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MAGINNESS SLAMS ROBINSON'S 'NEO-THATCHERITE' BUDGET SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness condemned Finance Minister Peter Robinson’s draft budget as ‘neo-Thatcherite’. In particular he described the allocation of funding to the Department of Social Development for housing as ‘miserly’. He said: “The allocation is so bad that there is a real doubt as to whether DSD can even build any social housing next year. Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie told the DSD committee meeting in Stormont last week that her budget allocation was completely inadequate for her department to carry out its duty of providing social housing and effective support for community regeneration. “I am bitterly disappointed at this allocation as the housing crisis in my own constituency is at an all-time high. There are more than 2300 applicants on the housing waiting list in North Belfast and about 1300 of them are in housing stress. “The Semple Report on housing recommended a huge building programme over the next ten years. If Peter Robinson’s draft budget is to be implemented, then the problem will rapidly get worse, making people’s lives a misery. Robinson’s approach reminds me of Thatcher at her worst, cutting public services and even denying there is such a thing as society. “Does the Finance Minister not realise there is a housing crisis, and that this crisis must be addressed by giving the DSD proper funding so they can build more social and affordable housing? “When the Executive was restored, many people assumed the end of Direct Rule would mean a more socially just approach to our problems. There is little sign of justice for the homeless in this budget. It must be radically amended.” ENDS
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