A social housing provider in Northern Ireland and Barclays have announced a deal that will see £50 million of funds being used to to help with housing shortages in areas of high demand in Northern Ireland.

The partnership working will provide the boost for both the housing and construction sector and will provide 800 homes for those in housing need by 2020.

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SDLP Social Justice Spokesperson, Nichola Mallon MLA, said: "Whilst these funds are a welcome investment into the creation of social housing new builds, these funds alone do not provide cause enough to celebrate.

"As long as 40,000 families continue to sit on the social housing waiting list, we cannot allow ourselves to become contented with solely relying upon these types of funding methods whilst 39,200 families wait hopelessly on a place to call home.

"Instead what we need is a robust 20-year Housing Strategy led by a Minister that can channel funding consistently and considerately into tackling housing shortages on a mass scale."

(CD/LM)