McGuinness expects Westminster to honour commitments to North

FUNDING REVIEW:NORTHERN IRELAND'S Deputy First Minister is confident the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government will not decrease funds to the region when it announces its comprehensive spending review today.

“They have said they will honour their commitment, so I am taking them at their word,” Mr McGuinness said in Washington yesterday.

“Obviously, over the course of the last short while, [First Minister] Peter Robinson and I have been involved in a battle with the British government in relation to their commitment.”

Gordon Brown’s administration had promised to spend £18 billion (€20.6 billion) on Northern Ireland by 2017 “and it was obvious to us a few weeks ago that the British government were not committed to honouring that agreement”, Mr McGuinness continued.

“London said they would cut 48 per cent of the average £1.5 billion we spend annually.

“When we met [chancellor of the exchequer] George Osborne, we reminded him that Gordon Brown ring-fenced and guaranteed that on May 8th, 2007 – the day that Ian Paisley and I stood up,” he continued.

“Gordon Brown lodged the financial package guarantees in a House of Commons ministerial statement.

“The chancellor appeared unaware of the previous commitment, and asked us to send him the information, which we did.”

The end result, Mr McGuinness said, was that he and Mr Robinson “compelled” the British to keep their word.

“[Northern Ireland secretary of state Owen] Paterson effectively reversed his position of cuts in regard to the capital build programme.”

However, in her opening remarks to the Conference on Investment in Northern Ireland here yesterday, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton seemed to hint at impending bad news.

“I know the governments in Dublin and London face their own very difficult situations,” Mrs Clinton said.

“Northern Ireland is very dependent on expenditure from Westminster. I hope that whatever happens with the [spending review] announcements from the government, there will be no discouragement or despair, but instead a renewal of commitment.”

Ms Clinton was to meet Mr Paterson immediately after she spoke.

An Irish diplomat said yesterday that it was a good thing the Northern Ireland executive was in Washington drumming up investment on the eve of the British government’s announcement of its spending review.

The conference demonstrated the sense of resolve and initiative in the North, he said. It was tantamount to telling London: we’re doing our part; now you do yours, the diplomat continued.

In their discussions with London, Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness noted that “the Irish Government, which is in a much more difficult position, has kept and honoured its commitment to build the A5 from Monaghan to Derry and Letterkenny, and the A8 on the eastern seaboard from Belfast to Larne”.