DFI services to resume in Derry-Londonderry estate after being suspended

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Saturday, 5 January 2019 08:51

Q Newsdesk

A government department has agreed to resume its services to an estate in Derry-Londonderry after temporarily suspending them.

The Department for Infrastructure previously said it was withdrawing from the Creggan estate after an 'incident' involving a member of staff.

The worker was allegedly threatened on Thursday.

A Department for Infrastructure (DfI) spokesperson has now said:

“The Department has been working closely with the PSNI as well as local elected and community representatives over the last two days and we are pleased to confirm that we have now received the necessary assurances that our staff are safe and able to continue their work without fear of violence or intimidation. We are now able to resume services in the Creggan area.

“We are very grateful for the expressions of support for our staff and for the universal condemnation of the threats made against them.”

SDLP MLA Mark Durkan has welcomed the decision to resume normal services:

The @SDLPlive Mark H Durkan says the threat against the Department of Infrastructure worker in Creggan #Derry has been lifted.
A worker conducting a survey on roads had been told that he had five minutes to get out of the area.
Mr Durkan hopes that DFI services will resume soon pic.twitter.com/FLHPyn0jVi
— Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) 5 January 2019

Sinn Féin Councillor Kevin Campbell said:

“I welcomed the news that Roads service have confirmed they are satisfied there is no ongoing threat and services will be resumed.

“Obviously the restoration of services is to be welcomed but this threat should never have been issued in the first place and the people of Creggan should not have had to deal with the withdrawal of key services as a result.”