COMMITMENTS WERE MADE TO RESIDENTS, AND NOT KEPT…

Lasair Dhearg worked closely with residents for many months, campaigning for Gas Heating to be installed in Carrigart Flats. With pressure being placed upon the Housing Executive and local political parties like Sinn Féin, residents received a letter from Sinn Féin’s Arder Carson and Alex Maskey telling them that after ‘extensive lobbying’ they had got the Housing Executive to agree to install gas heating in February 2019.

At the time, we promised not to let this issue go away until residents had finally had gas installed, though we did allow a window of time (and then some!) for the promises that were made to be followed through on. We now ask – was this a deliberate lie, in an attempt to stop the campaign?

Here’s what we know so far:

Sinn Féin’s letter said, “…the work to replace the heating system is schedule for February 2019” and “…we will endeavour to keep residents informed of any changes to the schedule.” None of this has happened. After a local community group very recently pursued the Housing Executive on our behalf, the housing officer for the area replied, “As far as I am aware it will be some time in the Spring.”

ALL THIS SUGGESTS IS THAT THERE IS NO FIRM DATE FOR INSTALLATION.

After investigating this further, Lasair Dhearg now understands that the Housing Executive has not put any gas installation work at Carrigart Flats out to tender or committed any internal survey work in advance of its installation. What does this mean? Effectively – the Housing Executive has no firm plans to install gas heating in Carrigart Flats at present. This could suggest that it may well be a significant period of time until Gas Heating is installed, if indeed it is. Does this mean another winter with Economy 7 heating and its associated problems? Very possibly.

What should happen now?

We believe that residents fought hard to get what was rightfully theirs, and that we should not let this issue go away.

With that in mind, we remind you that it is less than four weeks until the local elections – now is the time to apply as much pressure as possible on local political parties to resolve this issue and to keep the promises they made. When they call to your door scrounging for your vote – make sure to tell them how you feel about false promises.