The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

"Invest in water, not war": Close

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Apr 2005

ALLIANCE Finance Spokesperson Seamus Close MLA has criticised Minister Ian Person's statement that Northern Ireland will face a budget shortfall if new water charges are not introduced.

Mr Close stated:

"Minister Pearson can't distinguish between fact and fiction when it comes to disinvestment in water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland.

"His Government, which has been in power since 1997, as well as previous Governments, have totally failed to maintain water and sewerage standards to European levels. He and his Government have been trying to blame to ratepayers of Northern Ireland for this deteriorated situation, by forcing punitive water charges upon us.

"Instead of using money from general taxation to fund an illegal war in Iraq, it would have been a better investment to improve our water supply."

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Previous news story: Dickinson should admit he was wrong: Alderdice (Tue 5th Apr 2005).
Next news story: UUP can't see centre ground from sectarian swamp: Ford (Sat 9th Apr 2005).

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