A CONFIDENTIAL benefits advice service for south Belfast's Roma community is to be launched in the wake of concerns that families have been subjected to "exploitation".
Green Party MLA Clare Bailey said it will be run from her constituency office and will include a translator.
She and fellow MLA, the SDLP's Claire Hanna, have spoken out following concerns of intimidation facing the area's Romanian community.
It comes after The Irish News yesterday revealed Belfast Trust correspondence exposing the scale of concerns over alleged exploitation of Roma families.
Whistleblowers contacted the trust alleging that an organisation called the Romanian Roma Community Association of Northern Ireland (RRCANI) was charging Roma "large sums of money" for benefits advice – and "fraudulently filling out benefits applications without their consent".
The trust had alongside Surestart been providing Early Years services for Roma at RRCANI's offices in the Holylands area.
But it moved the children's service from RRCANI to another location in late May, citing "concerns regarding their governance, exploitation and community control".
RRCANI strongly denies the allegations.
The details emerge after police last month said they were investigating "possible wrongdoing" after anonymous claims involving RRANI were published online.
RRCANI had not commented publicly, but Sinn Féin MLA Máirtín Ó Muilleoir took to Twitter following the allegations to publicly defend the group, saying he was "proud to stand" with RRCANI.
Following the claims, intimidating posters appeared on walls in south Belfast which named and made false allegations about two Early Years staff, who worked closely with vulnerable members of the Roma community. The incident was reported to police.
Ms Bailey said concerns were raised with her some months ago and she informed the PSNI and other agencies.
"Many within the Roma community, particularly women and children, are vulnerable and at serious risk of exploitation," she said.
"I'm committed to supporting the Roma community alongside Claire Hanna MLA and other prominent female advocates.
"As part of that, I'm holding a free, confidential benefit advice service for the Roma community from my South Belfast constituency office in the coming weeks. A translator will be available at the session."
Ms Hanna said Surestart and Belfast Trust have provided high-quality services for many years, and "any intimidation of their staff or the women and children of the Roma community who use these services is absolutely appalling".
"It is vital public representatives stand should to shoulder with Surestart and trust staff, to enable them to continue to do their jobs free from intimidation," she said.
Belfast Trust emails say the Social Security Agency was contacted about concerns, but it advised that "to charge for advice is not illegal in itself" unless forms are being filled out "fraudulently".
A Department for Communities spokeswoman said: "The department is aware of the allegations referred to in The Irish News article. It would not be appropriate for the department to comment further at this time."
