Councillors register opposition to £16,000 Irish unity workshop

A number of unionist councillors have voiced their opposition to a local council's plans to hold a workshop to discuss the issue of constitutional change in Ireland.

Mid Ulster District Council passed a motion in May 2021 to establish a 'working group on Irish unity' and to begin consultation to assess ratepayers' views on the issue.

The motion was referred to the Council's Corporate Good Relations Working Group (CGRWG), which agreed a set of conditions for its implementation.

A specification to secure quotations from 'suitably qualified/experienced providers' is set to be developed, with the workshops to be delivered in late Spring 2022.

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A report presented to the Council's Policy & Resources Committee last week detailed the cost of the workshops at £16,000 to include management fee, speaker costs, marketing, and digital set up.

DUP councillor Paul McLean put on record his party's opposition to the plans.

“Our party group were opposed to that and want to record our opposition to it. In today's climate, £16,000 could be better spent,” he said.

UUP representative Cllr Walter Cuddy said his party had ceased attending the CGRWG, as they felt it was of 'no benefit'. “So much money has been lost over the last year trying to cover all the gaps and provide a service to the rates payer,” he said.

“A lot of facilities have been closed and a lot of things not provided, and then you see something like this.

“We don't go to the Good Relations Committee because it is of no benefit to us at all. The report says it's been agreed by the GRC that we do this, that and the other.

“It's totally out of our remit. Is this going to help the community relations or impact it? Nowhere in the report can I see this could impact good relations within the community.

“If they come back and say we're better off staying in the UK, we'll never hear of it. This is why we have no confidence in that committee,” he added.

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