Northern Ireland health service budget needed now - Robin Swann

Northern Ireland's Health Department is facing a £400m overspend this year, Robin Swann has warned.

The health minister is understood to have written to other ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive to set out the financial position.

About half of the overspend relates to meeting below-inflation pay increases.

The department has been operating without a budget since the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed in February.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Swann said that a budget was needed for the department right away and that he did not care whether that was provided via Stormont or Westminster.

"I'm not precious about who does it but health needs the surety of how much money we have to spend."