Allister Expresses Shock at Executive’s £400,000 Contract for Photos
02 March 2012
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Last week Peter Robinson lamented Stormont’s lack of control of the media in spite of the fact that the Executive spends almost five million a year on press officers.
“Today we learn that Stormont awarded an “estimated” £400,000 contract split between six firms for the “provision of photography services” on 26th January this year.
“So while Ministers float the idea of stripping pensioners of their bus passes to save money they can find the best part of half a million pounds to get photographs taken of themselves!
“It is testament to the colossal scale of Stormont’s failures that such amounts have to be lavished on PR in order to make it appear as if they are actually doing something. The fact that Ministers equate getting their photograph taken with actually delivering something of substance for the community was recently demonstrated on the floor of the Assembly when the DETI Minister responded to my probing about the exclusion of the 12th and Scarva from a Northern Ireland Tourist Board showcase by telling me that her photograph was in a Royal Black Institution calendar.
“The next time members of the public see a Minister for photo ops beaming out of the paper at them they will no doubt remember that they paid handsomely for the privilege.”
Note to editors: The figure is posted online here.
