Unpublished Assembly magazine will cost up to £8,000
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
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A feelgood magazine celebrating the Executive's accomplishments will cost up to £8,000 — even though it has yet to see the light of day.
The publication was written and prepared before the US Investment conference in May, but has been put on hold since then — allegedly because of disputes about the Irish language and other ministerial squabbles.
Earlier this year the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the magazine — called Changing Times in one version — had been shelved.
Now First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have confirmed that the publication will cost between £7,000 and £8,000 without being printed.
That was branded a waste by SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly, whose committee scrutinises the First Ministers.
"It would seem the only thing the DUP/Sinn Fein axis can agree on is finding new ways of wasting money and wasting time," she said.
Sources say it was withdrawn because Sinn Fein and the DUP disagreed about the Irish language and prominence given to some Ministers.
Mrs Kelly said she was "very concerned" at the spending. "It is ironic that the provisional title of this magazine is Changing Times, as for the people of Northern Ireland there is nothing new about DUP and Sinn Fein bickering,” she said.
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