Executive plans will fail to provide more mixed housing - Lo

3.09.00pm GMT Mon 4th Feb 2008

Alliance Social Development Spokesperson Anna Lo MLA

Alliance Social Development Spokesperson Anna Lo MLA has said that the Executive will fail on the important issue of providing more mixed housing. She said that their Programme for Government does next to nothing to show people they believe that this vital issue is a priority for them.

Anna Lo MLA said: "Where are the groundbreaking plans everyone expected from the Stormont Executive? Where are the initiatives to bring the community together on the ground? There is little indication in their Programme for Government that creating more mixed housing is a real priority.

"Changing Northern Ireland has to start from the ground and mixed social housing provides people with a safer, friendlier atmosphere to live in.

"The Executive should be ashamed of their selective vision. They choose not to see the real need for measures to tackle division, because it will jeopardize their political power base.

"We have co-operation in the First and Deputy First Minister's Office, but no action from the Executive to create a shared future on the ground.

"There is a real danger of a vacuum being created, where what is happening in the Executive bears no resemblance to policy on the ground. We need action on demolishing division in our society.

"A report published by Paisley and McGuinness' own office showed that well over £1 billion is wasted every year on maintaining segregation. Wasting this amount of cash is very damaging for frontline services. Having more mixed housing in the long term will mean less cash wasted of division.

"Instead of building more mixed housing, the Executive appears keen to maintain the Berlin Wall of segregation which exists here."

ENDS