|
|
NEWS
Gildernew denies RDP wrongdoing
By Steven Moore
Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew has made it clear she has done nothing wrong in supporting, as a constituency MP, projects being undertaken under Axis 3 of the Rural Development Programme.
A series of questions filed by Ulster Unionist agriculture spokesman Tom Elliott probed the Ms Gildernew's involvement in an area where, as Minister, she is ultimately responsible for implementation of the RDP.
He specifically asked if "she has had any communication, verbal, written or otherwise, with South West Action for Rural Development, Joint Council Committees or Local Action Groups, concerning Cappagh Village, or the Cappagh Village Regeneration Group; and if so, to detail the purpose of those communications".
Mrs Gildernew said as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development she had met with members of the Cappagh Village Regeneration Group at its invitation in Cappagh on August 4 this year.
"I subsequently wrote to the Chair of South West Action for Rural Development to inform them of the meeting, the discussions held and to stress the importance of ensuring that levels of deprivation are key criteria in the implementation of their ‘Village Renewal and Development’ measure," she said.
Mr Elliott, the Deputy Chairman of the Stormont Agriculture Committee, also asked in broader terms if she had "supported, either verbally, in writing, or by any other means of communication, any individual projects being undertaken under Axis 3 of the Rural Development Programme".
Ms Gldernew said: "As Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development I can confirm that I have not issued any communication written or otherwise to support a specific project(s) undertaken as part of Axis 3 of the Rural Development Programme.
"However, in my role as a constituency Member of Parliament I have offered my support to a number of constituency based projects submitted under the programme."
Full story available in FARM WEEK - see your local newsagent
Click here for previous stories
|
November 13th 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November 6th 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
