Alliance Deputy Leader Eileen Bell has said the delay in implementing water charges offers the opportunity to stop the implementation of a new type of poverty to Northern Ireland.
Responding to comments by party colleague Kieran McCarthy, the North Down MLA stated: ‘I am glad that this delay will offer us the opportunity to review the whole situation, although we will have to be quick.
‘I agree with the General Consumer Council that the risk is that this will merely be seen as delaying the inevitable. As far as the Alliance Party is concerned, it is not.
‘In Northern Ireland we already have financial poverty and fuel poverty, the last thing we want to do is add water poverty.
‘Once again Alliance will lead the way in seeking to influence decisions on behalf of all our people before they are made, rather than merely moaning about them afterwards.’
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Eileen Bell MLA is also Alliance spokesperson for Social Development.