Beggs Criticises North/ South Language Body Accounts

Roy Beggs, UUP MLA for East Antrim and deputy chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has spoken of his disbelief that the North/ South language Body had not filed accounts since 2004, when the issue was examined by the committee.

The report entitled "A report on North / South bodies" was released to the public on Wednesday the 30^th June 2010.

The report lists 8 recommendations, but recommendation number one was by and far the most noteworthy. "…… Finalising its 2005, 2006 and 2007 accounts remains long overdue. DFP should ensure that a clear timetable and action plan is established to finalise these accounts.."

Roy Beggs MLA said, "I fail to understand why these accounts have been overdue for so long and I look forward to examining the finalised account for any explanation as to why such a significant delay may have occurred".

The report also highlighted the increasing cash reserves of Inter Trade Ireland whose "bank balance at its financial year-end had increased by £1.5 million to around £4 million in 2006".

Mr Beggs said "Public bodies should not hold levels of cash in excess of their immediate needs. Public money should not be allowed to sit in bank accounts, unused. This is particularly relevant today when so many other funding pressures exist throughout the public sector."

As a member of the first Assembly's PAC Roy Beggs MLA had received confirmation of the committee's ability to scrutinise North South expenditure. Roy Beggs MLA said "It is clear that North South Bodies, just as departmental and non-departmental expenditure will benefit from public scrutiny to encourage good use of public money, this applies as much to North/South bodies as it does to any other bodies."

The North/ South language body was set up under the Belfast Agreement and are funded by British and Irish tax payer's money. Their accounts are examined by both regimes and can be scrutinised by public representative in Northern Ireland or in the Republic of Ireland.