Ambitious Housing Bill drafted in Assembly

The minister responsible for urban regeneration and housing has announced wide-ranging proposals for changes to housing law in Northern Ireland.

The draft Housing Bill, launched by Social Development Minister Nigel Dodds consists of 150 clauses and is one of the biggest pieces of legislation to be considered by the devolved Assembly at Stormont.

The consultation exercise will run from 1st March until the end of April. It is hoped that the Bill will be introduced to the Assembly in June 2002 to enable it to proceed through its legislative stages and receive Royal assent by February next year.

The bill includes plans to make it easier to get grants for unfit dwellings and for Housing Association tenants to buy their own homes. In addition measures are included to deal more effectively with anti-social behaviour.

Mr Dodds said: “We are now entering a two-month consultation period on legislation which will impact on people in both social and private housing. Our intention is to tackle anomalies and problems in the current law and to tackle serious issues in the field of housing.

“I would urge individuals and representative bodies to study this draft Bill and let us have their comments for consideration before the Bill is put before the Assembly later this year.”

SDLP Assemblyman for South Down Eamonn O'Neill has criticised Mr Dodds for what he described as a “heartless approach to homelessness”.

Speaking about the draft Housing Bill, Mr O'Neill said: “We now have the opportunity in the Northern Ireland Assembly to make a real difference to the lives of our people, especially the poor and the vulnerable in our society.

“Surely there is no-one poorer or more vulnerable than a homeless person. Nigel Dodds' draft Housing Bill neither deals with the growing problem of the homeless, nor outlines any new or innovative approach to the problem.

“This draft bill simply isn’t good enough and the SDLP will not allow such a limp piece of legislation to go through the Assembly unchallenged and unamended.” (AMcE)