DUP Minister cannot surrender £1.5m for Ulster Scots Agency with no explanation and no guarantee that money can be re-coupled next year says McNarry
UUP DCAL spokesman David McNarry won Committee backing today to demand a full explanation by DUP Minister Edwin Poots as to why his department wants to ‘surrender’ £1.5 Million this year for the implementation of the proposed Ulster Scots Academy.
The Department of Culture Arts and Leisure is surrendering * £1.5 Million of the budget allocated for the implementation of the Academy for this year. The Committee has decided not to approve the surrender until a fuller explanation from the Department on the rationale and whether the money from this year can be re-couped next year.
In a statement after the Committee met today, Mr McNarry said,
“I have been following with great interest the development of the Ulster Scots Academy and am keen to see this project come to fruition at the earliest opportunity. I know, from my own constituency in Newtwonards, that much preparatory work is being undertaken and plans are being made based on the existing budget allocation.
I was therefore alarmed to hear from the Minister and his department that they are surrendering, for surrender is exactly what it is, £1.5 Million of the budget for this year, while this vital preparatory and planning work is underway.
I am delighted that the Committee has accepted my recommendation not to give our blessing to the surrender of this money until the Minister can assure us that it is retrievable next year and offers us a fuller explanation for the rationale of this move.
I personally am against any surrendering of funds to what I see is a vital component in the present and future development and celebration of Ulster Scots Culture.”