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14/04/2006
Concern over axing of blue flag scheme in NI
Ulster Unionist MLA for East Londonderry, Norman Hillis has expressed his disappointment at the news that the prestigious blue flag awards scheme may be axed if relevant funding is not secured.
The Environment and Heritage Service provided an annual grant of £177,000 to Tidy NI to help cover the costs of the scheme, up until two years ago.
But as the funding is to be reduced by £22,000 a year to just £77,000 by 2010, this will be the last time the awards are going be handed out.
Speaking on the announcement, Mr Hillis said: “The removal of this scheme will have a devastating effect in many areas as clean and tidy beaches are their main pull for tourism. This news is particularly worrying for my constituency as we boast the highest concentration of blue and yellow flag beaches in Northern Ireland.
“I’m confounded by the bureaucrats who clearly don’t understand the needs of the areas who will be adversely affected by this. They have given no consideration about the detrimental impact to tourism, not just in East Londonderry, but Northern Ireland as a whole.
The MLA added that beaches elsewhere in the UK would be flying their blue flags whilst Northern Ireland will be left behind.
He said that with so many of the areas in Northern Ireland depending so heavily on tourism we cannot afford to let standards slip, and this is exactly what will happen should the scheme cease.
Mr Hillis continued: "A beach with a blue flag eases the anxiety a visitor may have about water quality as the Blue Flag is only awarded to beaches which pass a strict water quality test of the maximum standard set down in European law.
“A beach with a blue flag instils a feeling of pride within the whole community. Staff from Coleraine and Limavady Councils, the National Trust and other volunteers put in a lot of hard work to ensure that North Coast beaches are kept to the highest standards and it will be appalling if their efforts cease to be rewarded,” he concluded.
(EF/SP)
The Environment and Heritage Service provided an annual grant of £177,000 to Tidy NI to help cover the costs of the scheme, up until two years ago.
But as the funding is to be reduced by £22,000 a year to just £77,000 by 2010, this will be the last time the awards are going be handed out.
Speaking on the announcement, Mr Hillis said: “The removal of this scheme will have a devastating effect in many areas as clean and tidy beaches are their main pull for tourism. This news is particularly worrying for my constituency as we boast the highest concentration of blue and yellow flag beaches in Northern Ireland.
“I’m confounded by the bureaucrats who clearly don’t understand the needs of the areas who will be adversely affected by this. They have given no consideration about the detrimental impact to tourism, not just in East Londonderry, but Northern Ireland as a whole.
The MLA added that beaches elsewhere in the UK would be flying their blue flags whilst Northern Ireland will be left behind.
He said that with so many of the areas in Northern Ireland depending so heavily on tourism we cannot afford to let standards slip, and this is exactly what will happen should the scheme cease.
Mr Hillis continued: "A beach with a blue flag eases the anxiety a visitor may have about water quality as the Blue Flag is only awarded to beaches which pass a strict water quality test of the maximum standard set down in European law.
“A beach with a blue flag instils a feeling of pride within the whole community. Staff from Coleraine and Limavady Councils, the National Trust and other volunteers put in a lot of hard work to ensure that North Coast beaches are kept to the highest standards and it will be appalling if their efforts cease to be rewarded,” he concluded.
(EF/SP)
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