Concerns have been raised that a council trip to a WWI event could see councillors criticised in the same way the deputy First Minister was slated over her Wimbledon trip.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) officers had been tasked in July to bring back a more cost effective price for councillors to attend a Gallipoli commemoration in Turkey with the initial amount estimated at £1,650 per person.
A new report was brought to this week’s strategy, policy and resources committee bringing the cost to an approximate £525 each, however a debate on the value to the ratepayer has now tasked party group leaders with decision making outside of the chamber.
Slieve Croob DUP cllr, Alan Lewis said: “There was only one member who went to the trip to the Somme in 2024, there was then supposed to be three last year, but only two went.
“The costing for Gallipoli has been reduced significantly and we would be quite happy to propose that we send three representatives.
“This is an invite that has come to us and other councils who will be represented and I believe we have done this in the most economical way we can.
“I just wouldn’t like to see other councils being represented and not our council given the importance of the anniversary.”
Councils across Northern Ireland and the Republic have been invited to send reps to mark the 110th anniversary of the 10th Irish Division’s involvement at Gallipoli, where the division suffered 3,500 casualties.
The Battle Honour ‘Gallipoli 1915-16’, is emblazoned on the King’s Colour of The Royal Irish Regiment and was awarded for various actions during the military operation.
The invitation to councils across the island of Ireland was sent by the Dalaradia Cultural & Historical Society (DCHS) and will involve an act of remembrance in Turkey from 13-18 October. It was the DCHS that provided the original estimated cost of the trip to councils.
Downpatrick SDLP rep, Gareth Sharvin said: “I would like to seek clarity on the proposal as the recommendation does not stipulate how many would go.
“I suppose and not that we should react to everything in the media, but whenever you consider the deputy First Minister attended Wimbledon and it cost about £1,000, the reaction to that was quite significant.
“I take the point that those two events are totally different. But, why are we sending three people?”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP) and Education Authority (EA) chief executive Richard Pengelly attended the recent tennis tournament in Wimbledon as guests in the Royal Box.
A Freedom of Information request has shown more than £980 was spent on the trip.
The married couple were seen in the Royal Box alongside celebrities including American pop star Olivia Rodrigo, professional wrestler John Cena and former England football manager Roy Hodgson.
Some Stormont parties have criticised the spending with Alliance’s deputy leader Eoin Tennyson describing it as a “jolly to Wimbledon on the taxpayers’ dime”.
But, The Executive Office (TEO) said it was in line with civil service policy and “no additional expenditure” was incurred on behalf of the deputy First Minister’s husband.
Cllr Sharvin added: “Is there an opportunity for us as a council to commemorate it here in our own district and to identify people of our own district that were part of the event, instead of flying people off at a cost to the ratepayer.
“If we are to send two instead of three councillors, who would they be? Because if we go through D’Hondt it would be one Sinn Fein and one SDLP. I would assume this would be a matter for group leaders to decide who will represent the council.”
Following a proposal by Slieve Gullion UUP cllr David Taylor, the chamber then agreed to send the matter to the party leaders’ group to “define numbers and who the reps will be” to attend the Gallipoli event.
