Ulster Unionist MLA, Jo-Anne Dobson, has described as an ‘unhealthy obsession’ the Minister of Agriculture Michelle O’Neill’s continued focus on moving her Department Headquarters to Ballykelly.
The Upper Bann MLA, who is the UUP’s Agriculture Spokesperson said: “The continued fixation of the Minister on her Ballykelly HQ move is deflecting her attention from where it should really be, helping every single farmer across Northern Ireland.
"While we strongly support the relocation of the headquarters of the Forestry Service to Enniskillen, Fisheries Division to Downpatrick and the Rivers Agency to Cookstown the relocation of the overall DARD HQ to Ballykelly is entirely different.
“Whilst we support the development of Ballykelly camp, we are not prepared to turn a blind eye to Michelle O`Neill`s failure to produce a meaningful business case to justify the move of DARD HQ. Value for money, on a project which will cost in excess of£40m, hasn't been demonstrated.
"Last month we called for these plans to be postponed and for an independent investigation to be conducted before the proposed move proceeds any further and I once again repeat that call.
“While the Minister oversees the demolition work on Shackleton Barracks our farmers continue to struggle with below production prices for their produce.
"Yet the Minister's only answer is to point some way off into the future at 'Going For Growth' as the cure all solution to farmers problems. Farmers know too well that isn’t true - they need help today, not the thin promise of help months down the line.
"Last week at Committee senior UFU representatives told us that they ‘cannot see anything for us from the Going for Growth Campaign as it sits.' They also expressed their disappointment at the Minister's response to their plea for help for pig farmers. Something is badly wrong!
“First we had a crisis in the beef industry, then dairy and now pig farmers are facing an intolerable price disparity which could put many out of business.
“As our farmers continue to struggle with below production prices for their produce they need and deserve action from DARD, the Department and the Minister whose primary function should be to support them.
“If we are to have a profitable future for farming in Northern Ireland the Agriculture Minister must turn her head away from her fixation with choosing the fixtures and fittings for her new headquarters and actually listen to the farmers who are crying out for a level playing field in which to sell their products.
"Going for Growth as it sits, is not the right answer to their pleas for help, in fact it's going in the wrong direction.
"Ballykelly, a move which is divisive even amongst her own staff, is diverting her attention from the real issues affecting our agri-food industry and she needs to refocus her priorities."