SDLP West Belfast councillor Paul Doherty has said that the Executive is failing people across the North by not bringing forward an anti-poverty strategy.

He was speaking following a High Corut case on the matter on Friday.

Last year he introduced a motion to Belfast City Council calling on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to introduce the strategy.

Councillor Doherty said:

“The Executive’s failure to bring forward or even prioritise an anti-poverty strategy sends a clear message to those who are struggling or crying out for support. The Executive is well aware that they are in breach of their legal obligation to have this strategy in place, but even then did not include it in their Programme for Government.

“I see the poverty that people are living with every day. Parents who are struggling to put food on the table for their kids, older people living in cold and mouldy homes, this is the reality for many people living not only in my community, but right across the North. How can this not be a priority for our political leaders?

“When I passed my council motion we requested a meeting with Minister Lyons to discuss the strategy, this was refused. The Minister apparently has no time to meet Belfast City Council to discuss poverty but has ample time for the LCC. This shows the blatant disregard that this issue is treated with and it’s time for the Executive as a whole to live up to their obligations and finally bring forward this strategy to address long-standing issues around the poverty that blights families and entire communities.”