Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Mickey Brady slams Housing Executive proposals to plunder its maintenance budget

Published: 15 May, 2009

Sinn Féin assembly member Mickey Brady has criticised the Housing Executive's decision to slash the housing maintenance budget under pressure from Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie.

Commenting on the announcements,

"Although for some time we have been expecting such an announcement, we are nonetheless shocked by the extent of the cuts in Housing Executive's announcement.

"This will have a severe impact on the Housing Executive housing stock here in Newry and across the 6 counties, there is a fear the many jobs here in Newry and Armagh are now vulnerable.

"This decision will adversely impact on old people and vulnerable in particular, existing HE housing stock is in many cases in dire need of refurbishment. Sinn Féin has said on numerous occasions that this is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, the Minister cannot abandon people living in substandard and poorly maintained Housing.

"The loss of this funding will impact severely on builders who are relying on these contracts and will now find themselves in severe difficulty. This will have a knock on affect for local building suppliers who rely on local contractors and will have a negative impact on the local economy here in Newry and Armagh.

"There has already been 21 staff redeployed from the Newry HE office to other locations across the North. The staff in Newry HE maintenance (17 - 20 job)s are now also at risk.

"To many it would seem the Minister is paving the way to the closure of the Housing Executive Offices and frontline Services here in Newry.

"I am calling on the Minister to make her plans for the future of HE maintenance Grants and the future of the HE here in Newry public.

"What the Building trade, the HE staff and the people in housing need in Newry needs now are assurances from the Minister that jobs will not be affected."