Not one new house provided under North Belfast Housing Strategy between 2007-2008 – Sinn Féin reveals

“Not one new house has been provided under the North Belfast Housing Strategy between 2007-2008," local Sinn Féin MLA Caral Ní Chuilín has revealed.
The shocking statistic was released by Department of Social Development (DSD) Minister Margaret Ritchie, in response to an Assembly Question.
Describing the revelation as a ‘scandalous indicator of the Housing Executive and DSD's contempt for the rights and needs of North Belfast’, Ní Chuilín said:
"Out of 283 social housing units provided in 2007-2008, the people of North Belfast didn't get one single new house. Every new social housing unit provided was a flat.
"Clearly those responsible for delivering the so-called 'housing strategy' don't believe that families in North Belfast should be permitted the basic dignity of living in a house.
"The mentality which forces the poorest families in our society to either 'take a flat' or 'take a hike' is appalling.
"North Belfast is being badly let down by those responsible for public housing provision.
"I would be interested to know how much of the DSD/Housing Executive budget has been spent on buying up new flats off-the-shelf from 'fat-cat' developers.
"Plans on the NIHE New Build Social Housing Guidelines do not inspire confidence that this issue will be addressed, as this proposed policy would result in a 25% reduction in social housing new build for Belfast as a whole over the next 5 years. There is no indication of how this reduction will be felt in North Belfast, which is still suffering from chronic shortage of social housing.
"Housing in North Belfast - as everywhere - must be provided on the basis of objective need. I want to commend all of those still campaigning for that basic civil right,” said the Sinn Féin MLA.

Philippines peace mission – 2009

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War crime charges against Israel must be investigated - Ní Chuilín

North Belfast MLA Carál Ní Chuilín this week backed calls for investigators to be sent into Gaza to examine charges of war crimes by Israel.
The call was made by the the UN Relief and Works Agency's Gaza Operations Chief following the shelling of its buildings during the three weeks of Israeli attacks on Gaza.
“I welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas," said Carál Ní Chuilín, "however the fact remains that Israel has questions to answer regarding the targeting of civilians and UN buildings as well as the use of white phosphorous throughout its military attack on Gaza over the last three weeks.
“Until these questions have been answered the European Union should not resume its plans to increase its preferential trade arrangements with Israel.
"The EU cannot continue to shirk its responsibility to promote peace in the region. That means tough actions to follow tough talk.
“Israel enjoys many economic privileges from its relationship with the EU. However Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Agreement obliges Israel to respect human rights and democratic principles. Israel is now, and arguably always has been, in breach of these agreements.
“In the interim Israel must end its blockade of Gaza and open up all border checkpoints to allow the maximum amount of food and medical aid in.
"The international community must also act to ensure that the necessary reparations are put in place as quickly as possible so that the rebuilding of Gaza can begin.
"Hundreds of thousands of people are without access to water and sanitation and many thousands more are returning home to find their homes and communities destroyed.
“A report issued late last year by the International Committee of the Red Cross detailed the ‘devastating’ effect of Israel’s blockade in place since the summer of 2007 and outlined in detail the ensuing chronic malnutrition in Gaza.
"The report also noted that the heavy restrictions on all major sectors of Gaza's economy, compounded by a cost of living increase of at least 40%, was causing ‘progressive deterioration in food security for up to 70% of Gaza's population’. Its report also stated that these realities were in turn is forcing people to cut household expenditures down to ‘survival levels’.
"I am urging people to consider donating to the Irish Medical Aid for Palestine organisation which was set up in November 2007 to address the shortfall of medical resources in the region as a result of the ongoing conflict and the effects of Is rael’s blockade.”

Delays on housing projects ‘unacceptable’ – Kelly

Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly has called on the Department for Social Development to give the green light to three North Belfast housing projects, one of which has been delayed for more than a decade.
Mr Kelly made his call following a meeting with Housing Executive Chief Paddy McIntyre last Friday morning.
“I and party colleagues Carál Ní Chuilín and Shauneen Baker met with Paddy McIntyre to tackle a wide range of housing issues affecting North Belfast," said Gerry Kelly.
“We have called for a decision to be made immediately to redevelop the New Lodge’s Long Streets.
“The Housing Executive says it is still waiting for a decision from the Department of Social Development before the green light can be given to a redevelopment scheme.
“This is simply not good enough. The people of the Upper Long Streets have been waiting almost a decade for redevelopment.
“I call on DSD minister Margaret Ritchie to move this on as a matter of urgency.
"She told the residents of the Long Streets when she came into office almost two years ago that they would have a decision within months.
"We seem to be no closer to that decision today than we were in 2007.”
Gerry Kelly also pressed the Executive to start work on the redevelopment of Parkside.
“Conditions for the remaining residents in Parkside continue to deteriorate and the Executive said that work could begin quickly there if the DSD gives the go ahead.
“This is also the case with work which should have started by now on cladding for the New Lodge’s Seven Towers.
“The cladding was approved in response to the blight of dampness in the flats.
"No one, especially children and the elderly, should be expected to live in these conditions in this day and age and it is unacceptable for the minister to delay the work even a day longer.”
During Friday’s meeting the Sinn Féin representatives also raised the issue of ‘hot spots’ in areas which have had a problem with anti-social behaviour.
“We have made it clear to the Executive that it is must play a key role in the multi-agency meetings being held to tackle issues around anti-social behaviour and addressing the needs of local residents.”

Call on Ritchie to lift ban on house repairs

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín has called for much-needed repair work on Housing Executive homes to resume immediately.
Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie recently called a halt to all repairs, adaptations and new tenant repairs in Housing Executive homes right across the North.
Carál Ní Chuilín said the suspension of repair work is unacceptable.
“I understand that the Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has now called a halt to all repairs, adaptations and new tenant repairs in Housing Executive properties across the North,” said the North Belfast MLA.
“This is unacceptable. To suggest that the minister has had to suspend these contracts because of money surrendered by her department before Christmas is misleading.
“I am concerned that the minister is manipulating the situation.
“The fact is that the budget to cover this planned programme of work was set last year when the contracts agreed for the work.
“The money surrendered by Margaret Ritchie was for work that would not even be started in the current financial cycle; existing contracts were not affected in any way.
“Those who will be affected by this move will be those most in need in society and that is a huge cause of concern.”

Ní Chuilín meets with Union over possible job loses

North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín met this week with representatives of the trade union NIPSA about possible job losses in social security offices as a result of a government review.
NIPSA fears that up to 200 jobs could go in social security offices under a new scheme to redeploy staff and that many workers will face very real practical difficulties traveling to work.
Carál Ní Chuilín called on the Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie to call a halt to the plans to relocate workers and cut jobs.
“We are very concerned at the scale of job losses which would come about as a result of this review,” said Carál Ní Chuilín.
“We believe that up to 200 workers could lose their jobs as a result of the proposed redeployment.
"The objective of the review was to improve accessibility for applicants, which is now even more important given the rise in the numbers of people out of work and the growing economic crisis.
“However, one of the proposals to emerge from this review is to replace the face to face service applicants currently benefit from with a phone service.
“I am concerned that this will seriously affect the quality of service for new applicants in particular at a time when people need all the help they can get.
“What works for England won't necessarily work here.”
Carál Ní Chuilín said that the minister should now bring the review to a close.
"The primary concern in all of this should be the claimant,” she said. “As we head into further economic uncertainty and hardship, the Minister for Social Development should not allow this review to continue.
“The 35 Social Security Offices across the North are a vital service which will no doubt act as a further help as we face into darker economic days.
“Should this review continue then it will remain open until the 31st of January and I would call on as many community groups as well as individuals to have their say and oppose plans to redeploy staff and services throughout the Six Counties."

Fly tippers using entry as a dumping site - Lavery

Sinn Fein councillor Danny Lavery has called on the Housing Executive
to secure a North Belfast entry beside a school playground, which is
being used as a dumping site by illegal fly tippers.
"Belfast City Council workers were called out this week to do a major
clean-up of an entry which runs at the back of Wyndham Street and
alongside Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain," said Danny Lavery.
"The entry was absolutely filthy after the Christmas period due to
illegal fly tipping. It is not secure and local people have told me
that fly tippers are arriving in vans and dumping their rubbish there.
"This problem has been allowed to run for some time now and it
presents a major health hazard to local people and the schoolchildren
alike.
"I am calling on the Housing Executive to ensure that the entry is
properly secured to prevent this illegal dumping happening in future.
"I would like to thank the council's cleansing department for their
swift response to my request for action but I am also asking council
enforcement officers to check the rubbish to see if there are any
clues as to who is responsible for the dumping."