As Housing Minister, Margaret Ritchie provided temporary accommodation for the families last week.
Margaret Ritchie said: " We have now completed our individual assessments of the situation of the Romanian families currently in temporary accommodation. Having completed this assessment I have given the Romanian Consul-General an update this morning on the latest position. The fact is, the vast majority of them, if not all, want to return home. In fact 25 people have already departed Northern Ireland for Romania at the weekend.
"I have advised the Consul-General that it is likely that the vast majority of families if not all want to return to Romania. For people in temporary accommodation at present I have asked the Housing Executive to extend this temporary accommodation for another few days. The Housing Executive will also arrange for those others who wish to return to Romania to do so in the coming days. The flights will be paid for out of Housing Executive emergency funds.
"Overall this is a disappointing but unsurprising outcome and there is no doubt that the racist intimidation of these people has been damaging for the image of Northern Ireland.
"I have been humbled by the these hardworking people and I believe that the experiences we have shared with them show how far we have still to go as a community. I will be asking my fellow Ministers to consider what more we can do. The prize of peace has surely to be a community at ease with itself and welcoming to others. We are no different than other places and people who have built their economic prosperity by welcoming strangers as valued friends."
Notes to Editors:
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