On 25th October 2007, the Northern Ireland Executive launched their draft Programme for Government 2008-11 (PfG), Budget 2008-11 and Investment Strategy 2008-18 for public consultation. Together these documents set out how the Executive will make a real difference and deliver a better future for all our people.

  • The Programme for Government (PfG) 2008-11 sets out the strategic priorities and key plans for the 2008-11 period. The PfG sets the strategic context for the other 2 documents
  • The Draft Budget 2008-11
  • The Investment Strategy 2008-18
  • All 3 documents are closely interlinked and provide the financial and departmental framework within which the arts will function in the next 3 years
  • The consultation process for all 3 documents is being managed by OFMDFM and can be found at www.pfgbudgetni.gov.uk
  • All 3 documents are open for public consultation until 4th January 2008

Programme for Government (PfG) - Overview

  • The PfG sets out Government’s vision for Northern Ireland over the next 3 years, and includes a range of priorities and objectives which will help to achieve this vision
  • The overarching aim of the PfG is to build a peaceful, fair and prosperous society, with respect for the rule of law and where everyone can enjoy a better quality of life

It sets out 5 priorities which all of Government’s actions will feed into:

  • Grow a dynamic innovative economy
  • Promote tolerance, inclusion, health and well-being
  • Invest to build our infrastructure
  • Deliver modern, high quality and efficient public services
  • Protect and enhance our environment and natural resources

It also establishes 2 cross-cutting themes which will underpin all policies and programmes :

  • A better future which deals with fairness, inclusion and equality
  • Sustainability which deals with ensuring a sustainable future
  • The PfG is very focused upon economic growth, and this is Government’s core priority
  • Health and Education are also growing in significance, and these 2 areas alone account for more than 2/3 of total spend

Programme for Government - Key Goals and Public Service Agreements

  • Under each of the 5 priorities there are a series of key goals. Some of these are more relevant to the arts including:
  • Under Growing a dynamic, innovative economy
  • Growing the creative industries sector by up to 15% by 2011
  • Increasing the number of tourists visiting each year from 1.98m to 2.5m by 2011 and increasing tourism revenue from £370m to £520m
  • Under Invest to build our infrastructure
  • Invest £119m in our cultural infrastructure by 2011 through a programme of capital projects
  • 23 cross-departmental Public Service Agreements (PSAs) have also been set. The PSAs provide a framework of overarching issues and challenges which cut across government departments, so will ensure a cross-government focus on key issues and help drive them forward in a cohesive manner
  • 1 PSA is directly relevant to the arts :
  • Promoting access to culture, arts and leisure - Contribute to NI’s economic, health and educational goals by increasing participation and access to Culture, Arts and Leisure activities
  • Within this there are 2 specific targets:
  • By 2011 to increase by 2% the proportion of the population attending arts events
  • By 2011 to increase by 2% the proportion of the population participating arts events
  • A number of others can be more loosely related to the arts such as:
  • Tourism – Develop the tourism sector and promote NI as a must-visit destination to facilitate growth in business and leisure visitors

Draft Budget 2008-11

  • The budget sets out the NI Executive’s proposals for public expenditure in NI over the 2008-11 period. It explains the economic, social and environmental context for these expenditure proposals and explains how the Executive’s priorities, as set out in the PfG and Investment Strategy, will be reflected in the financial allocations to individual departments.

The Investment Strategy 2008-18

  • The Investment Strategy sets out how the infrastructure of NI is to be developed over the next 10 years. As with the PfG and Budget, there is a heavy emphasis on growing our economy.
  • Over the next 3 years £5.6bn of new infrastructure will be delivered – rising to over £18bn in the next 10 years
  • The strategy identifies 3 cross-cutting objectives – Economic, Societal and Environmental - and 6 ‘pillars’ that help join up the plans of government departments and other stakeholders.
  • These 6 pillars are – Networks, Skills, Health, Social, Environment and Productive. The Social pillar contains 4 sub-pillars including ‘Culture, Arts, Sport’, which has a total of £504m assigned for the 10 year period, including £201m for 2008-11.
  • There are a number of projects mentioned which will have arts and cultural ingredients including the Ilex-led regeneration of areas of Derry and the ‘mixed-use’ regeneration schemes in Belfast. The Investment Strategy lacks specifics on these projects, but the Budget paper honours Government’s commitment to 3 Belfast-based projects – Lyric Theatre, Crescent Arts Centre and Metropolitan Arts Centre.