The NI Housing Executive (NIHE) has strongly denied allegations of a sectarian motivation behind the recent decisions it has taken with regard to the handling of maintenance contracts.

The latest controversy comes on foot of the removal of the existing maintenance contractor - amid allegations of double charging and poor standards of work being undertaken -

An official statement said the NIHE "is saddened and disappointed to learn of the comments in the media in early July implying that there was sectarian motivation behind the recent decisions".

The statement continued: "NIHE should not find it necessary to put on record that it was set up in 1971, primarily, to remove the stigma of sectarianism and bias from the management of social housing.

"We believe we have succeeded, and indeed we are proud of our proven track record of fairness and objectivity in the delivery of our services over the past 40 years.

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"Recent surveys of our customers indicate high levels of satisfaction with our services and equality of delivery."

Referring to the removal of Red Sky as the maintenance contractor, the statement said: "In relation to fraud and corruption, the Board of the Housing Executive will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind and this has already been demonstrated by taking appropriate and effective action in such cases as required.

"We have a record of delivering high levels of public services and we remain fully committed to ensuring maximum accountability and transparency."

Red Sky's contract with NIHE ended in recent weeks after NIHE cancelled that contract after an investigation into the company's activities in April. The firm went into administration shortly afterwards.

Now, three other companies have taken over the Red Sky contract and will fill in until the end of the contract at the end of the year, and the contract will then go out to tender.

The three companies had already been employed by NIHE in adjacent areas.

They are: H&A Mechanical Services, PK Murphy Construction and Whitehorse Facilities Management (part of the HEAT group).

The move is in spite of other controversy over the Red Sky contract after the Stormont Housing Minister Nelson McCausland tried to reinstate the company until a new system for awarding contracts had been introduced.

His intervention was described as "incomprehensible" by NIHE and Mr McCausland's intervention failed in his attempt to stop the contract ending.

(BMcC/GK)