Allister slams Executive over water rates for Orange Halls and Churches
09 June 2008
Traditional Unionist Jim Allister has slammed the Executive for falling to grant churches and Orange Halls exemption from water rates. The MEP said:
“It has been officially confirmed to me by the Permanent Secretary of DRD that “the Executive … accepted the Independent Water Review Panel’s recommendation (Strand 1 report) that proposed payment arrangements for the non-domestic sector should proceed as planned”.
“One would hardly expect a Sinn Fein/IRA Minister to be concerned about the important role that churches and Orange Halls play in our society but I am appalled that the entire Executive backed a plan which will see such premises paying tap tax. Now the Department of Regional Development has refused to re-consider this decision.
“Sinn Fein’s Assembly election manifesto promised that there would be "no water charges" while other parties used the threat of the tap tax as part of their campaign to blackmail the unionist electorate into supporting devolution. We now know that no one around the cabinet table – Unionist or Nationalist – objected to Orange Halls and churches having this additional burden”.
ENDS
