Anger at Stormont official's move
A special meeting of the Assembly’s spending watchdog has been called for today to discuss the removal of a senior official.
Members of the Public Accounts Committee have insisted an Assembly Secretariat decision to move its clerk to another post at Stormont would prove an ‘‘extremely serious blow’’ to the work of the body.
SDLP East Derry MLA John Dallat said the committee, which has been at the centre of a number of highly publicised cases involving spending by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Northern Ireland Events Company, was not consulted about the move.
Michael Rickard has been clerk to the Public Accounts Committee since January 2000 and is highly regarded by members of the body charged with probing the spending of government departments.
Mr Dallat said today’s special meeting would provide committee members with an opportunity to voice their ‘‘considerable anger’’ at the proposed removal of Mr Rickard.
‘‘It would be a clear disadvantage to the committee if it were to lose its clerk while a number of critical investigations are ongoing,’’ he said.
‘‘It is of critical importance that we have continuity in staffing until some of our most complex reports are delivered.
‘‘This is a committee which has revolutionised the way government finances operate, but to have our principal officer taken away feels like a slap in the face.
‘‘I would be concerned that it could send out the wrong message to government departments which have been rapped on the knuckles in the past,’’ he added.
A spokesman for the Assembly Secretariat - which is charged with staffing the assembly - said the decision to rotate personnel is for the good of the whole organisation and is based on ‘‘sound business practice and good management’’.
However, Seamus Close of the cross-community Alliance party, said a number of committee members would state their continuing opposition to the move at the special meeting, which has been called during the Assembly’s summer recess.
The Lagan Valley MLA questioned the reasons for the step and claimed it would be almost impossible to replace Mr Rickard at such a vital stage in the preparation of many reports.
‘‘The Public Accounts Committee has a very high profile, it is doing good work and is a winning team so it has to be questioned, why change a winning team, particularly at this juncture when a number of reports are in the final stages of preparation.
‘‘One could be forgiven for wondering ‘perhaps we have been too successful, perhaps we have stood on too many toes and does someone want to destabilise the committee?’’’
‘‘When something is working so well, why should it be changed without any consultation?’’
