16 April 2026
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole has said the Executive cannot blame the UK Government for their failure to agree a multi-year Budget.
He was speaking after Thursday’s Executive meeting.
Mr O’Toole welcomed the £100 support for some households relying on home heating oil, but said it was clear more support was needed and the Executive cannot simply shift all the blame to London.
South Belfast MLA Matthew O’Toole said:
“It’s laughable that the Executive has attempted to blame the UK Government for its failure to agree a multi-year Budget when it’s crystal clear to everyone that the real reason is infighting between the Executive parties. They were snubbed by the Secretary of State after extending a bizarre invite for him to attend today’s meeting in an attempt for political cover.
“The SDLP will always fight for more funding from Westminster, but the Executive has been relying on this excuse for every ill and the public are fed up hearing it. Instead of leadership from the Executive parties, Ministers have little more to offer than a request to meet the Prime Minister.
“It’s welcome that this Executive has finally woken up to the £17m in its bank account for low-income households struggling with home heating oil and committed further funding after weeks of refusing to accept the power within its hands to help people. This money will only go so far and there will many families disappointed that a full support package was not brought forward today.
“It should not be lost on people that it took the Communities Minister bouncing the other Executive parties in the media to get this support agreed today. DUP Ministers continue to out manoeuvre their Sinn Féin counterparts who are presiding over crises in multiple departments with no answers that aren’t ‘blame the Brits’.
“Our wastewater infrastructure is in ruins, health waiting lists remain high, social housing targets have been missed, our waterways are polluted and our universities are cutting staff in their hundreds. Since the return of Stormont this Executive has utterly failed to deliver for people. For Sinn Féin and the DUP party politics will always come before the people of the North and that is becoming clearer by the day.”