The question then is - why is the Assembly now imposing cuts on community and voluntary organisations who deliver much-needed services and support in areas of need?

Our parties are failing to implement the Good Friday Agreement, including those that sit on the Executive. Where is the commitment to protecting rights, safeguards and equality of opportunities, enshrined in that Agreement?

We’ve often heard from the political parties that the devolution of powers to a Northern Ireland Assembly would ensure that there would be more help for people who are worst off. We’ve heard the promises of more social inclusion and engagement with those local communities in greatest need. That idea seems to have been abandoned by the Executive.

Ministers should at least have the courage to openly explain why the following groups servicing people and communities in greatest need should now face either job losses or closure:

Family Information Group

Shared City Project

Bogside & Brandywell Women’s Group

Limavady Community Development Initiative

Naiscoil Na Rinne

Creggan Pre-School & Training Trust

Rainbow Child and Family Centre

Galliagh Community Development Group

Good Morning North West

North West Centre for Learning & Development

St Joseph’s Community Playgroup

Galliagh Women’s Centre

Youth Action

Social Economy Agency

Hillcrest House – Internet Tools for Schools

Community Development Learning Initiative

Waterside Women’s Centre

Greater Shantallow Area Partnership – Community Drugs Awareness Project

Chapel Road Community Playgroup

Gingerbread

New Horizons Partnership

Partnership Care West

Mencap

And so many others . . .

Vital services are lost and hundreds of jobs are lost, just when these services are needed most.

It is time for our elected representatives to address the current serious funding crisis overshadowing the community sector and hold all departments to account for the dismantling of the sector.

More investment

We’re being failed by a long list of departments in terms of initiatives such as New Targeting Social Need, Neighbourhood Renewal policies and the measure for Partnership for Equality.

The root cause of the crisis facing the whole of the community and social economy sectors is the failure of the Assembly to agree a block grant allocation for community development within the last Programme for Government. This must be addressed.

Instead of withdrawing community funding, there should be greater investment in people-centred projects. These build positive examples of how to share best practice. They bring economic and social benefits to people who need it most, especially against the current backdrop of rocketing energy and food prices.

There must be a greater focus on building sustainable activity in the communities where disadvantage, economic inactivity and low morale are most pronounced.