People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll
Speaking on the session in the Assembly yesterday on the impact of the proposed Universal Credit cut in Foyle, People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said:
“I’m glad we have the opportunity to discuss poverty and deprivation in Derry and the Foyle constituency today. Like my own constituency of West Belfast – far too many people struggle with poverty, the lack of housing, low wages and the effects of decades of neglect.”
“The failure to increase Magee to a 10,000 student population by now is one of the many injustices the Stormont Executive has failed to rectify.
“So is the abysmal failure to improve and vastly expand rail provision for Foyle and across the entire North West.
“As my colleague Eamonn McCann has said many times, the old Stormont regime failed the people of Derry and Foyle but so too has the new Stormont regime.
“27% of people in Derry and Strabane live below the poverty line. Foyle, just like West Belfast, has been ravaged by the welfare reforms brought in by the Executive.
“The Executive’s determination to run public services into the ground in favour of privatisation thats allows a tiny few to profiteer is also having a dramatic impact on people’s wellbeing.
“There’s no doubt that people across the North, including in Foyle, will be hit very hard by the proposed cut to Universal Credit.
“Given Derry and Foyle’s existing levels of deprivation – the cut to Universal Credit, out of control energy prices, pay cuts for health workers and new taxes will hit the area very hard.
“The Stormont Executive is talking about finally putting in place an anti-poverty strategy – but it will mean very little if we can’t protect people right now.
“It’s shocking to me that the Executive has done nothing to demand a Wealth Tax on billionaires, rich corporations and elites. It’s clear they don’t want to upset elites.
“There’s a lot of feigned concern for those trapped in poverty and dependent on food banks in the Assembly from Executive parties – but all 5 of the Executive parties campaigned for a massive cut in taxes for rich, very rich, corporations while they agreed to bring in Tory welfare reforms.
“That action tells us more about the priorities of government parties than all their words of concern.
“If the Tories follow-through on plans to slash Universal Credit – People Before Profit is calling for the Executive to step-in with funding to make sure no one loses out. We need less talk about anti-poverty strategies. We need action not promises from the Executive.
“Will the Executive parties commit today to finding the funding to guarantee no one receiving Universal Credit will lose-out if the Tories follow-through on their cruel cut?
“The Executive threw people in Foyle – and across the North – to the wolves by signing up to Tory welfare reforms.
“The Executive shouldn’t do it again.
“Let’s commit now to making sure no one is punished by the cruel Tory cut to Universal Credit,” added Mr Carroll.
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