The Official Opposition at Stormont will begin an engagement and outreach programme with trade unions, civic society groups and sectoral organisations starting this week aimed at addressing the challenges our society faces and working with experts to present solutions.

The programme, with an initial focus on the cost of living crisis, will begin at Stormont on Wednesday where an SDLP delegation led by Matthew O’Toole MLA will host a series of meetings with trade unions, representatives of the retail sector and community sector organisations.

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA wrote last week to all ministers and permanent secretaries asking for urgent action from their departments on cost of living, even in the absence of a fully formed Executive, and called on the Executive to convene a cross-departmental cost of living taskforce to work with key stakeholders.

Matthew O’Toole MLA said:

“The SDLP Official Opposition at Stormont will be a constructive force determined to improve the lives of the people we represent. In the face of the most severe domestic financial crisis facing households across our communities, the SDLP is hosting a series of engagements with trade unions, community sector organisations and business groups aimed at addressing the big challenges people are up against.

“We are bringing together people who understand the severity of the crisis and who have experience and knowledge that can be applied to develop solutions. Three months after people voted for change in May’s Assembly election, they deserve much better than the deadlock and division that they’ve got at Stormont. We will provide a radical and robust new alternative.”