Sinn Féin has no say on where £1 billion of extra funds for the north will be spent because the party has excluded itself from positions of influence, the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.
The Lagan Valley MP's comments came after Sinn Féin northern leader Michelle O'Neill said it would be unacceptable for a group of Tory and DUP MPs to decide where public funds are to be spent in Northern Ireland.
The Mid Ulster MLA insisted that only a restored Stormont executive can allocate the additional money secured by the DUP as part of a 'confidence and supply' deal to support Theresa May's government.
Ms O'Neill was speaking to The Irish News on Monday amid continued uncertainty about the role of the so-called consultative committee referenced in last month's agreement between the two parties.
Initially, it was said that the committee would only "discuss and agree the handling of legislation".
However, a second statement described it as a "mechanism" by which both the Conservatives and DUP "can agree the funding Northern Ireland needs".
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has also voiced fears that the committee may act like an "interim executive".
Sir Jeffrey confirmed yesterday that the committee had held its first meeting last week.
The six-member group includes Sir Jeffrey, Nigel Dodds and Sammy Wilson from the DUP, alongside First Secretary of State Damien Green, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride and Tory chief whip Gavin Williamson.
It is scheduled to meet again in September.
Sir Jeffrey said the committee was the mechanism by which the two parties would consult on all the matters covered by the agreement.
He said the DUP had already exercised its influence in the first instance by securing the funds and earmarking where some of the money it would be spent.
Sir Jeffrey said the secretary of state had signalled that he was likely to present a regional budget in the autumn if there was no Stormont executive and that the DUP would again use its influence, along with other parties, to help decide where funds were spent.
Sir Jeffrey said the DUP's preference was for an executive to allocate the money.
“However, if we return to direct rule clearly those parties that take their seats at Westminster are going to have greater influence because in the end the decisions will be taken at Westminster," he said.
He said Sinn Féin has seven Westminster but chooses not to take them.
"They also have the opportunity to form an executive but refuse top do so, so again we’re not wanting to exclude people from this process but sadly they’ve excluded themselves," he said.
"In the end if the decision-making process returns to Westminster then clearly those who are active at Westminster are going to have more influence – that’s realpolitik."