To ask the Minister of Finance, ahead of the January monitoring round, how the relative importance of inescapable pressures are assessed.

Departments are required to prioritise their bids as inescapable, pre-committed, high priority or desirable and to also rank them in order within each of these categories. For example, inescapable and pre-committed priorities include bids for additional firm legal or contractual obligations, which if not met, may lead to proceedings being taken against the Department. Executive priorities are also taken into account.

Department of Finance officials will then make an assessment of the bids received and provide a recommendation as to which should be met taking into account the level of available funding for allocation. It is likely, for example, that inescapable bids are recommended to be met if funding is available.

It is for the Executive to decide where to allocate funding, taking into account all of the above and any wider considerations.

If a pressure is truly inescapable, and the Executive does not agree an additional allocation, the department concerned will have to reallocate funding from a lower priority area of its existing budget.