Claims by the charity Oxfam, made as it launched a report into ‘austerity’ in Northern Ireland, were “unhelpful and misleading” according to NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland.
“I have a huge amount of respect for the work done by Oxfam and other charities, so it might seem like shouting at your granny, but they really shouldn’t be spreading of scare stories about austerity or welfare reform”, Trevor said. “The idea that there have been widespread cuts in Northern Ireland is not accurate. Public spending, funded by the block grant and other income streams, has risen consistently and continues to rise. The people who most need help in our society are being helped and will continue to be helped.”
“A single parent with two young children can claim up to £500 weekly and is likely to be getting something in the region of £19,000, if they’re renting from a private landlord. A single person who isn’t in work can claim up to £350. How does that compare to some of the areas of the world where Oxfam work? It’s almost an insult to those countries to talk about poverty in Northern Ireland, without even looking at the many other benefits of living in our society which are provided free. Various organisations like charities or trades unions really need to be careful not to adopt a quasi-political role in quite a surreptitious fashion. If they’re going to have debates around economics and government policy, they should be up front, rather than hiding behind misleading claims.”
“The economic situation is improving in Northern Ireland, precisely because of difficult decisions taken by the UK government. It can improve even faster if the Stormont executive really concentrates on creating jobs, encouraging companies to export goods and getting behind enterprise. It has been a tough time, but the block grant has remained protected from cuts and that’s why Northern Ireland has come through a time of austerity relatively unscathed. To ignore these basic facts is scare-mongering and is really quite irresponsible.”