Parsley warns against another £134 million waste on communal carve-up

12.00.00am GMT Wed 7th Dec 2005

Young Alliance Chairman, Cllr Ian James Parsley, has warned that further European peace funding sought by the Government must not turn into more wasted millions.

Speaking after a Good Relations meeting with representatives from the Redburn area of Holywood, Cllr Parsley stated: "It is very easy for politicians to welcome millions of pounds of funding and talk about how this safeguards jobs. However, responsible people will ask: does more European funding equate to genuinely improved community structures that make a real difference to people? On that, the jury is still out.

"Representatives from the Redburn/Loughview area of Holywood have made it quite clear to me today that funding must be spent on community infrastructure, not on paying random administrators, and certainly not on more political hand outs to promote the sectarian carve-up.

"If the EU is to spend a further £134 million in Northern Ireland, we must ensure we get £134 million worth of improvement for decent people in disadvantaged communities who work hard and who need and deserve that support.

"That means paying people to improve leisure facilities, education and community regeneration, not to fill in forms. Money for administrators or money used as a political bargaining chip is the last thing we need.

"The funding must be allocated not to yet another myriad of group with their buildings, IT systems and consultancy costs, but on real people in real communities. As we go around demanding more funding, we had better also make sure we have the appropriate structures in place to make proper use of it if it comes."

ENDS