Statement by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston:
“For some weeks I have been collecting data on the spend of the different Executive departments on travel outside the British Isles since devolution returned. To say I am appalled at the scale and extravagance of ministerial and departmental spending on foreign travel is an understatement.
“When collated, the responses reveal an astonishing total of £470,000 spent on international travel by Stormont departments in just over a year — and more than £52,000 of that squandered by Ministers themselves.
“Luxury long-haul flights and costly hotel stays seem to be the norm for the Executive.
“No department has flown further or spent more widely than the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. In total, the department spent nearly £78,000, with trips ranging from Brussels to New Zealand, Germany to New York.
“Three individuals, including the Minister, few to New York Climate Week at a cost of £11,134 — supposedly to discuss sustainability of all things, while burning jet fuel and public money.
“Officials also attended climate-linked events in Sweden, Spain, and Germany — clocking up thousands more in expenses — with little to no clarity on what outcomes, if any, these junkets delivered for the Northern Ireland public.
“The Department of Finance racked up over £32,700 in international travel — including a single trip to Brussels by 16 officials from the Departmental Solicitor’s Office, costing the public £17,066. We’re told this was a “bespoke study visit” linked to the Windsor Framework.
“Can a 16-person legal trip to Brussels be justified? Ministers must explain why such a large group needed to attend, and what real value was achieved.
“The Minister for Education himself spent over £8,000 on overseas travel in a single year — including trips to Washington DC and Reykjavik, Iceland. Minister Givan’s personal travel and accommodation expenses account for nearly 25% of the total expenses by the Department on foreign travel.
Among the more concerning examples in the Department of Education are:
• Two officials who travelled to Paris and racked up costs of over £2,100 and
• A trip to Tokyo which cost £3,366, with no listed outcomes.
“With education budgets under severe strain, with SEN services stretched to breaking point people working in education will be asking questions.
“The biggest spenders though are of course the Executive Office. Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly’s department has managed to spend over £126,000 on international travel.
“When people see Ministers parading on the world stage while hospital waiting lists grow at home, it’s not hard to understand the anger. Spending more on a single trip than many people earn in a year is shameful.
“Across the Executive, this pattern of waste repeats. Ministers and officials racking up air miles while local services go without.
“When we ask the public to tighten their belts, the very least they should expect is that Ministers do the same.
“Climate change conferences abroad are no substitute for sound governance at home.
“Ministerial egos should not be subsidised by people struggling to make ends meet.
“With many already questioning the value of Stormont, these figures will do nothing to restore public confidence.”
Note to editors
You can read the full set of questions and answers online here.