Lyttle responds to Assembly Speaker rejection of Social Investment Fund questioning

Alliance OFMDFM spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has responded to the decision of the Assembly Speaker to reject a request for the Assembly to discuss the failure to allocate any money from the Social Investment Fund. Chris had submitted an urgent oral question after the Detail website found that the budget of the Social Investment Fund remains unspent due to a political dispute between the DUP and Sinn Fein. Chris is a member of the East Belfast Social Investment Fund steering group.

Chris Lyttle MLA said: “I respect the authority of the Speaker to decide whether he accepts such requests, but I believe it is important to put on the record that an MLA sought to receive an urgent explanation from an OFMDFM Minister on the floor of the Assembly on the failure to allocate any money to Social Investment Fund projects.

“Many people have expressed their concern at the failure to provide funding to help tackle deprivation across Northern Ireland due to political arguments between the DUP and Sinn Fein. It appears that the DUP and Sinn Fein are playing politics with poverty.

“There is now an urgent need for the First and deputy First Minister to clarify what is happening with this fund.”

ENDS