Executive wants to cut civil service costs, so why sit on vital segregation dossier?

Following news that the Executive is to meet today to discuss cutting costs within the civil service, Alliance Spokesperson Cllr Alan Lawther, has blasted the First and Deputy First Ministers for failing to publish the long-delayed report on the cost of segregation in Northern Ireland. The report, conducted by Deloittes, was received by OFMDFM prior to May 8, but its publication has been stalled without any good reason.

Antrim Councillor Alan Lawther said: “The Executive want to reduce cost civil service costs but yet they are still sitting on this vital cost of segregation report.

“Local people will not take the Executive’s claim that they want to deliver value for money seriously, unless they stop delaying the publication of this crucial report.

“This report hit the desks of the First and Deputy First Ministers before devolution was restored on May 8 – Why have they not yet published it? The public deserve answers on why the publication of this report has been delay for so long.

“This report will outline how much public money is wasted every year on maintaining a segregated society in Northern Ireland. The sooner this report is published, the sooner we can set about unlocking this wasted cash and re-directing it to vital services like health and education.

“An Alliance Party study has indicated that one billion pounds is wasted every year on segregation.

“Every week that this report sits gathering dust on the First and Deputy First Minister’s table, we believe segregation is costing us almost 20 million pounds.

“It might take some time to end segregation; however, we must act quickly to create the strategy which is essential for us to free-up this wasted cash.”

ENDS

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