Emergency repairs unit needed to rescue tenants hit by severe weather

Sinn Féin MLA Fra McCann

THE North’s Housing Executive should set up an ‘emergency repairs unit’ to deal with the huge number of tenants’ heating and water supply problems caused by the harsh winter weather, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Fra McCann MLA has said.

Speaking on Christmas Eve night as he and other Sinn Féin Assembly members and councillors battled alongside families to get emergency repairs done, Fra McCann said the scale of problems need immediate action and cannot be delayed until after the holiday period.

The recent prolonged sub-zero temperatures have left  hundreds of Housing Executive tenants and families with children suffering without heat or hot water during the Christmas and school holidays.

Our office has been inundated with calls from countless families.

Breakdown of heating systems has led to burst pipes, water supply freezing and severe circumstances for the elderly, people with young children and those in ill health.

The Sinn Féin rep added:

The Housing Executive should set up an emergency, full-time service over the holiday period and they need to ensure that the contractors are tendered to deliver a service in what has become an emergency situation.

Many people cannot wait until Christmas and New Year are over. It is essential, as this cold period continues, that immediate action is taken.