The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

Executive Parties have no answer on rates debacle - Ford

9.17.10am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Sep 2006

Portrait-yellow: FORD David (photography: Allan Leonard)

Alliance Leader, David Ford

Alliance Party Leader David Ford has said the failure of parties which formed the last Executive to raise the rates issue with Minister David Hanson is evidence of how they have failed the people of Northern Ireland on the issue.

David Ford stated: "Right from the moment the rates reform process was initiated by Sean Farren in the last Executive, we have warned that it would lead to disaster.

"We have been consistent in election manifestos since even well before that time that the local rating system should be replaced with a system based on ability to pay. The system brought in by the Executive parties was never going to achieve that.

"Small wonder, therefore, that they are so shy about raising it with the Minister. Whatever they plead, when they had the opportunity to do something about it, they failed.

"We in Alliance will continue to demand a complete reversal of the current property tax, and to campaign for lower rates based on savings brought about through abandoning segregated public services such as housing and education. Offering clear alternatives is what responsible politics is about."

ENDS

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