Calls for executive to help with energy costs in Northern Ireland

O’Toole also said “greater priority” should be given to “the transition towards low-carbon and renewable heating sources”.

“We need much more pace and priority to de-transition from volatile fossil fuels, which was supposed to be a priority for the executive,” he said.

Alliance assembly member David Honeyford told The Nolan Show he agreed about the need to “move away” from fossil fuel dependence.

“Families are completely reliant on fossil fuels and home heating oil and gas,” he said.

“We’ve got to look to move away from that to be energy secure here.

“The Department for the Economy is sitting on their hands on this and we aren’t moving fast enough to deliver change.”

An energy strategy for Northern Ireland was published by the Department for the Economy in 2021 and set a target of 70% of local electricity supplies coming from renewable sources by 2030.

However, last October a Northern Ireland Audit Office report found “significant flaws” in the implementation of the strategy and said progress against key targets was “lagging considerably”.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said at the time that her department would be “taking on board the recommendations from the Audit Office and implementing them”.