Northern Ireland Assembly members who drive electric vehicles can access free charging at six points behind Parliament Buildings.

MLAs already receive travel allowances ranging from £660 to £6,780 per year depending on distance and attendance.

The free chargers operate on a booking system open to MLAs, party staff and assembly employees.

The Assembly confirmed the chargers are free and that no long-term records track usage or total costs.

The Democratic Unionist Party said its members will not use the free facility and called for a pay-to-charge system similar to public points.

Sinn Féin, the SDLP and People Before Profit stated none of their MLAs or staff use the points.

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said the arrangement means the public could be paying twice for MLAs to travel to Stormont and called on other parties to clarify their use.