Ian Og's lobbying got hotel £1.7 million

[Minder]

Paisley's lobbying got £1.7m for hotel By Claire Simpson
24/01/08

A LUXURY hotel for which Ian Paisley jnr lobbied during the St Andrews talks received more than £1.7 million of public money in the past year.

The DUP junior minister has been criticised for lobbying on be-half of six projects in his North Antrim constituency during the crucial October 2006 talks, including planning approval for a spa at Galgorm Manor Hotel near Ballymena.

New figures from Invest NI show the hotel received £1.67m for redevelopment plus £41,000 for "capability building programmes" including staff training.

Galgorm Manor was among doz-ens of hotels to receive public money in the past five years.

A spokeswoman for the hotel said its owners were not available for comment yesterday.

Earlier this month former DUP MEP Jim Allister revealed details of Mr Paisley's lobbying during the St Andrews negotiations.

They included a multi-million-pound land deal at Ballee in Co Antrim, the development of a visitors' centre at the Giant's Causeway and a request for £1 million over seven years for the North West 200 motorcycle races.

The Traditional Unionist Voice leader accused Mr Paisley of "wasting valuable leverage on securing concessions from the prime minister... on issues of mere commercial or constituency import".

Mr Paisley defended his decision to lobby for the projects.

"My eagerness in resolving my constituency cases is not a political issue or a matter which causes me any embarrassment," he said.

"It is quite frankly a lie to suggest that these matters formed any part of any negotiation process."

Although the north's hotel industry is enjoying a boom, more than £12m of public money has been given to hotels outside Belfast over the last six years.

The Slieve Donard in Newcastle, Co Down, was given £2.5m in 2006 and Castle Hume in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, was given £3.5m last year.

No public money has been given to build or renovate hotels within 10 miles of Belfast since the mid-1990s because the tourist board says they are profitable enough

to survive without government money.

However, Belfast hotels can apply for funding for computer software and staff training.

SDLP assembly member John Dallat, who sits on the assembly's Public Accounts Committee, criticised the amount of money given to the privately-owned hotels.

"If the assembly is to create economic regeneration across the north it has to get away from the idea that bigger is better," he said.

"These big companies can afford the best consultants and put on glossy presentations.

"A lot of bed and breakfasts have had pitiful support and without some money from the International Fund for Ireland they would have gone under."

[ziggysego]

This man is a frickin' joke.

[red hander]

He should resign ... and take that tosser Ronnie Flanagan with him