SF criticises housing policy here but they are cutting housing budgets in Northern Ireland – Coffey

“Earlier this week in the Dáil Sinn Féin criticised the Government’s housing strategy that will see €3.8 billion invested in housing over the next six years. But in Northern Ireland, where Sinn Féin are in government, the department responsible for housing has had its budget cut by 10% this year,” said Minister Paudie Coffey.

“In Northern Ireland the Department of Social Development, responsible for housing, has had its budget cut by 10% for 2015/16. As a result the target number of social housing units to be delivered has been reduced from 2,000 to 1,500.

“The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the North’s housing authority, responsible for social housing has also had its budget cut by over 10%.

“Yet, speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Sinn Féin’s Dessie Ellis said: ‘Sinn Féin has been clear from the very start of the crisis that the problem is a shortage of social housing and the only solution is more social housing.’

“So Sinn Féin is calling for more social housing here, while their government up the road is cutting the social housing budget. This doesn’t add up, like all Sinn Féin policies.

“The Social Housing Strategy announced by this Government will deal with the housing shortage in this country.  This plan was launched last November, funding has been put in place and I am calling on Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to step up to mark and come forward with their plans to deliver social housing in areas where there is demand.  Around 35,000 social housing units will be supplied by 2020. The needs of a further 75,000 households will be met through the Housing Assistance Payment and the Rental Accommodation Scheme.

“While Sinn Féin continue to speak out of both sides of their mouths we’re getting on with our plan to grow the economy, create jobs and make work pay to ensure that everyone feels the benefits of recovery and so we can ultimately create a better country.