Northern Ireland Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has criticised Sinn Féin for not engaging on plans to distribute a £17m UK government fund aimed at helping households with heating oil expenses.

Lyons made the comments while attending an event in Washington DC. He described Sinn Féin's stance as avoiding their duties on the matter and stressed the need for collaboration across parties.

The minister noted that government challenges require joint efforts to resolve issues like this one. He welcomed the £17m package as an initial step but stated it falls short of what is required.

Lyons has directed officials to coordinate with other departments on delivery methods. He acknowledged uncertainty over the timeline for funds reaching households but pledged to pursue clarity swiftly.

One potential approach involves channeling support through means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit, which reach about 300,000 households in Northern Ireland.

Distributing the £17m across all such households would provide roughly £60 per household. Targeting only oil-using homes, estimated at two-thirds of recipients, could increase that to about £90 each, though it introduces added administrative hurdles.