Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Infrastructure – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 2:00 pm ar 11 Mehefin 2024.
I certainly think that there is a responsibility to continue to engage, whether with Belfast City Council, any other council or the Housing Executive, to see whether we can find a common solution to these matters. The unfortunate thing is that, when Departments are dealing with constrained budgets and reduced staff numbers, they have to prioritise their statutory functions, which does not allow them to carry out other matters that they would like to do. I certainly want to see my Department playing its full part in local communities and engaging with and supporting them to improve the environment that people live in, but I do not want to overpromise or lead people on a merry dance by suggesting that there will be a solution from my Department to this. However, my Department and I will play our part in discussions. As we all know in this place, it is good to talk, and you may find a solution by doing that.