Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson and member of the Social Development Committee, Fra McCann MLA, has said that the revelations of an £18 million overspend to contractors by the Housing Executive needs to be investigated and answers provided urgently.

Mr McCann said: "Sinn Féin have been publicly on the record for some time stating clearly that ongoing problems exist within all aspects of Housing Executive contracts from maintenance and pre-planned schemes.

"I welcome the fact that this has now been brought to light and we must ensure that it cannot happen again within the Housing Executive.

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"Any investigation needs to include the Minister’s department, who are the parent body of the Housing Executive and the role of ministers past and present who have the ultimate responsibility of oversight in ensuring that things are done right.

"There is no merit in outlining the serious nature of the problems whilst not undertaking an all encompassing review of the entire fiasco which has cost the public purse dearly.

"The minister has said in his statement to the Assembly where he believed some of the responsibility lies, while I agree with some aspects, it is too narrow an approach.

"Any review needs to be widened to find out if these problems should have been picked up, not just by those in charge at the Housing Executive but also by the Department of Social Development.

"What the minister needs to do now is ensure that all steps are taken to get to the bottom of this problem and an explanation given on how this could have happened in the first place."

(CD/MH)