'Welcome To NI' Signs 'Waste' - Sinn Fein MLA

A Sinn Fein MLA has blasted 'Welcome to Northern Ireland' signs as a waste of money and said they should be taken down.

Phil Flanagan, MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, said the money spent on welcome signs along the border were against the advice of the tourist board and the money used should be spent on road repairs instead.

The roads service replied to say that the signs remind drivers they are entering a different jurisdiction and supplement signs indicating that speed limits are in miles per hour in Northern Ireland.

Mr Flanaghan claimed the signs were a "pet project" of the minister for regional development, Danny Kennedy.

He said: "At the end of June, Mr Kennedy told the Assembly that were wasn't enough money to pay for grass cutting, street lights and pothole repair and in fact he said he had no choice but to increase parking fines by 50% to cover the shortfall.

"How then can he justify wasting public money on the erection of signs, which no one wants and were advised against by the tourist board in the 1990s?'

East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross defended the signs.

He said: "Whilst some Sinn Fein representatives like to pretend the border doesn't exist the vast majority of people simply want to see all political parties make Northern Ireland work. It's time Phil Flanagan got on with that task.'

A Roads Service spokesman said: "Five out of a total of eight signs have been placed at an approximate total cost of £950."

(NE)