SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has expressed his concern that best value for money was not gained during the opening of the Peace Bridge in June last year.

Mr Ramsey submitted an assembly question to the First and Deputy First Ministers' Office regarding the breakdown of the costing.

Mr Ramsey said: "I had concerns that the opening of the Peace Bridge did not reflect the best possible value for money for our local ratepayers and unfortunately these concerns have been proved true.

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"I'm calling on Derry City Council and ILEX and the Culture Company to puit together a work programme to ensure that local companies have the capacity to apply and compete for tenders.

"We will be contacting Invest NI to make sure that companies are fully aware of all contracts currently out for tender.

"This was a wonderful occasion celebrating a wonderful structure that all the people of Derry are rightly proud of. The benefits of the peace bridge will be felt well into the future. But we must learn from this and ensure that similar events in the city in the future are afforded the greatest level of value for money for our ratepayers."

(CD/GK)