The justice minister has said she believes she will be able to offer a pay award to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) staff by the end of this year.
Naomi Long has been speaking after the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced on Thursday that he has been given approval to award pay parity to healthcare workers here.
Long said a decision could be made in the next few weeks.
“I’m confident that by the end of this year that we will be able to manage our budget successfully but also make the pay awards I believe the police deserve,” Long said.
“I’ve been very clear that just because the police don’t take and can’t take industrial action doesn’t mean they should be at the end of the queue when it comes to getting their funding,” she said.
“They put themselves between us and danger every single day and they deserve their pay awards.”
Long said she believes “we can close the gap in justice”.
“I believe it is possible, given what we’ve already been told,” she said.
“So we’re going to get £7 million for recruitment this year, we’re also then in line for another £6.7 million towards pay. That will significantly reduce the projected overspend of PSNI,” the justice minister said.
She added that it is “ultimately” for the chief constable to tell her it is affordable, adding: “It’s not for me to tell him. He hasn’t been in a position to do that. But when we are in a position to do that we will.”
