Debate contribution: Cost-of-living Crisis

Debate contribution by Mr Pádraig Delargy on 19 October 2026.

MLA: Mr Pádraig Delargy
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 5795983

Text

When the Assembly was restored in February 2024, the first motion that was tabled and agreed in the Chamber was to demand that the British Government fairly fund this place. All parties supported that and demanded better from Westminster and the Treasury. It is that one voice and unity of purpose that allow us to make the strongest case for change. There is clear agreement on the need for a multi-year Budget. All parties in the House at least appear to support that. However, it has to be one that prioritises our hard-working healthcare staff, teachers and other public-service workers. The proposer of the motion mentioned some of what he wants to see. I agree with a lot of it. That is why Sinn Féin is bringing forward a range of Bills through our MLA team and at Committee to progress holiday hunger payments, tackle homelessness and reduce school uniform costs. However, the glaring omission from the motion is a clear challenge to the British Government to act. None of us can be spectators in this. We have to challenge where it matters and present not just problems but solutions. I would be really interested to see a costed proposal and concrete targets from the Opposition. In the South, Sinn Féin's alternative Budget sets out measures to ease the pressures on households. We have challenged the Dublin Government to do more, particularly for students who are struggling with fees, rent and the everyday cost of living. My party is very clear on not just what we want to do but precisely how we would do it. We would move to abolish third-level fees, starting with a €1,500 reduction; increase Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grants by 20%; and abolish apprenticeship fees. We are putting forward proposals to address those pressures, not just pointing out that they exist. In the North, our Ministers are standing up for families. The Economy Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, recently secured a £63 discount in electricity bills to support each household and is progressing work on the regulation of home heating oil. Our Minister has also worked to protect our students, ensuring lower student fees than those in Britain and increasing postgraduate loans to ensure that as many people as possible can access higher education.
Yes.
I can tell you that the Minister for the Economy gets one of the lowest Budget settlements of any in the Executive, while your party colleague holds over 50% of the Budget, yet does not seem to be tackling any of the pressures that you have raised. As I said at the start, we need to speak with a collective voice, not snipe from the sidelines about particular things.
No.
Yes.
I totally agree. Many of the things that are mentioned have not been devolved. That is precisely the point. Our Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, wants more powers. We cannot control our taxes here. Our funding has been consistently cut, year on year, by a British Government-inspired austerity agenda. While the Executive agree to explore more fiscal devolution, any cross-party agreement on devolved powers will result only in minimal powers being accepted, because that is the reality of devolved government with political unionism. Our political position is this: we will not allow the Irish people to be a mudguard for British austerity. We are not here to administer Westminster's austerity and Westminster's cuts.
As Irish republicans leading in government, we are here to stand up for the Irish people; to demand that our public services are funded properly; to demand fair pay for our workers; and to stand up for every worker and every family. The fact that our Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, is having to battle with the British Government to fairly fund the North proves what we in the House all already know: the Irish people are not and never have been a priority in London. In fact, we are last on their agenda, funded below need and funded less than in Wales or in Scotland: Westminster and the Treasury's last priority. However, the Irish people are Sinn Féin's first priority. Ordinary working people are Sinn Féin's first priority and should be the first priority of everyone in the Chamber. The real way that we can make change happen is by taking control of our own fiscal powers and our own financial destiny, because decisions for Ireland should be made in Ireland by the people of Ireland. We have an opportunity to design that future — one that delivers for all our people — and that is through Irish unity.

761 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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