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<\/a><\/p>\nAlthough the total budget dipped to \u00a3760,480 in the most recent financial year of 2023\/24, it still brought the total spend on the office since the Brexit vote in 2016 to \u00a36,740,324.<\/p>\n
The figures provided by The Executive Office show that more than \u00a315 million has been provided to run the office since 2008.<\/p>\n
The largest annual spend on the Brussels office recorded since the Brexit vote was in 2021\/2022, when it cost a total of \u00a3923,248.<\/p>\n
There are currently 11 members of staff based at the Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels, together with two members of staff from Invest NI.<\/p>\n
Some are employed by the Executive Office, some are locally employed and others are from a range of departments in the Executive.<\/p>\n
Its key priorities are listed as; to assist the Executive to further the aims of its Programme for Government through supporting Northern Ireland\u2019s European engagement; to assist Northern Ireland Departments to contribute to EU policy development and implementation in relation to their core business areas and to increase Departmental engagement with elective European funding programmes; to raise the positive profile of Northern Ireland in Europe and among its institutions.<\/p>\n
However, TMr Gaston has raised concerns over the spend on the European office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spend on the Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels – over \u00a36.7 million since the UK voted to leave the EU – will doubtless cause many to raise eyebrows, not least because I am sure I am not alone in not being clear as to what it actually does,\u201d Mr Gaston told The Irish News.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch a large investment of public money is something we would expect to see more openness about. It would appear to me that in relation to this – as with so much in the Executive Office – there is little regard for public money.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also cannot help but contrast this lavish spend on the Executive\u2019s Brussels office with the fact that InterTrade UK – which was heralded by the DUP as a major achievement to address the challenges posed by the Protocol – doesn\u2019t have offices, has no independent budget and no staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis spend is something I intend to probe further in the Executive Office Committee\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Executive Office has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n
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