There was not one word on the Peace Process in George Osborne’s speech.  Instead, decisions have been taken which place the people of Northern Ireland on the brink of social and economic disaster.

Opportunities on revenue raising, special tax and borrowing powers and promotion of the local economy were signalled for the Scottish and Welsh Administrations.  There was no such signal for Northern Ireland. 

In an extraordinary move the UK government appears to have decided for us how we will spend our only borrowing power; designed to strengthen the Peace Process.    It has decided that the £200m per year Reinvestment and Reform Initiative brokered with the previous UK Government be used to bail out the Presbyterian Mutual Society.    

From the Headline figures it is clear that the poor have taken a massive hit. UNISON has had a chance to analyse some of the detail.  It is mean, nasty and hits women and children in particular. The final figure is an astonishing £7bn higher than the welfare cuts targeted in the budget.  

The knock-on effect in Northern Ireland,  where a higher proportion of our population are in need,  will take 12000 jobs out of our economy as a result of the radically reduced spending from those hit by the benefit cuts.

The £2.5bn cuts in our revenue and capital budgets will cause the loss a further 36,000 jobs in the public and private sectors.

This is a predicted total of 48,000 jobs.  This will push the NI Economy over the edge.

If the NI Executive now applies its previous formula for budget allocation then in human terms the public can expect a whole range of health and social care services to disappear.  

They can expect the loss of all special measures and initiatives which protect vulnerable children in school and in the community.

Young people with aspirations of a university education will face devastating levels of debt.  Working class students will withdraw from higher education.

If the NI Executive mirrors the Tory Coalition decisions on public housing there will be virtually no new houses to meet current shortages and the thousands on the waiting lists will not have the means to pay rents at 80% of market levels.

Our Executive must not accept this without protest.  It still has the power to negotiate and change it.

It must instead rally to the support of the people of Northern Ireland, especially the men, women and children who have been made poorer and those who now face stark unemployment on reduced benefits.

The clock is ticking for Stormont.  It must decide whether or not to strike a budget no later than the end of March.  It goes to the polls in May.

On Saturday 23 October workers, their unions and their communities will march in Belfast with a clear message that we expect our politicians to take better, fairer decisions and to challenge the UK Government on its broken promises.  The fundamental rights of ordinary people are now under threat.