Statement by TUV Court Councillor Jolene Bunting:
“The UK is a huge net contributor to the EU, pouring £20 billion every year into the bottomless pit of Brussels. We have been giving more money to the EU than we get back for 40 years. The gross cost of EU membership to the UK is £50m a day. That money would be far better spent on our own people.
“And what of the money we get back from the EU?
“Firstly, it is dishonestly packaged as “EU funding”. In reality, it is money which the UK paid into the EU in the first place!
“Secondly, instead of the money providing lasting economic benefit much of it has been squandered on Republican ex-prisoner groups and the like.
“Equally, there has been a serious imbalance in the community distribution of EU funding. Unionists have lost out when it comes to the greater share of funding.
“Not only that but many of the projects which have received EU money have been downright offensive to the Unionist community. One has only to think of the Ti Chulainn Centre in South Armagh which was funded by the EU. They failed to take action even after photos emerged of children posing with masks and brandishing weapons emerged.
“In every respect the UK would be better off out of the EU. That is why I am urging Unionists to get out in force and Vote Leave in a few weeks’ time.”