InterTradeIreland - Imbalanced and inefficient says DUP MEP
15 May 2006
DUP MEP Jim Allister has questioned the efficiency of InterTrade Ireland after a series of parliamentary questions, tabled at his request by his party colleague Nigel Dodds MP, showed, amongst other things, that in the every year since its foundation the body has recorded an under-spend. The DUP Member of the European Parliament has also expressed his dismay at the imbalance in the workforce of this north-south body set up under the auspices of the Belfast Agreement.
Jim Allister said:
“Figures recently released by the government paint a shocking picture of imbalance and inefficiency. The figures release in response to a series of parliamentary questions show: (a) InterTradeIreland has recorded and under-spend in every single year of its existence (b) for every £1 InterTradeIreland spends on overhead costs such as administration and rents, they only spent £2.30 on programme expenditure (c) in 2004, £984,812 out of a total budgetary allocation of £7,338,981* was spent on events which includes provision of corporate hospitality (d) InterTradeIreland’s workforce is 81% Roman Catholic and 16% Protestant and (e) the Senior Management Team of InterTradeIreland is 100% Roman Catholic
Looking at these figures one gets the impression of a deeply inefficient organisation. In every year since its foundation, InterTradeIreland has recorded an under-spend. Money that has been allocated supposedly to encourage business growth and investment on both sides of the border isn’t being spent. Why is this? The figures submitted to the government for funding for InterTradeIreland should be well-formulated and reflect the organisations genuine level of need for any forthcoming financial year. An under-spend approaching 10%*, as recorded in the accounts for 2004 is not reflective of well-thought out and properly formulated financial planning.
The balance between spending on overheads and actual programme spending is similarly appalling. It is outrageous that this body only spends about £2.30 on programmes for every £1 it spends on overheads such as rent, heat and staff salaries. The European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation manages a ratio of roughly £10 for every £1 spent on overheads, and it is by no means a model of efficiency. Presented with such damning information, I find myself asking what useful purpose InterTradeIreland actually serves?
Turning our attention to the community background information, we see a disgraceful under-representation of people from within the Protestant community. Significantly there isn’t a single Protestant member of staff on the senior management team of this north-south body, set up under the terms of the Belfast Agreement. This body has been in existence for a considerable length of time. They have had ample opportunity to address the under-representation of people from a Protestant background in their ranks and it would appear have done nothing. Is it any wonder that north-south structures are so lacking in confidence from the Unionist community?
The DUP supports sensible north-south co-operation which is to the mutual benefit to the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but it is hard to escape the conclusion that this body which seemingly serves no useful purpose should be abolished”, said the DUP MEP.
*InterTradeIreland’s Annual Report 2004, page 48.
