Ford speaks at Stormont protest for older people

11.15.00am GMT Mon 17th Nov 2008

The failing Executive at Stormont need to deal with the real concerns of older people.

Alliance Leader David Ford MLA addressed the crowd at today's Stormont protest about the impact of rising living costs on local older people. David Ford said that it was despicable that during this living cost crisis the Stormont Executive was refusing to meet.

David Ford said: "Older people are the ones who will suffer most this winter. Lives will undoubtedly be lost in the coming months due to fuel poverty and that is frightening.

"Alliance's Trevor Lunn unveiled radical proposals to tackle fuel poverty among older people. He is taking real steps himself to help alleviate this crisis because it has got to the stage where no-one can rely on the Executive to act.

"Trevor is starting to set up an emergency trust fund to help the older people in most need of assistance.

"This demonstration is a big indication of the public's discontentment at the failure of the Stormont Executive to deal with the real concerns of the public.

"I would appeal to the goodwill of Sinn Fein and the DUP to get back to work for the sake of the most vulnerable people in our society. They have already proved that they care little about the wider population, but they should at least respond to the urgent needs of older people. Alliance will continue to do our best to deliver for local people, even if Sinn Fein and the DUP will not."