AFTER months without an agreement on welfare reforms millions of pounds of the Northern Ireland block grant have had to be returned to Westminster. This is in addition to the more than £1bn a year that our divided society costs us and the millions spent policing disputed parades.
Those who cannot agree on welfare reforms claim the vulnerable will suffer if benefits are cut.
But what about all the other vulnerable people who are already being affected by cuts because of the failure to agree?
Community groups, voluntary sector groups helping the disadvantaged, those working to stop reoffending, those protecting the environment and our natural heritage, those producing arts programmes that improve our mental health and wellbeing are all facing huge cuts and unemployment.
Many vulnerable people will suffer more from these cuts to services than from the proposed cuts in benefits.
MARGARET MARSHALL
Belfast BT8
