Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson has called on the DSD Minister Nelson McCausland to state when the Housing Executive will award the 20 extra points for people on the housing waiting lists who are living in temporary private rented accommodation.

Fra McCann MLA said: "In October 2010 Sinn Féin called for a fairer system of the allocation of points for all those people who are living in private rented accommodation and wrote to the then Minister Alex Attwood.

-- Advertisement --

"At the time we were told that the Housing Executive and the Minister were looking at this under the Common Selection scheme and hoped to have the problem sorted in the new year of 2011.

"It is now 2012 and the situation is still the same and I have heard nothing in regards to this problem.

"It has long since passed the time this issue should have been resolved and people living in private temporary accommodation granted the extra points. There are many people who find themselves in this situation and if they had the extra 20 points could well have been allocated a home of their own by now."

Sinn Féin is calling on the Minister of Social Development Nelson McCausland and the Housing Executive to move on this issue.

(CD/GK)