The extent of public sector job cuts is beginning to become clear, with the Department for Social Development, today, revealing that it will have to cut 350 Social Security and 300 Housing Executive jobs due to spending cuts in the 2015/16 budget.

Approximately 70 staff are employed by the Social Security Agency in Enniskillen Jobs and Benefits Office and approximately 40 staff are employed in the Housing Executive office.

Senior officials have told a Stormont committee they hope to make the job losses through voluntary redundancies.

Finance Minister Simon Hamilton told The Impartial Reporter last week that the draft budget would result “in difficult days ahead” for Fermanagh,” adding: “There's going to be pain.” The DSD has released a consultation document which details the department’s saving proposals.

Saving of £28 million on the Social Security Agency budget will potentially lead to reductions in the funding for around 650 posts. However, this reduction could be partially offset by 300 new posts which would be required to take forward Welfare Reform.

The document states: “Whilst the proposals will not impact on the benefits actually paid to claimants, the level of service delivered will inevitably be impacted.

“The overall reductions will impact services and lead to increases in claims clearance times as well as the processing of change of circumstances. In addition, financial accuracy rates will also reduce and this could lead to increased rates of fraud and error and debt. The impact on the local network of Jobs and Benefits offices is currently being assessed.” £24 million must be cut from the Housing Executive jobs, resulting in 300 job cuts.

Some other executive departments have already outlined how they will deal with the spending cuts, with the Department of Education predicting that it will have to cut 2,500 jobs.