Allen receives briefing on pressures facing Department of Communities

The Ulster Unionist Party’s East Belfast MLA, Andy Allen, has met with senior officials at the Department of Communities to discuss issues and pressures facing the Department, whose responsibilities include Welfare reform, Housing, Sport and Local Government. 

Andy Allen, who is his Party’s Communities’ spokesperson, said:

“Given the absence of a fully functioning Executive and Assembly at Stormont I wanted to speak directly to the Permanent Secretary and his senior team about a range of issues which would otherwise normally be addressed via a Minister, Assembly Questions and debated in the Chamber with the Minister responsible for the Department.

“I therefore welcome the opportunity to have met with the Permanent Secretary and senior officials to discuss a range of issues including housing targets and waiting lists, an update on welfare reform, progress on the sub-regional stadia programme and local government. 

“Quite clearly a number of important decisions need to be taken - or are rapidly approaching the point where decisions need to be taken - by a Minister. It is imperative that we restore a fully functioning Executive and Assembly at Stormont so that locally elected and accountable politicians can decide what is best for the people of Northern Ireland. Housing and welfare are huge issues affecting many thousands of people in our society and they simply cannot be allowed to drift any longer.

"Sinn Fein and the DUP are running out of road. The absence of a functioning Executive and Assembly continues to impact on the daily lives of everyone, and with each passing day it becomes increasingly apparent that they must return to Stormont to enable locally elected politicians like myself to carry out the functions we were elected to do.”

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