Assembly to debate scrapping of social security review
Published: 27 February, 2009
Sinn Féin MLA and the party's spokesperson on welfare rights, Mickey Brady has welcomed the opportunity next week to debate the controversial decision by DSD MNinister, Margaret Ritchie to review social security agency services with a view to replacing face-to face contact with an automated telephone service - which would threaten jobs and services in Newry and Armagh.
Mr Brady said:
Next week, the Assembly will debate a motion calling for the withdrawal of the Strategic Business Review of the Social Security Agency which has the potential to be extremely detrimental to workers and service users alike."
"Face-to-face contact for social security claimants will be removed as services are centralized while hundreds of workers face relocation or even redundancy.
"Sinn Féin has already raised these concerns with Minister Ritchie and her response was less than encouraging, stating that the Agency 'faces a very challenging period'.
"However that isn't good enough. We cannot tolerate any dilution of service to people on benefits and neither can we contemplate the potential of further job losses or relocations out of Newry and Armagh.
"Therefore, I am calling on all members to support the motion and I would particularly urge the Minister to state categorically that no jobs will be removed from Newry and Armagh as part of her plans. I am also repeating Sinn Féin's call for her to scrap the review of the Social Security Agency altogether."
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