MEPs rebuke Stormont over EU visit
07 June 2007
On the eve of Commissioner Hubner's welcome visit to Northern Ireland, as head of the Task Force, which could prove pivotal for further EU aid for the Province, Unionist MEPs Jim Allister and Jim Nicholson have expressed amazement that neither OFMDFM or DFP has bothered to brief local MEPs as to their view of the issues or take the opinion of those working for NI in Brussels on the opportunities which exist.
In a joint statement Jim Allister and Jim Nicholson said:-
"Under Direct Rule, for all its many faults, the local Departments were careful to brief and appraise the MEPs on the key issues concerning Northern Ireland in Europe and before any significant EU Commission visit. The obvious benefit was that a unified case could be presented on behalf of Northern Ireland.
It is a matter of disappointment to us, but, more importantly, prejudicial to the best interests of Northern Ireland, that on the occasion of this important visit of Commissioner Hubner, designed to carry forward the work of an EU Task Force on Northern Ireland, the new administration has failed to communicate with and brief the MEPs.
Jim Allister suspects that his opposition to the new regime and its resulting antipathy to him is more important to them than making sure Northern Ireland puts it best foot forward in articulating its case to Europe. Jim Nicholson wrote to the First Minister weeks ago, after Barroso's visit, asking for a meeting and briefing on the administration's approach in Europe. He still awaits even an acknowledgement.
Whether motivated by arrogance, petulance or spite, Stormont's failure to engage with the MEPs is a sad reflection on the new government and its mode of operation.
Nonetheless, when we meet Commissioner Hubner tomorrow afternoon we will vigorously press the case for a radical reappraisal of the funding opportunities available to Northern Ireland, based on the premise that we need Cohesion Funding for core infrastructural projects, rather that the cosmetic approach of more soft money in the PEACE III package. Undoubtedly, it would have been better to have had the opportunity to synchronize the message."
