UUP boss miffed at short notice of Siege Museum invite

THE Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt was miffed at the short notice he received of an event to announce funding for the Siege Heroes Museum in the Apprentice Boys’ Memorial Hall last month.

Mr Nesbitt says he was only informed by the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) two days before the event and therefore could not attend.

He told the Sentinel that he implied no criticism of the Apprentice Boys.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Nesbitt asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel Sammy Wilson when the date for the event to announce funding for the Siege Heroes Museum was agreed and for details on all invitations.

Mr Wilson replied that the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), PEACE III Managing Authority, advised that the date for the launch of the project was agreed in late August/early September.

“All planning for the event was conducted by a working group led by the Apprentice Boys of Derry. The group included representatives from Derry City Council (the project’s lead partner), the General Committee for the Apprentice Boys of Derry, the Strategic Investment Board and SEUPB.

“The invitation list for the event, drawn up in September, included representatives of all project funders, including the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (represented by Minister Foster), the Department for Social Development, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Republic of Ireland’s Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, and SEUPB.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although the invitation list was drawn up in September and the event did not take place until late October, Mr Nesbitt wasn’t invited until 48 hours before hand.

Responding to a Sentinel query via an internet communication service, Mr Nesbitt stated: “My invite came via Strategic Investment Board (SIB) with 48 hours notice. No criticism of ABOD is implied.”

The UUP boss was provided with a full list of those invited to the event on October 19.

Those invited were Nelson McCausland, Arlene Foster, Carál Ní Chuilín, Phil Hogan, Mark Durkan, Gregory Campbell, Diane Dodds, Martina Anderson, Jim Nicholson, Brett Hannam, Pat Colgan, Alan Clarke, Brenda Burns, Wesley Emmett, John Kelpie, Francis Morrison, Sharon O’ Connor, Kevin Campbell, Willie Hay, Billy Moore, Ivan Taylor, Philip Gillen, William Stewart, Jim Brownlee, Rev David Latimer, Rev William Morton, Adrian Kerr, Richard Doherty, Dr Brian Scott, Aideen McGinley, Caoimhin Corrigan, Pauline Ross, Martin Melarky, Brenda McGinn, Stella McDermott, Mark Lusby, Eamonn Deane, Craig McGuicken, Graeme Farrow, Tony Monaghan, Natalie O’Rourke, Manus Deery, Edward Montgomery, Mr Heafley, Laura Cooke, Mrs Canning, Eleanor McDaid, Finvola McCaul, Marion McClintock, Mr Condren, Jareth Parlour, Leorna O’Donnell, Claire Bell, Mrs McHugh, Mr Meenan, Dr Gormley, Professor Ian Thatcher, James Kerr, Sarah Lapsley, Maoliosa Boyle, Brenda Hegarty, Lorraine McCourt, Garret McGinty, John McCandless, Martin Bradley, Alwyn Ferguson, David Mc Keegan, Craig Jefferson, Rev Storey, Niall McCaughan, Bill Irwin, John Smith, Gordon Porter, Sue Divin, Paul Jordan, David Hoey, Barry Mulholland, John Edmund, Fergal Rafferty, Luke Hasson, Garvan O’Doherty, Jim Roddy, Martin McCrossan, Maurice Devenney, Sinead McLaughlin, Mary Blake, Odhran Dunne, Shaun Henry, Aisling Heffernan, Eugene Keane, Fergal Martin, Frank Flood, Eamonn Rossi, Noel Moore, Andrew McCartney, Shona McCarthy, Mary McNamee, Martin Graham, Oliver McKeown, Andrew Johnston, Glenn Hampton, Tony Mc Kibben and Martin Turner.