Tribal parties must balance the books, not keep using begging bowl tactics

Following Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness’s meeting with Chancellor Gordon Brown in relation to the financial package for Northern Ireland, Alliance Economy Spokesperson Séan Neeson MLA, has stated that we must start investing to save by ending segregation. He also said that the tribal parties must start balancing the books for Northern Ireland, instead of always holding out the begging bowl to London and Dublin.

The East Antrim Assembly Member said: “Begging bowl politics simply does not work.

“Northern Ireland must prove to Gordon Brown that we will invest to save. The only way we can do this is by ending the cost burden of maintaining a divided society here.

“Its time that local politicians did a better job of balancing the books. The tribal parties have no fresh ideas about how to make the best use of the cash available to us.

“Only Alliance have pledged to save one billion pounds every year by ending segregation. We do not need two separate primary schools in every town when one integrated school can deliver the same results more cost-effectively. We would use any new cash from Gordon Brown to deliver bigger savings in the long term by ending segregation, and use these savings to improve local services and cut stealth taxes.

“Its time that the tribal parties balanced the books instead of simply holding out the begging bowl.

“The new Executive must also form meaningful policies to help the development of skills in Northern Ireland. This area must be addressed urgently to boost the local economy and create more employment opportunities.”

ENDS