Minister's priorities questioned

Ulster Unionist agriculture spokesperson Tom Elliott MLA has said that it "speaks volumes about the Agriculture Minister's priorities" that the Republic's National Ploughing Championships attracted £33,500 of DARD funds in 2009, while the Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships was sponsored to the tune of just £150.

"Quite frankly, a paltry £150 viewed in the context of £33,500 being invested in an equivalent event in the Republic is downright offensive.

"The Minister is making a staggering difference between the money invested in the ploughing arena in Northern Ireland and in the Republic. Not only that, but the £33,500 invested in the Republic's National Ploughing Championships alone last year is in stark contrast to the total pot of £6,000 available annually to all agricultural shows across Northern Ireland.

"The Minister has sought to justify such expenditure by identifying it as an opportunity to speak to President McAleese and Minister Brendan Smith, as well as 'senior officials'. If a ploughing competition is the only, and best, place for the Minister to conduct her business with officials from the Republic, then I would suggest we have a real problem.

"I am concerned that the Minister is being worryingly short-sighted and unashamedly partisan in her support of ploughing events north and south of the border. It wouldn't be surprising if the NI Ploughing Championships didn't have the maximum numbers that might be expected when DARD refuses to support them to a practical level.

"If the Minister is so concerned with DARD being represented at agricultural events, I would suggest she focus her efforts on her own area of responsibility - Northern Ireland.

"I find it wholly unsatisfactory that Minister Gildernew believes that her Department's sponsorship of the Northern Ireland events 'reflects the key importance of these events within the agri-food calendar'. Given that the sponsorship in question amounts to a grand total of £6,000 for 16 events - or £18,000 in three years, when she has supported one ROI event to the tune of £103,000 in three years - it appears that her priorities do not lie with Northern Ireland."