NORTHERN IRELAND Civil Service head Bruce Robinson has named a temporary replacement for the permanent secretary at the Department of Regional Development, whom he suspended on Tuesday.
Malcolm McKibbin, permanent secretary of the Department of Agriculture, is to transfer on a temporary basis to the post held by Paul Priestly, who has been suspended pending an inquiry into Northern Ireland Water (NIW). This is to facilitate an inquiry and is not disciplinary in nature.
Four of Northern Ireland Water’s non-executive directors were sacked last March amid concerns over tendering for about £28 million (€34 million) in contracts.
Former IDA chief Padraic White was appointed interim chairman of NIW on August 6th.
Stormont’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigated events leading to the sackings. Following a phone call between Mr Priestly and Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy this week, the minister said his most senior civil servant’s position was untenable. He was suspended by Mr Robinson. The Civil Service is also investigating the matter.
In his first major interview since the controversy broke, Mr Murphy stood by Mr Robinson’s decision to suspend Mr Priestly.
He told Radio Ulster yesterday: “I think they [PAC] have a very significant task in the public interest in holding departments to account and investigating matters that go on in departments and making reports and ensuring the recommendations of those reports are followed up.” Any attempt to interfere in that process would be very serious, he said, “and subsequent to the information I received I expressed my views on all of that to the head of the Civil Service”.
The sackings at NIW were investigated by UTV in a special programme earlier this week.
The Stormont Assembly committee overseeing the department of regional development is to meet in a closed session today to discuss the controversy at NIW. Mr Murphy has indicated he will present himself for questioning by them, most likely next week.
Consumer Council chief executive Antoinette McKeown said the allegations hurt community trust in public bodies, confidence “which had already plummeted following the revelations about NI Water’s misuse of public money. Very serious questions must be answered.”
The Information Commissioners’ Office is also to investigate NIW.