Assembly Committee to Work with Minister for the Benefit of Local Communities

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Social Development today expressed its commitment to work closely with the new Minister for Social Development, Nelson McCausland. The Committee Chairperson, Alex Maskey MLA welcomed the Minister to his first formal engagement with the Committee, when the Minister outlined the key issues and challenges facing the Department of Social Development.

Committee Chairperson Alex Maskey MLA said: “Social Development has a wide ranging remit in tackling disadvantage and building sustainable communities - this includes issues associated with welfare reform, social housing and housing support services, town centre regeneration and areas of social disadvantage. There are complex and important issues to be addressed and it is our hope that a close working relationship between the Committee and the Minister and his Department will help us to achieve positive results for the community over the next four years.”

“The Committee has a statutory responsibility to advise, scrutinise and assist the Minister in his formulation and implementation of policy.”

“We want to ensure that measures put forward by the Department are the best that they can be and will tackle and resolve many serious economic and social issues affecting our local communities.”