People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said,
“Further energy cost hikes will hit people very hard. It’s now time for a people power response to force Stormont out of its callous inaction.
Many people are already struggling to pay energy bills. We’ve spoken to people who have already been forced to cover energy bills with loans and credit.
30 per cent of people and families in Derry live below the poverty line. This will push many more people over the edge, into poverty and into debt. The distress is impacting people’s mental health negatively. Too many people are getting no help at all.
The response from the Executive has been dismal. We are in a cost of living crisis but they have refused to declare a Hardship Emergency and prioritise putting financial protections in place to stop workers and those with the least from going through the floor.
The Energy Payment Support Scheme was announced by the Sinn Féin Communities Minister following protests at Stormont and demands for action – but it’s completely inadequate and excludes far too many.
The unwillingness of the Executive to plan even when they have forewarning of price hikes is astonishing and callous. This is not dysfunction – this is a choice about who to help and who to throw to the wolves.
When bosses from Moy Park, Capita or Dalradian Gold come knocking, Executive Ministers couldn’t jump to attention fast enough.
The inaction by Stormont has been an imitation of Westminster’s disregard for those struggling to pay energy and household bills.
Just like the Tories, the entire Executive has backed pay cuts being imposed on workers while prices soar.
We’ll get lots of concern but that’s not going to help anyone right now. We’ll get the typical divisive communal squabbling from unionist and nationalist parties – but this is only to obscure the fact they’re not willing to take radical action to protect people.
Workers are right to take action to demand pay rises in line with inflation. The Stormont Executive will not prioritise protecting communities unless they face radical people power action.
Action can and must be taken to protect people from spiralling hardship. We can’t allow government to sit on its hands. People Before Profit will back a people power push to force government and large employers to prioritise protecting workers and the vulnerable across all our communities.”