A delegation of local Sinn Fein Councillors has met with Housing Executive Management and unhappy residents from Clare House flats in Newry to demand action on what are described as “unacceptable living conditions” at the city centre flats complex.
Housing Executive officials were shown the level of damp and decay in apartments at Clare house during the visit last week, which was led by Newry and Armagh MP Mickey Brady along with his Sinn Fein colleagues, Councillors Charlie Casey and Valerie Harte, and affected residents.
Mr Brady commended the residents of the complex for their fortitude in the “long running and totally unacceptable saga” and called for decisive action to be taken by the Housing Executive to address the situation.
“Apart from a small number of individual owner occupied flats, this block is owned and maintained by the Housing Executive. The level of damp and decay in the apartments is appalling and an absolute indictment of the Housing Executive,” said the Sinn Fein MP, who added that the Housing Executive have been fully aware of the issues for a number of years in what he said has been a “long running and totally unacceptable saga.”
“Residents outlined once again the conditions they are living in to the Regional Manager and other Housing Executive Officers. Myself and my colleagues can’t praise enough the residents of Clare House who for many years now have faced frustration and dismissal for many years. They have shown great fortitude”.
The MP said that he felt the most recent engagement with the Housing Executive and residents on site at Clare House had been constructive and he said the Housing Executive “are now in no doubt that the time for talking has stopped and that there now needs to be action.”
“The residents are entitled to a safe, secure and healthy living environment,” he added.
