Northern Ireland's newly published energy strategy has been welcomed, with calls now issued for a clear action plan to support the plan.

Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald commented on the Department for the Economy's strategy, voicing a request for a ban on petroleum licensing.

"The Economy Minister must bring forward a clear and ambitious action plan in January," Archibald said.

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"We are in a climate crisis and need to make progress to decarbonise now, further delay is not good enough.

"We are still awaiting proposals from the Economy Minister on the future of petroleum licensing which he planned to bring to the Executive by the end of the year.

"One of the key principles of the strategy is replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy so there is no place for petroleum development in the north.

"I would urge the economy minister to bring forward proposals to ban petroleum licensing in line with the priorities set in his own Energy Strategy.

"Sinn Féin will oppose any policy proposals that come to the Executive that allow the exploration, drilling for or extraction of petroleum in the north."