Northern Ireland's suspended Assembly is costing more than £2 million sterling (€2.84 million) a month to run, it emerged tonight.
Even though the administration ground to a halt last October and was dissolved in April, Secretary of State Mr Paul Murphy has confirmed the costs to the taxpayer.
Mr David Burnside, Ulster Unionist MP for South Antrim has demanded that the Assembly be shut down completely by the end of the year if a deal cannot be brokered to revive the political institutions.
"I think the majority of people in Northern Ireland want devolved government but this will reinforce the view that Stormont is over-bloated with too much administration," he said. "When they see this bill for something that has no powers I think it disillusions the taxpayer."
Mr Murphy disclosed the costs in response to a written House of Commons question from Mr Burnside.
He said monthly running costs based on financial transactions for May 2003 are £2,170,000."
The total is made up of £785,000 going to Assembly secretary staffing; Assembly secretariat running costs of £408,000; salaries of £217,000 to former MLAs; another £588,000 for MLAs staffing and all other member/party costs of £172,000.
