SPADs

List of Special Advisers and Salaries released by DoF

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on February 14, 2020, 5:46 pm

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It’s taken a lot longer than anticipated for the list of names and salaries to be released, but late this afternoon the Department of Finance issued the list and numbers. The average salary is £62,607 (down 13.8% from £72,681 in the last Executive) and the total pay-bill has decreased from £1,162,894 to £876,498. Four of the six special advisers in The Executive Office (which used to have eight advisers) have been placed in the middle of band 3, while all other SPADs are in pay-bands 1 or 2.

Interview: Jim Allister MLA talks about his Special Advisors bill…

Jay Burbank on February 2, 2020, 6:05 pm

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Next Monday the Northern Ireland assembly order paper will contain a private members bill from one of the few non-government party MLAs in the chamber. That member is Jim Allister. His tenure in politics spans decades and he has been present over the course of many political changes including the function or dysfunction of local institutions, he issued a challenge to the Assembly members: “if people are serious about cleaning up this place then they should have nothing to fear …

Special Advisers face new rules when they take up their posts, but recruitment process remains in hands of Ministers

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on January 20, 2020, 2:03 pm

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This afternoon finance minister Conor Murphy published a new Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and a code governing their appointment, and details of the paybands (which now have a lower ceiling). The Code of Conduct goes further than other UK jurisdictions, requiring the use of official email systems, outlawing leaking of confidential information, quarterly publication of gifts, hospitality and meetings with external organisations and individuals.

“No Minister should be using any private unsecured email accounts for any official business whatsoever…”

Pete Baker on October 24, 2018, 4:45 pm

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Some, presumably, unintentionally revealing details from the former Northern Ireland Finance Minister, Sinn Féin’s Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, who appeared in front of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Inquiry yesterday. This from his written statement [pdf file] 16. The bundle of documents referred to above appears to indicate that you used the email account [email protected] to discuss, share, transact, or otherwise communicate Executive business and Executive policy; and that you discussed, shared, transacted, or otherwise communicated Executive business and Executive policy with …

Executive Office: The more things change, the more they stay the same

David McCann on June 14, 2016, 1:16 pm

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In today’s Irish News, John Manley has an interesting story about the powers and staffing levels of the new Executive Office (formerly OFM/DFM). In his report he notes that despite losing a decent amount of its functions, the number of Special Advisors, Junior Ministers and the workforce will remain the same as he notes; The new Department of Communities takes on the bulk of the policy areas which would have previously been the responsibility of OFMDFM, including initiatives involving older …

DUP and Sinn Fein vote down Jim Allister’s SPAD bill

David McCann on October 13, 2015, 9:38 pm

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Jim Allister is back with a SPAD bill (not that one) this piece of legislation would have placed a cap on pay and the number of SPADs that can be employed. Northern Ireland currently spends over £2 million per year on SPADs which is double the cost of Scotland and three times that of Wales. A few months ago Jim Allister wrote for Slugger setting out his case for reform of the system. Alas it appears that business as usual …

Sucking up Stormont’s deadlocked politics for £90k

Mick Fealty on May 14, 2015, 1:18 pm

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One of the great things about not being able to scrutinise the Stormont administration and having everyone in government is that there is little brake on stuff like this… The information released on Monday shows that last year Mr Robinson’s two main Spads – barrister Richard Bullick and former accountant Timothy Johnston – were being paid the absolute maximum for a Spad, £91,809 A third DUP Spad, former lawyer Emma Pengelly, is also being paid the top rate of £91,809. The …

“Already, two Sinn Fein special advisers have been submitted to vetting procedures put in place by Sammy Wilson, the finance minister, as a condition for paying them.”

Pete Baker on March 24, 2013, 4:46 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph, Liam Clarke adds some interesting background detail on Jim Allister’s Bill legislating for the vetting of ministerial special advisers. As he points out, vetting began following the resignation of Sinn Féin’s Mary McArdle – who had been jailed for her part in the 1984 murder of Mary Travers. From the Belfast Telegraph article When Sinn Fein eventually replaced Ms McArdle with Mr Kearney, a journalist, Mr Wilson refused to pay him until he was vetted under special …

How the Civil Service (Special Advisers) Bill divides the interests of NI’s two Irish national parties

Mick Fealty on March 21, 2013, 3:29 pm

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Whatever you think of it as a bill, the proposed new legislation could be the first blow struck successfully by an opposition voice in Stormont. Although that will depend on which way the SDLP votes. Sam McBride provides the key background to the bill: The legislation introduced by TUV leader Jim Allister was drafted in response to the public outcry over the appointment of Mary McArdle as adviser to Sinn Fein culture minister Caral Ni Chuilin in 2011. The debate …