Alliance claim that Emma Little-Pengally holding up delivery branded as 'pathetic'

A claim from an Alliance Party MLA that deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has been holding up delivery in the Stormont Executive has been branded "pathetic" by DUP leader Gavin Robinson.

Mr Robinson was speaking as the devolved powersharing Executive published its Programme for Government, setting out priorities for Stormont departments for the next two years.

On Sunday, Alliance deputy leader Eoin Tennyson blamed the DUP for the slow pace of delivery from the Executive.

He singled out Ms Little-Pengelly for criticism, claiming she had been "sitting on Executive papers for months on end".

Mr Tennyson said: "So far in this mandate, my analysis is that it has been the deputy First Minister largely holding up progress within the Executive by refusing to even let papers onto the agenda for discussion, never mind agreement.

"That is not good enough, it is anti-democratic and it is holding up delivery in the Executive."

Responding on Monday, Mr Robinson said: "I think it's pathetic and I think it comes on the back of a LucidTalk poll which recognises the strength of the deputy First Minister and her popularity amongst the Northern Ireland public.

"But Alliance don't seem to understand the nature of agreement.

"The Executive cannot proceed (on the basis) that an individual minister can bring forward a paper and expect that everyone is going to agree.

"Agreement takes time, it takes hard work and agreement at times take compromise."

Mr Robinson said it was a "good day for Northern Ireland" with the publication of the Programme for Government.

He added: "As a party I am very proud of the commitments that are in the Programme for Government which replicate manifesto pledges we made in 2022.

"Support for childcare and support for special educational needs and a recognition of the need to bring down waiting lists.

"Page after page you will see commitments that we have made."