Latest news with #Executive
Agriland
a day ago
- Business
- Agriland
Funding call for NI Food Strategy Framework
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir has announced a funding call for applications to increase awareness, embed and support the implementation of the NI Food Strategy Framework and the Food Action Plan. Applications are invited from not-for-profit organisations, registered charities and local authorities. Funding will be provided through a new second strand of the NI Regional Food Programme. Welcoming the opening of the programme, Minister Muir said: 'Collaboration will be key to the delivery of the Food Action Plan. 'I am therefore delighted to seek proposals from organisations interested in bringing the action plan to life. 'I would encourage stakeholders to consider the actions they can take that will ensure that our food positively impacts on the health of our people, our planet and of our future prosperity. 'This funding call is a significant step towards the implementation of the [Stormont] Executive's Food Strategy Framework Action Plan.' NI Food Strategy Framework Applications are now open for projects taking place from July 15, 2025 to March 31, 2026, and must be submitted by 4:00p.m on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. A total fund of up to £250,000 is available which may be awarded to one or more projects. Applications for funding must complement the Stormont Executive's Food Strategy Framework, published by Minister Muir in November 2024. They must also detail how they will contribute to increasing awareness among stakeholders of the Food Action Plan's three missions: Mission One – to use food to improve lifelong health and wellbeing; Mission Two – to support environmentally sustainable, safe and ethical agri-food supply chains; Mission Three – to further develop sustainable economic prosperity within the agri-food sector. Projects should also seek to build capacity among stakeholders to take steps that help deliver these missions, according to the department. Successful applications to Strand Two of the programme can obtain up to 80% financial contributions on eligible project expenditure for projects embedding and supporting the implementation of the NI Food Strategy Framework and the Food Action Plan. Scheme rules mean that only not-for-profit groups with a Northern Ireland membership, registered charities or not-for-profit regional development agencies that plan to deliver projects that raise the profile of NI regional food can apply. Applications for collaborative ventures involving two or more eligible organisations working together to deliver the objectives of the programme are also allowed.
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Judge allows 14 states' lawsuit against Elon Musk and DOGE to proceed
A federal judge allowed a lawsuit accusing Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency of illegally exerting power over government operations to move forward Tuesday. The big picture: The suit filed by more than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general alleges the billionaire and DOGE violated the Constitution by accessing government data systems, terminating federal employees and canceling contracts at federal agencies. The states also argued Musk exercised "virtually unchecked power" across the executive branch. Driving the news: U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan denied a motion to dismiss the case. She wrote in a 42-page order: "The Constitution does not permit the Executive to commandeer the entire appointments power by unilaterally creating a federal agency pursuant to Executive Order and insulating its principal officer from the Constitution as an 'advisor' in name only," the judge wrote. "This is precisely what Plaintiffs claim the Executive has done." Chutkan did, however, dismiss President Trump as a defendant, writing that "the court may not enjoin the President in the performance of his official duties." What they're saying: New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said in a statement Tuesday that the decision "is an important milestone for preserving America's system of checks and balances." "We are proud to move this case forward and help bring Elon Musk's reign of terror to an end," Torrez said. The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment. Context: Democratic attorneys general in 14 states sued President Trump, Musk and DOGE in February alleging violations of the Constitution's Appointments Clause and conduct in excess of statutory authority. The judge in the same month denied a request from the states to temporarily block DOGE from accessing data and terminating federal employees, though she did find that there were valid questions about Musk's authority.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Northern Ireland health service facing £600m budget shortfall
Northern Ireland's health service is expected to face a £600 million budget shortfall. Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt described financial plans being finalised which will be "unprecedented in their scale and ambition" and involve "extremely difficult and painful savings measures". In a written statement to the Assembly, Mr Nesbitt said the projected £600 million is the "scale of the gap between existing funding and what's needed to maintain services". He told MLAs he will play his part and "do everything I can to achieve a breakeven budget", but also urged the Executive and the Assembly to support him. "My permanent secretary is finalising financial plans that will be unprecedented in their scale and ambition," he said. "They will involve an extremely difficult and indeed painful series of savings measures for HSC trusts. "I can assure the Assembly that I will drive forward savings to reduce the projected shortfall." "To repeat, I will play my part and do everything I can to achieve a breakeven budget. "But I will need Executive and Assembly support." Mr Nesbitt also confirmed he is ordering the paying of £200 million recommended pay increases despite not having the budget to cover it. It includes 3.6% for nurses and staff under Agenda for Change, 4% for doctors, and 4% plus £750 for resident doctors - formerly known as junior doctors. That requires a ministerial directive to be made to the department's permanent secretary to proceed despite not having the necessary budget. It will go to the Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, and potentially be passed to the Executive for approval. Mr Nesbitt told MLAs the move involves the risk of an overspend for the department, but that not paying the pay increases also involves risks. "There is an undeniable risk that the department could be on a path towards a potential overspend," he said. "I have also concluded that there are also substantial risks in not proceeding with the pay increases - the biggest risk is failing to deliver on my promise to deliver 'better outcomes'. "I do not want health service staff to be demoralised by inaction and another year of uncertainty on pay. They deserve better than that. This is about treating with respect the people who keep us healthy, fix us when we are broken and keep us alive when death becomes a potential outcome. "Falling behind pay levels across the water will also exacerbate challenges with recruitment and retention of health service staff." He added that pay parity with England for Agenda for Change staff is a "well-established and hard-fought principle" that he intends to maintain. "Failure to do so would undoubtedly lead to industrial action with all the disruption to patient care that will involve," he said. "Not to mention the negative impact on the focus to reduce waiting lists, or the overdue need to reform healthcare delivery. "In short, the risk of a potential budget overspend must be balanced against the significant risk to service provision." Potential for NI to have 'one fo the best health systems in the world' The new leader of Northern Ireland's Department of Health says there is potential for the region to have one of the best health systems in the world. Mike Farrar took up the position of permanent secretary in mid April, having previously held senior positions within the NHS in England. Mr Farrar emphasised while there are several big immediate challenges in the health service, he is optimistic about the future for the health service. He said around half of the £600m budget shortfall is in the health trusts where they have been running deficits, while £200m is to meet recommended pay increases for health workers and £66m for increased national insurance contributions. "That's come about largely because the budget that was voted for health this year really didn't have an allowance at the scale of the pay awards we're facing, and we haven't in the past I think, really pushed as hard as we are now pushing to get real efficiency out of the system," he said. "On my watch, we're going to take a stand and we're going to try to live within our means but that takes a while to do. "In the short term I need some support." He said they hope to reduce costs and improve services in some areas and said cuts which will impact services will be kept as a "last resort".
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal judge: NM suit against Musk & DOGE can proceed
On Feb. 13, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez (below) joined Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Arizona AG Kris Mayes to discuss a new multi-state lawsuit filed by 14 states against Elon Musk, DOGE and President Trump. A federal judge denied the requested temporary restraining order on Feb. 18. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez's office announced on Tuesday that District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, from the District of Columbia, had denied the Trump administration's motion to dismiss a lawsuit by more than a dozen states, and co-led by New Mexico, against Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. The lawsuit, filed in February, alleges President Trump 'delegated virtually unchecked authority to [Musk] without proper legal authorization from Congress and without meaningful supervision of his activities.' A federal judge that same month rejected the plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order against DOGE and President Donald Trump. New Mexico sues Elon Musk In her ruling, Chutkan writes that two states, New Mexico and Washington, 'allege sufficient injuries' to satisfy standing under Article III of the Constitution, which limits federal judicial power. In the case of New Mexico, Chutkan notes that New Mexico's Mining and Minerals Division has been unable to access federal funding via Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grants, which it relies on to 'safeguard…thousands of abandoned mines and associated hazards' across the state. She wrote that the court also found 'New Mexico's allegations that Defendants gained unauthorized access to its private and proprietary information sufficient to allege an injury.' In describing the suit in February, Torrez said it posed a 'novel' question for the courts to consider, which is that Musk's actions constitute 'a fundamental restructuring of constitutional order and a violation of the rule of law.' Specifically, the suit argues that DOGE's actions violate the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers and the Appointments Clause, specifically the portion that requires executive appointments to have congressional oversight. In her analysis, Chutkan notes that the U.S. Constitution does not allow 'the Executive to commandeer the entire appointments power by unilaterally creating a federal agency pursuant to Executive Order and insulating its principal officer from the Constitution as an 'advisor' in name only. This is precisely what Plaintiffs claim the Executive has done.' While Chutkan allowed the suit to proceed, she did agree to dismiss President Trump as a defendant. Following Chutkan's ruling on Tuesday, Torrez released a statement calling the decision 'an important milestone for preserving America's system of checks and balances.' The AGs filed the case, he said, 'to defend the Constitution and stop the dangerous precedent of allowing billionaire donors to dismantle federal agencies, cut vital public programs, and access sensitive state data without lawful authority. We are proud to move this case forward and help bring Elon Musk's reign of terror to an end.' Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a statement noted that, 'The Constitution, and the Appointments Clause, are not mere roadblocks for this administration to ignore. I look forward to continuing this case in court.' Torrez noted that the case will continue even if Musk is gone. 'No one should be allowed to outsource the presidency to one of their billionaire friends or exercise executive authority without the advice and consent of the Senate,' he said in a statement. 'This is about the rule of law, plain and simple.'
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
A judge refuses to toss states' lawsuit against Elon Musk and DOGE
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has refused to throw out a lawsuit that accuses billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency of illegally accessing government data systems, canceling government contracts and firing federal employees. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled Tuesday that 14 states can proceed with their claims against Musk and DOGE. The states, through their attorneys general, sued in February over the defendants' alleged constitutional violations. The states had asked Chutkan to temporarily block DOGE from accessing any data systems or terminating any federal employees. But the judge denied that request on Feb. 18. She found that there were legitimate questions about Musk's authority but said there weren't grounds to justify a temporary restraining order. Chutkan agreed Tuesday to dismiss President Donald Trump as a defendant in the lawsuit, but she refused to dismiss the claims against Musk and DOGE. The plaintiffs' attorneys argued that Musk's actions, including those carried out at his direction by DOGE personnel, are unconstitutional because he hasn't been legally appointed. Chutkan wrote: 'The Constitution does not permit the Executive to commandeer the entire appointments power by unilaterally creating a federal agency pursuant to Executive Order and insulating its principal officer from the Constitution as an 'advisor' in name only. This is precisely what Plaintiffs claim the Executive has done.' The Trump administration has maintained that layoffs are coming from agency heads and insisted that Musk hasn't been running DOGE's day-to-day operations. Chutkan, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, previously oversaw the now-dismissed criminal election interference case against Trump in Washington.
