SINN Féin Foyle MLA Karen Mullan has welcomed an agreement from Housing Executive and Transport NI to work with other statutory agencies in an attempt to secure funding for access projects and to change disability legislation.“I welcome an agreement from Housing Executive and Transport NI to work with a number of other statutory agencies with the aim of securing funding for the installation of minor works such as handrails to alleviate some of the problems in social housing areas.
“The Housing Executive have also pledged, where possible, to assist residents with housing transfers in situations where their current home is no longer suitable due to their mobility issues.“I will also be meeting with the various disability groups with a view towards changing disability legislation relating to social housing.
“This will hopefully make it easier for larger funding streams to be made available to address access issues to individual social housing properties and improve access in areas where social housing is prevalent.
“We want to ensure that our growing, ageing population and citizens with mobility issues are not discriminated against simply because their homes were constructed at a time when physical access issues were not considered during the design of social housing schemes,” she added.
