Exploris decision facing more delays

Exploris decision facing more delays

26 February 2014

SUPPORTERS of Exploris are to seek a further six-month stay of execution at tonight’s meeting of Ards Council.

Urgently sought financial backing from Stormont has yet to be confirmed but those backing the Portaferry aquarium say it would be foolish to back out of a process that is already underway.

Last month the council endorsed a business plan aimed at keeping the Portaferry aquarium open and deferred its original decision to close it by another month. After unofficial pledges of financial support from Stormont, councillors said they wanted to know exactly who was prepared to commit to what before their next meeting.

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has since written to Ards Council to confirm his financial backing to the aquarium’s seal sanctuary and express his commitment to Exploris, but it is understood no further financial commitments have been made. Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has also yet to respond in writing.

It is understood several government departments are keen to help but will not commit to any financial support until they have time to study the council’s business case in detail. The plan, which depends on increased visitor numbers, would see the ratepayers subsidy from £500,000 to £200,000 a year.

Speaking in advance of tonight’s meeting, Portaferry councillor Joe Boyle conceded a longer period was required to secure funding than first thought. He suggested it was “naive” to expect Stormont to have rubber-stamped its commitment within such a short period and said it would not make sense for Ards Council to abandon the process at this stage.

Councillor Boyle welcomed Mr. Durkan’s recent letter but said it was “bitterly disappointing” that Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster had so far failed to respond.

“Minister Mark H Durkan, rather than reneging on his original financial offer, or indeed his interest in assisting the facility to become sustainable and enhanced, has, in his latest correspondence to Ards Council, reaffirmed his commitment to Exploris,” said councillor Boyle.

“The conundrum for Ards Council officers is that they perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, unwittingly or even perhaps a little naively, entered into a request for funding from the Northern Ireland Assembly, unaware that there would be processes to go through involving departments, business cases, economists, executive approval etc.

“Yet within this process have been constantly assured of funding from the DOE Minister Mark H Durkan. Therefore to withdraw from this process and force through a decision to ‘close and dispose ‘ without being properly informed as to whether or not funding will become available would certainly not be viewed upon as good governance practice.”

In a statement yesterday, the chairwoman of Friends of Exploris Dr. Julia Sigwart, said there was “obviously a process that has to be followed” within the Executive.

“The important point is that there is a process which is in train,” she said. “Yet even now it is still possible that Ards Borough Council could, without further discussion, simply allow Exploris to be closed. The decision to ‘close and dispose’ still stands.”