O’Toole: Executive one year anniversary marked by lack of achievement

matthew o'toole stormont

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has said the one-year anniversary of the return of the Stormont institutions is marked by a lack of achievement from the Executive.

 

On Monday the SDLP will use our Opposition Day on the Stormont anniversary to bring forward a number of motions highlighting positive solutions to the pressures facing people across Northern Ireland.

South Belfast MLA Mr O’Toole said:

“The public did not expect miracles from the return of Stormont and the Executive, but they did expect focus, clear prioritisation and plans with targets. They have seen virtually none of that over the past year.

“The Executive needs to be clear how and when it plans to reduce health waiting lists, deal with our crumbling water infrastructure and the list of other urgent challenges facing Northern Ireland.

“As part of our Opposition Day, the SDLP will be bringing forward proposals for long overdue reform of the institutions, including overhauling the Ministerial Code to ensure accountability so that no party can block Stormont from functioning. We will once again ask the First and deputy First Minister in good faith to commit to not resigning their position for the rest of the current mandate.

“As a constructive Opposition we have always recognised the limitations and challenges facing the Executive but they cannot continue to simply mark time and expect the public to accept crumbling public services and be grateful for the mere presence of devolution. 2025 must be a year of accountability and delivery or trust in our politics will fall even further."

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