Debate contribution: Cost-of-living Crisis
Debate contribution by Mr Paul Boggs on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Boggs
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 19 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Cost-of-living Crisis
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5795963
Read the official Assembly record
Text
We all know and see that the rising cost of living continues to place enormous pressure on workers and families across our communities. As others have said, people are struggling with heating bills, food, groceries and the everyday cost of running a home, with little left at the end of the month. We need to see practical measures to support the people who need it most. The breadth of the crisis is reflected in Trussell's recent numbers, which show that, in the past year alone, 67,851 food parcels were delivered in the North. That is a 60% increase on 2019. Resources are limited, but that does not mean that we should sit on our hands. I respectfully say to the Opposition that there is a difference between holding Executive Ministers to account for taking decisions or for lack of decisions and blaming them for powers and resources that they do not possess.
I am not totally aware of the figure, but I agree with the sentiment that there are schemes and supports in place that the Executive are working towards. As has been alluded to, with the powers available, our Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald secured electricity discounts for more than 800,000 households delivered through electricity bills, and she worked on the socialisation of new grid connections, which puts money back into people's pockets, particularly in rural constituencies like mine in West Tyrone. Our Infrastructure Minister froze public transport fares for a second consecutive year, and, while challenges remain to ensure that transport is affordable and accessible for students, in particular, which has been raised, Minister Kimmins has been clear that she is doing all that she can to support them. Sometimes, we forget about the things that are in place because they keep going, whereas we would focus more on them if they stopped. In recent weeks, the Minister has brought forward the grant to NI Water to ensure that households here are not burdened with water charges, which could see hundreds of pounds added to household bills each year. It is something that the Executive are doing that other Governments and authorities are not. We should recognise those interventions, but we need to acknowledge that, without greater fiscal powers and resources, the Executive have limitations. The motion fails to acknowledge that and presents a flawed narrative. The motion refers to the publication of Budget 2027 in the South, which has brought forward a packet of measures aimed at the cost-of-living crisis, but we believe that it does not go far enough. In truth, the Dublin Government control fiscal powers that the Executive do not have. We do not have the same powers to bring forward the measures that they have in the South.
I will tell you where we will not go with revenue raising: as we have said, we will not put more pressure on workers and families who are feeling the pinch at the minute. We have brought proposals to the Executive for those who can afford to pay a bit more, but your party will not support that. However, that is for you to answer, not for me. Many key powers here remain with the British Government, who control VAT, fuel duty, insurance premium tax and taxation on energy companies that are making enormous profits. They could reduce VAT on home heating oil and fuel, cut insurance premium tax, increase windfall tax and reinvest those proceeds in public services and supporting our people.
Instead, the British Government prioritise spending on a militarisation agenda.
We cannot discuss the cost of living without addressing poverty. As a member of the Communities Committee and somebody who has just come from local council —
Let me make progress on this first. — I find it deeply frustrating that we still do not have an anti-poverty strategy despite the responsibility for it resting with the Minister for Communities. That is something that the Executive do have control over. While we go without an anti-poverty strategy, councils, community groups and community and voluntary sector organisations are being expected to fill the gap indefinitely, and they are doing the heavy lifting. The cost of living is about political priorities. When millions of pounds can be committed to political pet projects while an anti-poverty strategy remains undelivered, the Minister must explain where tackling poverty sits on the agenda, because it requires not only money but the political will to make it a priority. Unfortunately, to date, choices have been made that do not include tackling poverty. In the longer term, we need to be ambitious about where we go and recognise the fact that we do not have all the levers that we need at our disposal. Those who do have those levers need to take a better look at the issues that face people, workers, families and communities here and bring forward a fulsome, comprehensive cost-of-living package that allows us to better support those very same people.
824 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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