Sectarian parties must turn down Government money for non-ministers - Long

10.50.00am GMT Tue 5th Dec 2006

Alliance Deputy Leader, Naomi Long

Alliance Party Deputy Leader Naomi Long has challenged the four parties in the Programme for Government Committee to turn down money offered by Government for special advisers, after an SDLP MLA admitted the money was not needed.

Naomi Long stated: "Now that one of the parties has accepted the money is not required, will all the parties have the courage to reject it? Will they all accept that money for ministerial special advisers should only be forthcoming once they have done the work to put the ministers in place?

"People got precious little value from special advisers even when Ministers were in place, but they will get zero value from them now. At a time when these parties claim to be opposed to water charges and rates hikes, it is nonsense for them to accept six-figure amounts from Government for advice to Ministers prior to those Ministers being in place.

"If the parties accept this bribe, they will also accept once and for all that they are part of a very expensive charade. People paying water bills and rates hikes to subsidise this fiasco will have the chance to end it by voting Alliance in March."

ENDS