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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Threatened policeman 'in limbo' | Threatened policeman 'in limbo' |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie said lack of funds meant she could not help a police officer and his family forced from their home by a dissident threat. | Housing Minister Margaret Ritchie said lack of funds meant she could not help a police officer and his family forced from their home by a dissident threat. |
| The officer applied to the government's Sped scheme, which buys property from people considered to be in danger. | The officer applied to the government's Sped scheme, which buys property from people considered to be in danger. |
| He said he had agreed a price of £250,000 with the Housing Executive for his house, but was later sent a letter saying the funds were not available. | He said he had agreed a price of £250,000 with the Housing Executive for his house, but was later sent a letter saying the funds were not available. |
| The officer said he felt he had been "let down big time" by the minister. | The officer said he felt he had been "let down big time" by the minister. |
| "Margaret Ritchie recently launched a programme in Lurgan teaching children to manage money which, I think, is a joke considering her own organisation cannot manage their own money," he said. | "Margaret Ritchie recently launched a programme in Lurgan teaching children to manage money which, I think, is a joke considering her own organisation cannot manage their own money," he said. |
| "I don't think Ms Ritchie should be hiding behind the banner of the Department of Social Development. | "I don't think Ms Ritchie should be hiding behind the banner of the Department of Social Development. |
| "I think she should come forward and be accountable for her own mistakes and take responsibility." | "I think she should come forward and be accountable for her own mistakes and take responsibility." |
| Mrs Ritchie said she needed more money to help families in need and was pressing for funds. | Mrs Ritchie said she needed more money to help families in need and was pressing for funds. |
| "I faced this year a major shortfall in my housing budget, right across all the pressures of that budget," she said. | "I faced this year a major shortfall in my housing budget, right across all the pressures of that budget," she said. |
| "I am trying to the work the miracle of the loaves and fishes with a depleted housing budget. | "I am trying to the work the miracle of the loaves and fishes with a depleted housing budget. |
| "I have already written to the minister for finance about the Sped budget. | "I have already written to the minister for finance about the Sped budget. |
| "I have told him that I see it as a priority and I have already bid for funds in this September's monitoring round." | "I have told him that I see it as a priority and I have already bid for funds in this September's monitoring round." |
| However the Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, said he wanted to know how Mrs Ritchie had attempted to raise funds herself. | |
| I am trying to the work the miracle of the loaves and fishes with a depleted housing budget Margaret RitchieHousing Minister | |
| "The DSD Minister was funded to deal with the SPED programme," Mr Wilson said. | |
| "She was the only Minister in the last monitoring round who received additional funding for her housing budget. | |
| "The SPED scheme itself should be self-financing so that properties purchased can be resold again. What attempt has Margaret Ritchie made to raise funds? | |
| "It is the responsibility of every Minister to manage their budget and to meet commitments. And this I would expect of Margaret Ritchie." | |
| The police officer was told in March that he was a target of dissidents. | The police officer was told in March that he was a target of dissidents. |
| He and his family moved immediately and were assured that they would qualify for assistance. | He and his family moved immediately and were assured that they would qualify for assistance. |
| The Sped (Special Purchase of Evicted Dwellings) scheme, which is administered by the Housing Executive and the Department for Social Development has no funds left. | The Sped (Special Purchase of Evicted Dwellings) scheme, which is administered by the Housing Executive and the Department for Social Development has no funds left. |
| The family have been living in rented accommodation paid for by the PSNI, while continuing to pay the mortgage on their former home. | The family have been living in rented accommodation paid for by the PSNI, while continuing to pay the mortgage on their former home. |
| Their time in the rented property is about to end. They were about to sign the paperwork on a new home but that now has to be put on hold. | Their time in the rented property is about to end. They were about to sign the paperwork on a new home but that now has to be put on hold. |
| In the intervening six months, the officer, who is in his his late 30s, has suffered a stroke, leaving him partially sighted. | In the intervening six months, the officer, who is in his his late 30s, has suffered a stroke, leaving him partially sighted. |
| The Police Federation has written to the Security Minister Paul Goggins, urging him to resolve the issue. | The Police Federation has written to the Security Minister Paul Goggins, urging him to resolve the issue. |