COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday 27 January 2011

SD 03/10/11

COMMITTEE CONCERNS OVER HOUSING EXECUTIVE RESPONSE

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Social Development heard detail today on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s (NIHE) response to the recent severe cold weather. Social Development Minister, Alex Attwood was at the Committee to outline NIHE’s response to the crisis. The Committee learned that some 22,000 NIHE homes were badly affected by the cold weather and the ensuing thaw in December and January.

Committee Chairperson, Simon Hamilton, MLA said: “The Committee was shocked by the sheer number of NIHE homes which suffered burst pipes or damaged boilers following the recent cold spell. Members could not understand how so many NIHE tenants could be affected and yet the impact on privately owned homes appeared to be considerably less. In this context the Committee welcomes the Minister’s Invest to Save initiative to reduce the likelihood of this happening again.

“Members were particularly angry at the breakdown in communication between the NIHE, its contractors and most importantly of all the tenants. We all felt that this simply is not good enough and NIHE must demonstrate a tangible improvement in its service. This point is crucial. The Committee is not interested in good intentions or promises. We will be pursuing this issue doggedly and will be demanding evidence that NIHE will provide a much improved service to its tenants in the event of future bad weather.”

The Social Development Committee’s review of the Housing Executive’s response is ongoing.

Ends

Further information on the Social Development Committee can be found at: http://archive.niassembly.gov.uk/social/2007mandate/socialhome_07.htm

The Committee for Social Development membership is:

Mr. Simon Hamilton MLA (Chairperson)
Ms. Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr. Sydney Anderson MLA
Mrs. Mary Bradley MLA
Mr. Mickey Brady MLA
Mr. Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr. Alex Easton MLA
Mr. Tommy Gallagher MLA
Ms. Anna Lo MLA
Mr. John McCallister MLA
Mr. Fra McCann

The Clerk of the Social Development Committee is:

Peter McCallion
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 90 521864
Mobile : 07825141294
Email: peter.mccallion@niassembly.gov.uk

Media enquiries to:

Jennifer Pleavin
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 1606
Mobile : 07502 379339
Email: jennifer.pleavin@niassembly.gov.uk

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 5938
Mobile : 078 998 64368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk