The difficulty for the First and Deputy First Ministers is that if they did admit to disagreeing on the long-delayed appointment of a Victims’ Commissioner it would be seen as confirmation of this analysis. Meanwhile a Belfast Telegraph report quotes two anonymous sources within the same [OFDFM] Department who take slightly different views on the matter than the official spokesman for the two ministers.
But an OFMDFM spokesman said: “There is no intention to readvertise the position and the issue is still with the First and Deputy First Minister.”
And those other two sources..
The First Minister’s Office is understood to have sought legal advice amid concerns the move to re-advertise could bring another High Court challenge, potentially from those already on the shortlist for the post.
But a senior source said: “As things stand, the First and Deputy First Minister are agreed that none of the current applications are suitable and they intend to go for a wider pool of people.”
Another source said that while a final decision still had to be taken: ” We are confident that if it is re-advertised, an appointment can be made by Christmas.”
And who was on that short-list..
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