South Belfast MLA Matthew O’Toole has called on the NI Executive to budget more effectively to deal with the impending collapse of the health service. 

In a contribution to an Assembly budget debate, Matthew O’Toole MLA said: 

“We have seen in stark relief the position our public services will be left in after COVID-19.”

“We face a devastating waiting list crisis. One in four of our population are languishing on waiting lists and it is critical that we deal with this.”

“The last year has been marked by vagueness and a lack of strategy which has plagued the Executive.” 

“Our healthcare crisis is simply unconscionable and we must do better.”

“The SDLP has called for a coherent plan agreed by the Executive with a dedicated funding strategy from Finance Minister Conor Murphy to tackle the healthcare crisis and all the other challenges Northern Ireland faces.”