Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
Said the Foyle MLA: ‘I welcome Minister Hargey back to her post.
‘Minister Hargey will have to hit the ground running. Increased support for our most vulnerable, in the form of welfare mitigations, have been extended by regulations since March but that can only go on for so long.
“New primary legislation is needed to mitigate against welfare reform into the new financial year.
“The Minister cannot sit back and allow the worst of Tory welfare reform to inflict harm on our people.
“It is imperative that the additional support is implemented to address the two-child tax credit rule and the benefit cap and extend protection to the hundreds of family currently subject to the bedroom tax.
“I repeatedly asked the former Minister, Caral Ní Chuilín, for reassurance that she would not push this legislation through on accelerated passage but to no avail.
“With the benefit claimant count rising and set to soar, it is vital that this legislation is scrutinised by the Assembly and civic society as thoroughly as possible and accelerated passage curtails the opportunity for this.
‘Minister Hargey must set out her plans before the Assembly rises for recess so that claimants – current and potential – know that this isn’t being allowed to lie by the wayside.”
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