Gordon Lyons has come in for criticism for meeting the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) just weeks after a fellow party DUP minister met the group.
A delegation of the organisation- which represents loyalist paramilitary groups including the UDA and UVF - met the communities minister on Tuesday.
The meeting came a fortnight after Education Minister Paul Givan was also criticised for meeting the LCC, which expressed objections to the opening of an integrated Irish language nursery and primary school in east Belfast.
Mr Lyons recently faced some criticism over the length of time it took for him to attend events run by the GAA since taking up post.
Following Tuesday’s meeting an LCC spokesperson said Mr Lyons had been asked to “consider conducting a fresh Needs Analysis on loyalist and unionist communities”.
The group said it wanted to inform the minister “on where scarce resources should be targeted to best address these problems (in loyalist/unionist areas).”
“The delegation also asked the minister to urgently look at how best new social housing can be provided in areas like the Shankill, Sandy Row, and Suffolk where large sites have been available for years but remain unbuilt.”
An SDLP spokesman however described Mr Lyons’ decision to meet the LCC as “ridiculous”.
“He is supposed to be the communities minister but is meeting the representatives of organisations which keep communities under coercive control.
“With a housing crisis, shocking levels of economic inactivity, child poverty and a looming winter of pain for older people losing fuel payments, it is ridiculous that the minister is spending his time meeting the representatives of paramilitaries.
“Next Tuesday the SDLP will bring forward an Opposition Day motion calling for the executive to introduce a comprehensive review of the Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime Programme.
“The time for transitioning is over and the Executive needs to get serious about removing the spectre of paramilitarism from the north.”
Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said: “No minister should ever have a reason to meet with representatives of active paramilitary groups, especially regarding issues of educational disadvantage and economic deprivation”.
She added: “The LCC serves as an umbrella organisation for active paramilitary groups. Loyalist paramilitaries are one of the main causes of educational disadvantage and economic deprivation.
“I have received correspondence from many community and voluntary organisations who have tried to meet with the minister, including women’s groups and anti-poverty groups, yet are still waiting.
“Serious questions must be asked about minister Lyons’ judgment. Instead of legitimising their influence, his focus should be on eradicating paramilitary control from our community, not providing it with a platform.”
In the summer, it emerged Mr Lyons had declined an invitation from the GAA to attend the All-Ireland Football final in Croke Park.
The DUP minister was criticised for not attending GAA invitations.
It was not until he was seven months in office that he attended his first GAA event, the Ulster GAA Games for All Festival in Co Antrim, an event for children and young players with additional needs, on September 8.
