Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Encyclopedia
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is the public housing authority for Northern Ireland
. It is the enforcing authority for those parts of housing orders that involve houses with multiple occupants, houses that are unfit, and housing conditions.
The creation of the Housing Executive is linked to the civil disturbances in Northern Ireland throughout the 1960s. Prior to 1971, the allocation of public housing was the responsibility of local councils in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. In June 1968, Dungannon Rural District Council was accused of discriminating against a Catholic family when it allocated a new council house in the Caledon
area to a young single Protestant woman with links to a local Unionist politician.. This incident proved to be the catalyst for the ensuing civil rights marches in Dungannon and Derry that ultimately led to widespread civil disturbance.
In his Parliamentary report on the following disturbances, Lord Cameron concluded that there was:
A single all-purpose housing authority for Northern Ireland had been advocated as early as 1964 by the Northern Ireland Labour Party
but it was not until the British Home Secretary, James Callaghan
, visited the Stormont Government in the wake of the Belfast Riots of August 1969
and pressed for a unified housing body that the Stormont regime took the idea seriously. Although the Bill was proposed by the Ulster Unionist Minister of Development, Brian Faulkner
, it was strongly opposed by Unionist right-wingers and by followers of Ian Paisley
.
The new organisation was modelled on the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. In 1973, it took over the housing functions of the New Town Development Commissions for Derry
, Antrim
, Ballymena
, and Craigavon
.
A report published in June 2010 by Queens University Belfast states that social housing in Northern Ireland is not adeuqately funded and breaches international human rights.
The organisation is also the home energy conservation authority for Northern Ireland. It has statutory responsibility for homelessness and also administers the housing benefit
system and Supporting People
programme in Northern Ireland.
In 1991 the Housing Executive owned 170,000 dwellings in Northern Ireland. In 2007, primarily due to the organisation's 'right to buy' policy, the housing stock had reduced to just over 92,000.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is the enforcing authority for those parts of housing orders that involve houses with multiple occupants, houses that are unfit, and housing conditions.
Origins
The Housing Executive was established in 1971 by the Housing Executive Act (Northern Ireland).The creation of the Housing Executive is linked to the civil disturbances in Northern Ireland throughout the 1960s. Prior to 1971, the allocation of public housing was the responsibility of local councils in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. In June 1968, Dungannon Rural District Council was accused of discriminating against a Catholic family when it allocated a new council house in the Caledon
Caledon
Caledon can refer to:* Caledon, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland* Caledon, Ontario in Canada* Caledon River in South Africa* Caledon, Western Cape, a town in South Africa* Caledon Bay in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia....
area to a young single Protestant woman with links to a local Unionist politician.. This incident proved to be the catalyst for the ensuing civil rights marches in Dungannon and Derry that ultimately led to widespread civil disturbance.
In his Parliamentary report on the following disturbances, Lord Cameron concluded that there was:
A rising sense of continuing injustice and grievance among large sections of the Catholic population in Northern Ireland, in particular in Derry and Dungannon, in respect of (i) inadequacy of housing provision by certain local authorities (ii) unfair methods of allocation of houses built and let by such authorities, in particular; refusals and omissions to adopt a 'points' system in determining priorities and making allocations (iii) misuse in certain cases of discretionary powers of allocation of houses in order to perpetuate Unionist control of the local authority
A single all-purpose housing authority for Northern Ireland had been advocated as early as 1964 by the Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
but it was not until the British Home Secretary, James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
, visited the Stormont Government in the wake of the Belfast Riots of August 1969
1969 Northern Ireland Riots
During 12–17 August 1969, Northern Ireland was rocked by intense political and sectarian rioting. There had been sporadic violence throughout the year arising from the civil rights campaign, which was demanding an end to government discrimination against Irish Catholics and nationalists...
and pressed for a unified housing body that the Stormont regime took the idea seriously. Although the Bill was proposed by the Ulster Unionist Minister of Development, Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
, it was strongly opposed by Unionist right-wingers and by followers of Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
.
The new organisation was modelled on the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. In 1973, it took over the housing functions of the New Town Development Commissions for Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Antrim
Antrim, County Antrim
Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
, Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, and Craigavon
Craigavon
Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...
.
A report published in June 2010 by Queens University Belfast states that social housing in Northern Ireland is not adeuqately funded and breaches international human rights.
Functions and responsibilities
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive's website cites its main functions as being:- to regularly examine housing conditions and housing requirements;
- to draw up wide ranging programmes to meet these needs;
- to effect the closure, demolition and clearance of unfit houses;
- to effect the improvement of the condition of the housing stock;
- to encourage the provision of new houses;
- to establish housing information and advisory services;
- to consult with District Councils and the Northern Ireland Housing Council;
- to manage its own housing stock in Northern Ireland
The organisation is also the home energy conservation authority for Northern Ireland. It has statutory responsibility for homelessness and also administers the housing benefit
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit is a means tested social security benefit in the UK that is intended to help meet Housing costs for rented accommodation. The primary legislation governing Housing Benefit is the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. Operationally, the governing Regulations are...
system and Supporting People
Supporting People
Supporting People is a UK government programme helping vulnerable people live independently and keep their social housing tenancies. It is run by local government and provided by the voluntary sector. It was launched on 1 April 2003....
programme in Northern Ireland.
In 1991 the Housing Executive owned 170,000 dwellings in Northern Ireland. In 2007, primarily due to the organisation's 'right to buy' policy, the housing stock had reduced to just over 92,000.