Long says we need quick assurances that NI Water can cope with next cold spell

East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long has said that point-scoring regarding the Regional Development Minister’s position cannot be allowed to distract people from the urgent job of improving NI Water’s procedures to deal with future issues. She said that immediate action was essential given that further adverse weather conditions may be experienced in the very near future.

Naomi Long MP said: “The resignation of Laurence MacKenzie and the political point-scoring over the Minister’s position cannot be allowed to become a distraction from the urgent job of implementing improved procedures to deal with similar future events. Neither can this be left until the results of the inquiry are published, as it will probably take a number of months before any such report is produced.

“With further extremely cold weather predicted, we need the public to be reassured that NI Water are able to cope significantly better under pressure than was the case during this crisis.

“The response to this crisis must not simply just be about heads rolling, it has to be about putting right what was wrong and doing so very quickly. People must never have to face the problems they faced over the Christmas period ever again.”

ENDS