Lyons rejects calls for reintroduction of intimidation points for social housing

The Communities minister has rejected calls to reintroduce intimidation as a factor in determining the allocation of social housing in Northern Ireland.

Gordon Lyons removed the intimidation criteria from the points system used to prioritise people for social homes in January.

At the time he argued that the measure was unfair, highlighting that victims of intimidation were allocated points while victims of domestic violence were not.

Mr Lyons was urged to rethink on Tuesday as he faced an urgent oral question session in the Assembly on how victims of recent sectarian and racist attacks in Northern Ireland have been rehoused.

Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew tabled the question and raised concerns that the alternative accommodation provided has been unsuitable in a number of instances.

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said there was a need to reintroduce intimidation points.

Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly acknowledged that the intimidation points system had been open to “abuse”, but he questioned if an alternative system could be introduced for specific instances, such as the sectarian and racists attacks witnessed in recent months.

“I’m just worried that in removing the intimidation points, that there’s nothing that has replaced it,” said Mr Kelly.

The summer saw several migrant families forced to flee their homes amid anti-immigration violence in Ballymena and a number of Catholic families also forced to move after being targeted in sectarian attacks in north Belfast.

Addressing the Assembly, Mr Lyons condemned the attacks but he made clear that he would not be reconsidering the removal of intimidation points.

“I think it was the right thing to do to remove intimidation points because of how they were being abused and that now everybody will be treated equally,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to the housing associations about this issue, they were fully supportive of the move that had been made in relation to that, and I’m determined to make sure that everybody has access to the accommodation that they need, and that’s what I am working towards.”

The minister said the issues raised around unsuitable accommodation for some of those fleeing intimidation highlighted the need to build more social homes as he urged MLAs to back his call for more investment in the sector.

“The real problem that we face, apart from the appalling attacks that have been taking place, is a lack of housing, and that’s something that we urgently need to address,” he said.