Catholics workers dominate the EU ‘peace money’ body

THE body responsible for doling out EU peace money in Northern Ireland and which funded the Londonderry ‘Peace Bridge’ is dominated by Catholics.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Jul 2011, 10:26 BST

Twice as many Catholics as Protestants are employed in the Special EU Programmes Body’s offices in Omagh and Belfast.

SEUPB manages the PEACE III and INTERREG IVA, European Structural Funds programmes in Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland.

Finance Minister Sammy Wilson advised there were just 14 Protestants currently employed by SEUPB in Northern Ireland, compared with 28 Catholics. The community background of seven other staff was given as non determined.

“These figures apply only to staff employed in the SEUPB’s Belfast and Omagh offices,” Mr Wilson said.