Finance Minister John O’Dowd claimed the £17 million funding would only equate to £35 per household using home heating oil in the region, which he described as “extremely disappointing”. On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Northern Ireland will receive a £17 million share of a £53 million package in support of heating oil costs that have risen due to the war in the Middle East. Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Northern Ireland will receive a £17 million package in support of home heating oil costs (Brian Lawless/PA)Around two-thirds of homes in Northern Ireland use home heating oil compared with the UK average of just more than 5%. “If the Government are serious about reflecting the need of home heating oil in Northern Ireland that should be much more than that, so I will be querying that with Treasury and also it needs to be targeted,” she said. Facing a Stormont committee on Monday, Sinn Fein Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald accused the DUP of “peddling mistruth and misinformation” in relation to energy bill support funding.

Source: The Herald March 17, 2026 03:46 UTC