"Total decimation" - CEO of Women's centre fears closure without Stormont budget

While political parties at are given more time to talk to reach an agreement at Stormont, there's still no budget in place.

Without a ruling executive control of Stormont's finances will be handed to a senior civil servant on Wednesday.

Enormous pressure is also being put onto the voluntary and community sector here, with many charities and organisations already facing job losses or even closure.

One of those groups is First Steps Women's Centre in Dungannon, County Tyrone. It provides training, education and childcare for 170 - 200 women and over 50 children every week.

It's Chief Executive Michael McGoldrick says that's all now hanging in the balance and they are walking a tightrope at the moment.

The main issue for Mr McGoldrick and First Steps is the uncertainty with funding and contracts from the Department of Communities.

"They don't have a budget set, so they can't offer contracts to any of the women's centres regarding the Childcare Fund.

"We're on shaky ground - it's coming to the end of the financial year, all of our staff are on protective notice. We don't know when that will be lifted. It can only be lifted when the funding comes through.

"We have 17 other staff and morale at the minute has taken a bit of a dip. Staff are working very diligently to provide the services we do, but like everyone else they have expectations that they will be paid at the end of the month. They do a fantastic job and they have expectations they will be paid for that.

"But as it stands at the moment, after the 31st of March there is just a great unknown."

Mr Goldrick says they are in the same position as 14 other women's centres across Northern Ireland and the many other community, voluntary groups and youth organisations.

He told us the centre has been supported by local MLAs from across the political spectrum. And today he's asking them to make sure it can stay open to continue it's work.

"I'm asking them to keep going and get a solution somewhere along the line, even if that means it's passed over to the civil service so they can administer the funding. We are starting to run on fumes at the minute. Over the next three or four weeks we will be into our reserves and by the end of April it will be absolutely scary."

"If nothing is sorted out in the next eight weeks at all, it would mean the total decimation of our centre."

• First Step Women's Centre
• Dungannon