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| £160,000 equine centre never used | £160,000 equine centre never used |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An equine technology centre which cost £160,000 of public funding to build in 2000, has never been used, an assembly committee has revealed. | An equine technology centre which cost £160,000 of public funding to build in 2000, has never been used, an assembly committee has revealed. |
| The Public Accounts Committee has issued a final report on the Fermanagh-based Irish Sports Horse Project. | The Public Accounts Committee has issued a final report on the Fermanagh-based Irish Sports Horse Project. |
| The committee said scarce resources had been wasted and an opportunity to help the NI equine sector missed. | The committee said scarce resources had been wasted and an opportunity to help the NI equine sector missed. |
| The project was set up in 1996 to establish a commercially-run horse-breeding project. | The project was set up in 1996 to establish a commercially-run horse-breeding project. |
| The company behind it collapsed in 2001 and its remaining assets were taken over by the Department of Agriculture. | The company behind it collapsed in 2001 and its remaining assets were taken over by the Department of Agriculture. |
| The project has been examined twice before by the committee in 2001 and the latest report completed its investigation into the scheme. | The project has been examined twice before by the committee in 2001 and the latest report completed its investigation into the scheme. |
| In 2006, a departmental review found that delivering equine breeding and testing at two sites -the Department's Enniskillen campus and Necarne - was costing more than necessary. | In 2006, a departmental review found that delivering equine breeding and testing at two sites -the Department's Enniskillen campus and Necarne - was costing more than necessary. |
| Two years later, in 2008, the department calculated that it could save over £165,000 a year by concentrating all equine provision at its Enniskillen campus. | Two years later, in 2008, the department calculated that it could save over £165,000 a year by concentrating all equine provision at its Enniskillen campus. |
| The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Paul Maskey, said: "To our dismay, during our most recent evidence session, we found that public funds will continue to be wasted on the Necarne lease until at least 2012 when the department hopes to agree the termination of the lease with the council. | |
| "In our view, the slow progress with which this matter has been pursued by the department is unacceptable." | "In our view, the slow progress with which this matter has been pursued by the department is unacceptable." |