By Caroline Magee from NICVA
Published on 18 Nov 2008
NICVA (the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in NI) has welcomed signs that there may be a meeting of the NI Executive this week.
Chief Executive, Seamus McAleavey, commented:
"We urge the NI Executive to meet and to progress the urgent issues facing many people in Northern Ireland as they struggle to pay bills and make ends meet. This week has highlighted issues such as older people being unable to heat their homes and the Executive is in a position to do something about this. We also know Ministers have been seeking information on issues such as debt, as the credit crunch bites. Here too they could take action. Other ongoing issues such as education also need to be dealt with urgently."
Mr McAleavey continued:
"If the signs are right, our members working in communities throughout Northern Ireland would warmly welcome an Executive meeting to send a signal that we do have a stable government in Northern Ireland. The longer we remain without this, the more cynical and disenchanted people become about devolution.
"We would urge Ministers to review the Programme for Government and in light of drastically changed circumstances, make adjustments as necessary. Most importantly the Executive needs to thrash out agreed positions on the issues that divide them and then implement those decisions. In times of world economic crisis only a united NI Executive can deliver the response that people hope for."
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