SDLP MLA Joe Byrne.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has been lambasted for its their failure to find an immediate resolution to the ongoing housing maintenance backlog throughout the Strabane District.
Acording to Joe Byrne, the SDLP West Tyrone MLA, the backlog has led to considerable problems in housing allocation and significant delays in housing waiting times.
Mr Byrne continued “The senior management of the Housing Executive seem to have walked blindfolded into this embarrassing crisis for months and don’t appear to appreciate the seriousness of the situation.
“It is time management woke up and dealt with this fiasco immediately.
“During the past year we have witnessed a growing backlog in housing maintenance repairs throughout the Strabane District.
“This worrying development hasn’t only delayed necessary repairs, but also housing allocation and lengthy housing waiting times.
“This has presented considerable difficulties for local residents and indeed for our local NIHE staff in Strabane with little or no sign of a solution.
“The Housing Executive sacked its main contractor for Strabane in mid-June, following months of complaints over the backlog in outstanding repairs.
“In June the figure stood at 400 homes across the Strabane district awaiting repairs which has risen significantly over the summer months.”
Mr Byrne claimed the SDLP Advice Centre in Strabane and the party’s constituency representative Daniel McCrossan had been “inundated” with calls and visits from concerned residents awaiting repairs for months.
He added: “A significant number of single parents have sought our help and advice that have been allocated houses but have been unable to move in because the property is inhabitable and awaiting maintenance work.
“I know a young mother of two who was allocated a house last April and has been unable to move into the house because works haven’t yet started.
“In another case a mother has been sleeping on a friend’s sofa since June for the same reason. These are only two of many examples outstanding and it simply isn’t acceptable.”
“The NIHE senior management must wake up to this crisis and take this issue seriously before it gets any worse.”
“The poor management of this situation by NIHE is unjustifiable, many lives of vulnerable families, the elderly and disabled have been disrupted for months.”
Mr Byrne concluded: “I am calling on the NIHE to write to each of those affected and apologise for these delays, but more importantly deal with them.”
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