The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (Nipso) has launched an investigation into the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), which will look into a number of issues, including how complaints are handled, the maintenance of properties, and how the NIHE responds to repairs and adapts properties for those with disabilities. The investigation will also look into the complaints process and whether the standards of temporary accommodation for those in housing crisis are suitable.

The Housing Executive has a legal and moral obligation to ensure that all their properties are maintained to the highest standards. Repairs must be dealt with quickly and efficiently so that tenants do not have to make continuous requests for the same repairs to be made. Leaving repairs for extended periods of time is not only an inconvenience for the tenants but can lead to added expense to the public purse.

The Workers Party is disappointed that the ombudsman has had to take this action. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive was set up as a result of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Campaign to guarantee housing was built and allocated based on objective need and was, and remains, a major achievement.

Over the past decades those who were always opposed to the concept of a Northern Ireland-wide public sector housing body, have undermined the powers to build public homes on a larger scale, to deal with the unmet need as the demand for housing is growing steadily. The right to buy has also had a negative impact on our public housing stock. The Workers Party is on record calling for a State Construction Company to be set up, and an immediate programme of house building to be planned and completed to deal with the housing crisis that has been ongoing for decades.