Parties at odds in dispute over NI draft budget

The finance minister has said the budget's main priority would be health

Northern Ireland's political parties are at odds in a dispute over Stormont's three-year draft budget.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson accused the other parties of "playing games" over releasing money to help families deal with rising energy bills.

Sinn Fein said all options to resolve the three-year draft budget had been "legally exhausted".

The draft budget was not able to pass through the assembly after Paul Givan resigned as first minister.

The DUP politician's resignation led to the collapse of Northern Ireland's devolved government.

Sir Jeffrey has written to party leaders asking to discuss how to resolve funding and deal with the cost of living crisis.

He refused to accept Sinn Féin's insistence that funding was being held up because of the collapse of the executive.

He said "rhetoric is not what people want to hear, no is not the answer"

'DUP walked away'

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill said Finance Minister Conor Murphy, a member of her party, had done all he could.

There is also about £300m in funding given to Stormont that Sinn Féin said cannot be allocated without an executive.

"We have found ways through on things but we are limited in our ability to do things because the DUP have walked away," said Ms O'Neil.

But Sir Jeffrey said: "They [Sinn Féin] told us it wouldn't be possible to provide funding for sub regional football stadia yet their minister is now bringing forward a funding package.

"Why can Sinn Féin do it for football stadia but not household across Northern Ireland who are struggling with rising energy costs and rising food prices? I'm sorry, I don't accept this "

The leaders of the five largest parties in Northern Ireland are due to meet on Thursday.

A scheme for a one-off £200 payment to help people in NI struggling with rising energy costs will open from 10 March

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald called on the Treasury to intervene.

SDLP deputy leader Nichola Mallon has written to the communities minister proposing an extension to the £200 energy payment support scheme to all bill payers in Northern Ireland.

"There is an urgent need to act now to support all families who are in severe financial difficulty, those in receipt of social security and those on low incomes who are not," she said.

"We have an obligation to pursue every path available to support people who are being hit by this crisis.

"There are clear ways that we could act to support people and families across our communities.

"We need a people-first approach from ministers and we need to see it now."