Northern Ireland's Children's Commissioner is soaking up money which could be used to offset the cash crisis in the region's education boards, it was claimed today.
Conservative Party local government election candidate Peter Gray said Nigel Williams's office received more than its counterparts in Scotland and Wales.
He said: "Last year it was reported that the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People was given a budget of £1.9 million.
"This compared with £1.2 million and £1.5 million for Wales and Scotland respectively. Our commissioner's salary was higher than that of the commissioner for Scotland.
"Just like so many other things in our gold-plated quangoland, the Assembly being another example, we spend proportionately more on quangos and jobs for politicians."
Northern Ireland's five education and library boards have been hit by a spate of resignations following demands from minister Barry Gardiner for budget cuts.
Despite calls for his resignation, the education minister has insisted the boards have to learn to live within their budget. He also claimed the authorities are spending 54 per cent more on education than it did five years ago.