Executive Office condemned for £280,000 payments over Ebrington Square events chaos

The Executive Office has been condemned for its handling of a dispute over the use of Ebrington Square, which has led to payments of £280,000 being made.

The payments were made to three parties by the Stormont department.

SDLP Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin described the three payments made by TEO as "a waste of public money".

McLaughlin said: “I find it incomprehensible that clear legal agreements were not in place to resolve the use of Ebrington Square.

"We now have the absurd situation of significant payments being made, when contracts should have been in place that provided complete and binding legal clarity over use of Ebrington Square.

“The result is both a waste of public money and the Derry public potentially being deprived of events in a public space. I condemn this situation, which is the worst of all worlds.

"Lack of government is no excuse for what appears to be incompetence.”

A TEO spokesperson said that "due to threatened legal action by various parties", the government department had been placed in a "difficult position".

The department confirmed that Cullen's Funfair, Connected Festival and the Ebrington Hotel all received payments.

It said it had to "balance the risks posed to the public purse" and "the resultant likelihood of all events being cancelled versus seeking to mediate with all affected parties".

The spokesperson added that this was all done within "a very short timescale" in an attempt to facilitate the events taking place.

Correspondence to McLaughlin revealed that:

•           Cullen’s Funfair - received a settlement of £50k which was in part to compensate for their events in 2023 and 2024 taking place on a smaller space in the rear car park reflecting their reduced income;

•           Robert Allen/Connected Festival - received a settlement of £80k to compensate for the loss of sales and reinstating services within a short timeframe, resulting in increased costs and in respect of his agreement to withdraw his application to hold events on Ebrington Square in 2024; and

•           Ebrington Hotel - received an ex-gratia payment of £150k (inclusive of legal costs) in full and final settlement of any claim howsoever arising between themselves and TEO in respect of the events/events and licensing process for 5-6 August and 24-27 August 2023.