant, which could make extradition problematic and even impossible in the short term.

A statement from the DoJ said: "The department and the PSNI received funding for activities relating to EU exit preparations next year.

"Funding to meet the future demands of delivering the EU exit will be included as part of budget discussions going forward."



(JG)