HL Deb 11 February 2004 vol 656 c153WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 14 January (WA 84) concerning budgets for Cross-Border Bodies, why there is an increase of 40 per cent in the Waterways Ireland budget for 2004 over 2003. [HL862]

Baroness Amos

The increase in Waterways Ireland's budget for 2004 is due to: (a) an allocation of £5.9 million towards building a new headquarters in Enniskillen; (b) increased running costs of £1 million and (c) a change in the euro/sterling exchange rate from £0.65 in 2003 to £0.69 in 2004.

Waterways Ireland, like other cross-border bodies, continues to operate on a care and maintenance basis only while the Northern Ireland Assembly is in suspension. Therefore, while the 2004 budget contains an allocation for a new headquarters, this is still subject to approval to proceed.