Sinn Féin Social Development Committee members Carál Ní Chuilín, Mickey Brady and Fra McCann has once again outlined the party’s deep reservations concerning the Welfare Reform Bill which is currently passing through the Assembly.
At last weeks initial debate Sinn Féin tabled a number of amendments to the Bill which were defeated following the other parties voted them down.
Speaking ahead of the Bill coming before the Assembly for further consideration stage tomorrow, Newry and Armagh MLA Mickey Brady said;
“Sinn Féin has serious reservations about much of the proposals contained in this Bill; that is why we tabled a number of amendments in an aim to improve the legislation
Sinn Féin will not support sanctions against lone parents. We will not allow the passage of this Bill to proceed without opposition against these proposals and support for the most vulnerable in our society.
The other parties may be content with regulating sanctions, Sinn Féin are not.
Obviously there are aspects of the social security system here that need reformed; however we are not in favour of reform simply for the sake of it.
Fundamentally, we should not be punishing those who find themselves out of work for perfectly legitimate reasons.
The other parties, and the SDLP in particular, have very serious questions to answer about why they are bringing forward legislation that will attack the weakest within our society.”
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