Lavish hospitality spending by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's New York office will come under the spotlight today in a highly critical report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
The Government watchdog has investigated alleged financial mismanagement and accounting procedures at the Tourist Board's New York office and will publish its findings today. Sir Reg Empey, the North's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has told the Northern Ireland Assembly that many of the issues raised in today's report have already been addressed by his department and by the Tourist Board.
"Before the audit office became involved, action in many cases has already been taken and taken some time ago. But that does not in any way relieve us of the obligation to be continuously vigilant," the Minister said.
Sir Reg came under attack in the Assembly yesterday from Mr John Dallat, the SDLP member for East Derry, who is a member of the Assembly Public Accounts Committee.
Mr Dallat said it was imperative that Assembly members could be confident that taxpayers' money was not being misappropriated and that the tourist board had used its funding to promote Northern Ireland's tourism potential.
The SDLP in turn was criticised by Mr Danny Kennedy, the Ulster Unionist Party member for Newry and Armagh, who said members of the SDLP had been engaged in a "witch-hunt" against the current chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Mr Roy Bailie.
Mr Bailie is also the chairman and majority shareholder in WG Baird, one of the largest printing companies in the North that was awarded contracts by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
An earlier Audit Office report had investigated the contract process and had accepted that Mr Bailie had not influenced or been involved in the tender process for Northern Ireland Tourist Board contracts.
Sir Reg told the Northern Ireland Assembly that he personally had "great sympathy" for Mr Bailie, because it was made clear at the time of his appointment that W&G Baird was a supplier to the Tourist Board.
Sir Reg said: "It has been a matter of regret to me that he personally has been singled out and has indeed to defend himself against allegations that were not true."
