The cost of running the Stormont Parliament Buildings since the government’s collapse has been in excess of £3million, it can be revealed.
The £2million utilities bill for the building from January 1 2017 until March 31 2019 was released after a Freedom of Information request by Belfast Live.
In addition to that, security for the building in that same period has been close to £1million.
The figures come in the midst of talks to restore government here after over two years. It collapsed on January 26, 2017.
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said it will come as a “deep shock” to taxpayers.
He told Belfast Live: “The operating costs of Parliament Buildings are significant. And the amount spent will come as a deep shock to many people, it’s increasingly hard to justify in the absence of devolved government.
“Over the course of the last two years it has remained a working building for the Assembly staff who continue to provide a public service but the scale of the spend further underlines the need to restore the institutions to get some kind of value for money.”
The utility costs in that period are:
- Electricity: £408,732.31
- Heating (Gas): £206,346.58
- Broadband: £46,899.26
- Rates: £1,610,316.95
- Telephone: £91,672.50
Total: £2,363,969.60
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll questioned why the costs appear to have increased year-on-year.
He said: “Looking at the figures from the Freedom of Information request many people will be scratching their heads as to why the cost of running Stormont has increased when the building is not in full use.
“It’s puzzling to say the least that without MLA’s taking up positions in Stormont, attending plenary sessions and committees that the costs for things like electricity and gas have increased in this manner.
“The costs for utilities have increased over the figure for inflation – at a time when Stormont is being used less and less.
“I would ask the assembly commission to explain why this is the case to members of the public- many of whom themselves are struggling with the increased costs of living without getting any support.”
Campaigner Dylan Quinn, who founded ‘We Deserve Better’ said the costs are in the context of ‘increasing health waiting lists, schools struggling, reducing department budgets, infrastructure and investment delays’.
He added: “The chamber at the heart of Stormont is as empty as the promises given to us by many of our political representatives.
“There is the potential an election to fill this chamber will take place in the coming months, let’s hope we can fill it with people who will stop wasting our money and provide us effective political leadership.”
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