Confusion reigns overDVA jobs

The plight of Coleraine’s DVA workers has deepened as uncertainty over their future prevails, according to SDLP MLA John Dallat.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th May 2014, 12:00 BST
The DVA Offices at The County Hall in Coleraine were 300 were told by email they are to lose there jobs.PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.The DVA Offices at The County Hall in Coleraine were 300 were told by email they are to lose there jobs.PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.
The DVA Offices at The County Hall in Coleraine were 300 were told by email they are to lose there jobs.PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mr Dallat said: “‘Morale amount DVA workers is now at rock bottom and something needs to happen very shortly to avoid a complete breakdown in confidence among the staff.

“This situation is not helped by the publication of a dossier detailing how the operation in Northern Ireland is to be wound up by 11 July in most cases and 17 July at the latest.

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My understanding is that staff will be retained until December but will have no access to computers and the public are at sea as to how they get their business done.

What a crazy situation.

“A meeting with the head of the civil service on Tuesday may be helpful but the feedback coming from the 11 government departments is not encouraging in terms of re-deployment of DVA workers.

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Mr Dallat added: “The British government created this problem by constantly refusing to upgrade the computer systems and are now burying their heads in he sand refusing to accept their responsibility for replacing the jobs to be lost.

This battle is not over and workers should not feel they are abandoned. While other parties have been making noise but didn’t even bother to make official responpses to the consultation processes on the future of the DVA it is my intention that honour must prevail.’

Related topics:John DallatColeraineSDLPNorthern Ireland