The Northern Assembly yesterday unanimously approved spending plans totalling u£4.3 billion for the rest of the year.
Proposing a motion and Bill - which are part of the accelerated process of overseeing the plans - the Finance and Personnel Minister, Mr Mark Durkan, said: "We are now getting down to the real business of governing, which is what the people have sent us here to do."
Mr Durkan said u£1.9 billion would go to health and social services. The Executive has also allocated £1.2 billion on schools and £630 million on higher and further education, training and employment.
Public housing will receive £600 million and £1.8 billion will be directed to social security benefits, with a further £405 million for other benefits.
In the Department of Regional Development, £240 million will be spent on roads and transport and £220 million on water services and sewerage.
The Industrial Development Board will receive £140 million. The Department of Agriculture has been allocated £151 million for ongoing regional services and support measures, with a further £149 million for market support measures.
Many members were critical of the sums available in general, and for certain departments in particular. Mr Edwin Poots, the DUP MLA for Lagan Valley, noted that the formula for monies allocated to the North by Westminster was based on population and took no account of local circumstance. The SDLP's North Belfast MLA, Mr Alban Maginness, described safety on rail services as being "just adequate and no more".
Before the debate, the Rev Ian Paisley also raised the issue of visits to Northern Ireland by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Prince of Wales. He asked why it was that Mr Ahern had been able to go to Derry but the prince had not.
The Assembly sits again today and will be debating a motion that a group of Christian broadcasters be facilitated in their use of unused AM radio frequencies.
The Assembly Committee on Higher and Further Education will be discussing the progress of its student funding review.
Tomorrow, the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee will hear a submission from the Strategy 2010 steering group as part of its inquiry into the North's economic Strategy 2010.
The Committee on Health, Social Services and Public Safety will receive briefings on children's services from the Office of Law Reform and from the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem agency.
The Regional Development Committee will meet its Minister, Mr Peter Robinson. The Committee on Finance and Personnel will be briefed by departmental officials on developments relating to the EU Structural Fund.
The Executive meets again on Thursday.