Northern Ireland has caretaker ministers but no government. Pivotal’s new briefing note examines what Stormont ministers have been able to do since the Executive collapsed in February – and asks if this has addressed the problems facing local people.

In the absence of an Executive, Northern Ireland has had ‘caretaker’ ministers in place since February. This lack of proper government is inadequate to deal with the huge challenges facing local people, businesses and public services.

The cost of living is rising at an alarming rate, health waiting lists remain lengthy, and problems persist with the local economy.

A new briefing note from Pivotal, the independent think tank focused on Northern Ireland, looks at what caretaker ministers have done in recent months with their limited powers. Governing Northern Ireland without an Executive says these actions do not address the breadth and scale of the challenges facing Northern Ireland, and a fully–functioning Executive is needed.”