Commenting on the appointment of Terence Brannigan by the DETI minister as the new Chair of Tourism NI, TUV leader Jim Allister said:
“This appointment throws up two relevant issues. First, what tourism experience has the appointee of the tourism industry to warrant his appointment to this key role and why, again, is someone already holding quango positions being appointed to a another paid post?
“Mr Brannigan is already paid £30,000 as Chairman of the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation. Now he will be paid over £25,000 pa to chair Tourism NI.
“Why is there this syndrome of the same people populating multiple quangos. When the executive came to office, there was a promise of “a bonfire of quangos”. In reality, the opposite has happened. The musical chairs which operates within and between quangos does nothing to build public confidence in the transparency of the system.”