29 April 2025

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has questioned Sinn Fein’s commitment to enhancing Stormont’s financial powers after the Finance Minister failed to turn up to an SDLP Opposition Day debate despite his party voting for the motion.

He was speaking after an SDLP motion calling for greater fiscal devolution was passed in the Assembly on Tuesday.

South Belfast MLA Mr O’Toole said:

“It’s easy to stroll into the Assembly and talk a good game on greater financial powers – but time and again, this Executive proves that it has no interest in doing the hard work of governing. Today Sinn Féin supported our motion, previous Sinn Féin Ministers spent half a million on a Fiscal Commission, they included greater fiscal powers in repeated manifestos, yet their Finance Minister couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to answer today’s debate. This is typical of the bluff and double talk we have come to expect from Sinn Féin.

“Greater financial powers are no silver bullet, but they would at least allow us to take charge of our own destiny. In Scotland and Wales, these tools have been used creatively to fund progressive policies and infrastructure. Local Ministers should be taking responsibility for how we raise and spend public money.

“This Executive is allergic to responsibility, on one hand they will bemoan the failure of the UK Government to properly fund this place, while on the other refusing to take any proactive action to make things better. The SDLP Opposition is focused on delivering real solutions to the challenges facing people here – and we will continue to hold this Executive to account when they fail to act, even when the tools are available to them.”