Published Monday, 07 March 2011
The criticism came following a meeting with Labour leader Ed Miliband, who paid his first visit to Stormont on Monday.
Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness hit out at the coalition government's closed-door approach to NI, saying things had been different under Labour.
"We put on record our total dissatisfaction that in the past eight months neither the First Minister or I have met with the Prime Minister," Martin McGuinness told UTV.
"This is a totally unacceptable situation and it's something that certainly never happened under the stewardship of either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown."
There were also accusations that the coalition had backtracked on financial commitments made during the peace process.
"We took the opportunity at the meeting we just had (with Mr Miliband) to explain the particularly difficult economic circumstances that we are faced with at this time," Mr McGuinness said.
"We also raised the issue of the reneging on the financial agreement made (in 2006) at St Andrews with the Labour administration by the Cameron-led Government."
Mr Miliband said that the Labour government, whilst in power, had recognised the "particular circumstances" that faced Northern Ireland.
"Both the First minister and Deputy First Minister have referred to that and the position that we took in government," he said.
"And I do believe that the government should look sympathetically at some of the issues being raised in relation to Northern Ireland's position. That is the position that we would have taken if we had been in government.
"We are determined to continue to work with you now as the official opposition in Westminster. I have said to you that we have an open door policy which we can discuss issues of mutual concern and interests."
A statement from a government spokesperson responded to the criticism by saying the main contact channel for Stormont leaders is through the NI Secretary of State.
"The PM has, of course, met the First and Deputy First Ministers and looks forward to meeting them again in due course," it said.
"Now that devolution is completed and the political settlement in Northern Ireland firmly established, the main contact between the devolved administration and the UK Government is quite properly through the Secretary of State, Owen Paterson."
Meanwhile First Minister Peter Robinson called Monday's meeting "constructive", and said the budget cuts had also been on the agenda.
"I stressed to Mr Miliband the devastating impact of the £4bn Conservative/Ulster Unionist Party cuts in Northern Ireland," the DUP leader said.
"Cuts of the nature imposed on us will undoubtedly impact on Northern Ireland's ability to emerge from recession and grow our economy."
The party's deputy leader Nigel Dodds added that the issue of devolution must not become "detached" from national politics.
Concerns were also raised by SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie, who asked Mr Miliband about the role of MI5 in NI.
"I told Mr Miliband that the role of intelligence gathering must be handed to the PSNI immediately," she said.
"Hard-fought accountability mechanisms and transparent structures are in place. The fight against dissidents can only be won with a community led approach not from London."
The Labour leader was accompanied by the shadow Secretary of State Shaun Woodward on the visit.
The pair pledged to work closely with the power-sharing government in the future.