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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NI Housing Executive to be abolished under new plans | NI Housing Executive to be abolished under new plans |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Northern Ireland Housing Executive looks set to be dismantled in a major re-structuring move by the Department of Social Development. | The Northern Ireland Housing Executive looks set to be dismantled in a major re-structuring move by the Department of Social Development. |
| Plans to scrap the body, which has existed for 40 years, were announced at Stormont by Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland. | Plans to scrap the body, which has existed for 40 years, were announced at Stormont by Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland. |
| He said it was "no longer sustainable or made the best use of public money". | He said it was "no longer sustainable or made the best use of public money". |
| Mr McCausland is proposing major reforms, including a new regional housing body. | Mr McCausland is proposing major reforms, including a new regional housing body. |
| The Housing Executive is one of Northern Ireland's largest public bodies, with almost 3,000 staff and 90,000 homes. | The Housing Executive is one of Northern Ireland's largest public bodies, with almost 3,000 staff and 90,000 homes. |
| A review was carried out in 2011 and the general consensus was that the "do nothing option was not a realistic solution", Mr McCausland said. | A review was carried out in 2011 and the general consensus was that the "do nothing option was not a realistic solution", Mr McCausland said. |
| Under the changes, the houses are likely to be transferred to local housing associations. | Under the changes, the houses are likely to be transferred to local housing associations. |
| Future | |
| Mr McCausland said: "My proposals set out the strategic direction for the way social housing will be delivered which will be fit for the 21st century. | |
| "These proposals not only build on the success of the past, but create structures that will ensure social housing delivery is on a sound basis to build for the future." | "These proposals not only build on the success of the past, but create structures that will ensure social housing delivery is on a sound basis to build for the future." |
| The SDLP's Foyle MLA, Mark H Durkan, criticised the minister for the way he made the announcement. | |
| "The demolition of the Housing Executive, which is the symbol of the one great progressive move in dealing with the north's pitiful legacy of political housing, is bad enough," he said. | |
| "To use welfare reform as the smokescreen for hacking away at this body was a sign of the minister's dual wedding to both a vicious Tory cuts agenda and a determination to re-politicising housing allocations. | |
| "But for the minister to announce it without the chance for MLAs to properly interrogate the decision is an act of rank cowardice." |