A motion on the cost-of-living crisis tabled during a specially convened meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has passed comfortably despite both unionist groupings voting against.

The motion referenced the serious detrimental impact on families from rising home energy and food costs alongside the daily escalation of petrol and diesel.

Budget

It pointed to the collapse of the Executive caused by First Minister Paul Givan’s resignation, preventing a budget and the allocation of £300 million hampering full spending power and called for immediate restoration.

Westminster was urged to act where local Ministers cannot, by scrapping VAT on domestic energy bills and cutting duty for the duration of the energy crisis. A windfall tax on energy generators was suggested with funds redirected towards supporting families.

An amendment tabled by Councillor Adam Gannon, SDLP was accepted by the motion proposers and passed by majority vote.

‘Huge burden’

Councillor Barry McElduff of Sinn Fein proposed the motion, stating: “At the minute everyone is focused on the rising cost-of-living which is placing a huge burden on people who are on benefits and low incomes. I particularly want to speak on domiciliary carers who currently do not have money to pay their most basic bills. People are struggling … We have an absolute duty to address concerns of and chart a way forward.”

He described the collapsing the Executive as “a retrograde step” and called for restoration and release the £300 million held to mitigate the current situation.

Through the roof

Seconding, party colleague Councillor Sheamus Greene highlighted: “Just how serious the cost-of-living crisis is, and even moreso in the rural communities. The cost of fuel is through the roof. There’s something seriously wrong. Who is taking the profits from this? Every time fuel goes up the government is taking 60 per cent. Boris Johnston’s solution is to consider making fracking easier and talking about more exploration for oil in the North Sea. It’s almost laughable.”

Financial strain

Proposing his amendment, Councillor Gannon said the crisis: “Couldn’t have come at a worse time with Universal Credit being cut. The financial strain on families is also impacting on mental health. The stress is untold.

“We need political intervention and lack of action is not an option.”

However Democratic Unionist Councillor Keith Elliott refused to support the motion, launching a full-scale attack on Sinn Fein.

He insisted the First Minister’s resignation over the Northern Ireland Protocol, had no impact on the release of the £300 million: “Which Sinn Fein are focusing on to cover up their embarrassment of a Finance Minister who wasn’t able to bring forth a budget that any party outside his own actually supported.

“They said it would be impossible to issue an apology to victims of institutional abuse without an Executive. That apology was made over a week ago.

“The Sinn Fein Communities Minister was forced to U-Turn on football stadiums although still hasn’t released the funding. The Finance Minister brought forward a draft budget which was bad for schools, had a bleak outlook for housing and would take 1,000 police officers off our streets.”

Protocol

Councillor Elliott argued: “The protocol is holding up help for people in Northern Ireland and that is frustrating efforts to ease cost-of living. Last week the DUP Economy Minister was in the United States working to attract investment and jobs for Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein were also in the United States calling for a Border poll.

“They are talking of a crisis while taking out half page adverts in the New York Times.”

Sinn Fein’s Councillor Siobhan Currie described these remarks as “outrageous” and an attempt to re-write the current situation.

“They (DUP) need to be in the Executive. This is electioneering and that outburst doesn’t help anybody. It’s grandstanding.  I call on them to get back into the Executive and do the job. Get this money out to the community.

“The workers and our people need it. We need to do everything we can to ensure the money gets out. In the absence of the DUP going back into the Executive we will support anything which helps where it is needed.”

Not supporting

Ulster Unionist Councillor Robert Irvine advised members while the current crisis and the impact it is having is fully acknowledged, his party would not support either the motion or amendment.

Party colleague Councillor Matthew Bell said the crisis isn’t a new problem and referred to a previous initiative put forward by the Ulster Unionists to establish a Fuel Poverty Task Force and while this was put to the Minister for Communities: “Unfortunately she did not take up that suggestion. I can only wonder if there had been measures in place, would we be now facing the current problem?”

He agreed the Executive: “Needs to be back up and running to help the most vulnerable in our society, but my party cannot support this motion.”

With dissent obvious the Chair Councillor Errol Thompson first put the amendment to the vote which came in 17 in favour, eight against and one abstention.

A similar pattern was reflected on the motion itself which passed 18 to eight.