DRD – Page 2 – Slugger O'Toole

“OFMDFM are aware of the issues raised…”

Pete Baker on January 31, 2011, 12:02 pm

| Readers 3

On Friday [evening? – Ed] the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers issued a statement in response to concerns about their appointment of an individual to an ‘independent’ review who “could be perceived as having a conflict of interest.” In particular, the appointment of Philip Holder to the second layer of the investigation into the role and responsibilities of the NI Regional Development Minister, and the Department, in the NI Water saga. From the OFMDFM statement OFMDFM are aware of the issues raised …

DRD Minister intends to grant £8.6million to City of Derry Airport

Pete Baker on January 28, 2011, 2:50 pm

| Readers 10

Some £60-odd million has been spent by various administrations on the City of Derry Airport in recent years – including £19million in 2008 on “safety work”. And still no sign of a buyer… But, as the Irish Government prepares to cut the subsidy it provides for the Londonderry-Dublin flight, the Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, has announced his intention to grant £8.6million to the airport for further “essential safety works”. Even though he has yet to secure …

Another conflict of interest in yet another NI Water review team – redux

Pete Baker on January 28, 2011, 12:21 am

| Readers 7

As I said of the leaked draft PAC report into NI Water The First and deputy First Ministers clearly haven’t learned the importance of not appointing individuals to ‘independent’ reviews who “could be perceived as having a conflict of interest.” The BBC reports on questions over the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers’ appointment of Philip Holder to the second layer of the investigation into the role and responsibilities of the NI Regional Development Minister and the Department in the NI Water saga. From the BBC report The Department for Regional …

NI Water: Draft PAC report says IRT conclusion “too general” and “deficient”

Pete Baker on January 18, 2011, 7:04 pm

| Readers 15

UTV has seen a leaked copy of the draft PAC report into the NI Water saga. From UTV [added emphasis throughout] The draft document, which was prepared by Audit Office staff over the past six months, has criticised the composition of the team formed last January to examine procurement problems at the water company. It says the Department should not have appointed individuals to the Independent Review Team who “could be perceived as having a conflict of interest.” The draft report …

Bullshit, and joined-up government…

Pete Baker on January 14, 2011, 3:04 pm

| Readers 7

Some four weeks after the departmental allocations were agreed and all Northern Ireland Executive departments have, to a greater or lesser extent, finally published their spending plans. Don’t worry, though. There’ll be an extra week of that public consultation… Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Finance Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, is complaining that the UK Treasury has “swiped” £300million of NI departments’ yearly underspend – rather than allowing it to be drawn down in the subsequent year. The NIO has issued a statement …

Professor Hillyard: “We prepared the reports and they’re still sitting on somebody’s shelf somewhere”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2011, 5:31 pm

| Readers 130

A timely reminder from the chairman of the Independent Water Review Panel [IWRP], Professor Paddy Hillyard, of the results of the recommendations contained in the two strands of his previous review of NI Water. From the BBC report The review was set up by the assembly in 2007 after direct rule ministers advised that water services should be privatised. Among its recommendations were that water charges should come in. [Adds – and “be clearly and separately identified on their rates bill …

Updated: “The second part of the investigation will be produced by two individuals appointed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister…”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2011, 12:37 am

| Readers 12

We now have the details of that “yet another expensive review” of NI Water, as annonunced by the Northern Ireland Executive. Despite concerns about the Utilities Regulator’s role expressed by, amongst others, the NI Consumer Council, that part of the review – proposed by the NI Regional Development Minister – stays in place. But they’ve added a second layer. And in time honoured fashion they don’t appear to have been able to agree to appoint a single person to review the Regulator’s review, …

NI Water: Yet another expensive review slouches into view…

Mick Fealty on January 6, 2011, 10:47 am

| Readers 37

So after just one year and seven months in post, the latest person to leave the shambles that is NI Water is Laurence MacKenzie. Negotiations on the exact terms of his departure only concluded at 12 Midnight last night. The final figure is thought to be about £96,000 (note, that’s not been confirmed). The Board is recommending that Trevor Hazlett, a civil engineer with 30 years experience at NI Water (and direct responsibility for industrial procurement), as MacKenzie’s replacement. Hazlett …

“This minister doesn’t appear to accept any responsibility for anything”

Pete Baker on January 5, 2011, 3:35 pm

| Readers 7

A BBC report includes this pertinent comment from UUP MLA Fred Cobain, chairman of the NI Assembly’s Regional Development Committee, on the NI water crisis. Ulster Unionist Fred Cobain is chair of the Regional Development Committee, which is to meet on Thursday to discuss the crisis. He said “the issue rests with the minister and not Mr MacKenzie”. “At the end of the day in all of these issues the individual who leads the department is responsible and I have to …

NI water crisis: “why Sinn Féin and the DUP have reacted with a mix of denial and pulpit thumping”

Pete Baker on January 3, 2011, 2:37 pm

| Readers 8

Via Newshound, in the Sunday Times Liam Clarke adds his thoughts on the “pulpit thumping” intervention of the OFMDFM, the possibly misplaced ministerial confidence, and the ongoing cost of Executive crowd-pleasing as the NI water crisis continues. From the Sunday Times article Murphy and his colleagues are making the most of the inherited nature of their difficulties. Yet, knowing the risks, the DUP/Sinn Féin-led administration did little to improve the situation. There was some limited investment in the water system …

Conor Murphy: “I do have confidence [in Laurence MacKenzie].”

Pete Baker on December 31, 2010, 4:27 pm

| Readers 45

Following the intervention of the First and deputy First Ministers in the Northern Ireland water crisis, a NI Executive statement was issued stating that “There was considerable anger across the Ministerial spectrum about the shambolic response of NI Water which had let down the whole community.” OFMDFM appear to be still singing from the same hymn sheet. “There has to be accountability” they both have said. Mr McGuinness said: “There has to be accountability and we are not going to under …

OFMDFM: “NI Water’s response was clearly inadequate…”

Pete Baker on December 29, 2010, 4:14 pm

| Readers 29

Which “officials” were “summoned” to Stormont this morning by Martin McGuinness, and in what capacity the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister was acting, isn’t entirely clear – as we only have a Sinn Féin press release to go on. But the “stocktake meeting in the morning at NI Water” mentioned here by the relevant Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, seems to have been pushed back into the afternoon as a result. What we do have is a joint OFMDFM statment today In …

Irish Labour Party: “We may not be in a position to build the road from Dublin…”

Pete Baker on December 11, 2010, 5:00 pm

| Readers 12

Thanks to today’s Irish News we have the response from the Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, to comments from Irish Labour Party transport spokesman, Joe Costello, which cast doubt on the proposed £850million upgrade of the A5 between Londonderry and Aughnacloy. From the Irish News report Mr Murphy said last night it was too late for the Republic to back out of its commitment to the project because the contract had already been signed and a payment plan …

“in an open, transparent and independent manner…”

Pete Baker on December 11, 2010, 3:47 pm

| Readers 8

As the BBC reported on Thursday, the Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development has advertised for applications to a new permament board of directors at the troubled NI Water to replace the interim appointments made earlier this year. According to the advert in the Irish News It is expected that a Chair will be appointed in early 2011, with the remaining Non-Executive Directors being appointed in the Spring. Although, if the DRD statement in the BBC report is anything to go by, …

NI Water: Did whistle-blowing lead to a switch in contract?

Mick Fealty on October 14, 2010, 9:22 am

| Readers 53

I’ve uploaded this whistleblower correspondence. What passes as acceptable practice in DRD at the most senior level, does not measure up to its own policy standards. Here we have a complaint to the Permanent Secretary from the owner of Contracting Out, Sue Holmes. The original complaint is not included, but you can see from the paper trail that despite an explicit request from the complainent that the correspondence not be shared with anyone but the addressee. Within three hours on a …

NI Water: ICO looking into MacKenzie’s deleted email…

Mick Fealty on September 14, 2010, 3:54 pm

| Readers 27

Yesterday Diana Rusk in the Irish News noted that NI Water supremo Laurence McKenzie just happened to delete that controversial email text which Paul Priestley sent him, a full 17 days after receiving it. But an FOI response from NI Water reveals he deleted it the day after NI Water received an FOI requesting it. The request was eventually granted. Following a complaint from the person who made the original request, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in Belfast is looking …

Minister on “solo run with enormous financial implications” without Executive approval

Pete Baker on September 13, 2010, 10:49 pm

| Readers 89

What to make of the Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister, Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy’s, apparent declaration of intent over NI Water? Some would argue that the stated objective, of ‘re-nationalisation’ [within Northern Ireland] of the Water Service NI Water, was the main reason behind the ongoing saga. From the BBC report Finance Minister Sammy Wilson criticised Mr Murphy’s proposals as “expensive and unrealistic”. “Bringing Northern Ireland Water back, and he has admitted this himself, into full public ownership would have revenue consequences, making …

NI Water: Why did MacKenzie break up NIW’s commercial review team?

Mick Fealty on September 10, 2010, 1:26 pm

| Readers 216

With the inclusion of a submission to the PAC from Contracting Out, the NI Audit Office team will almost certainly spotlight NI Water’s customer service and IT contract with Steria Ltd. Not least since this is the only part of the initial controversy that substantially touches on the value for money issue. For all the accusations flowing in the direction of the sacked NEDs, it is important to note that Mr MacKenzie was given a detailed briefing on his arrival in …

NI Water: Minister failed to pick up Board’s early questions about Dixon?

Mick Fealty on September 2, 2010, 9:47 am

| Readers 91

Okay, another bullish performance from Minister Murphy here on the UTV report, though it is rare to see such a normally competent performer stuck for words in front of a camera. What’s complicated things for him was the robust nature of the questioning from Conall McDevitt, on the amount of work the Minister did to come to his conclusion that the Independent Review Team was indeed independent. He reasonably asserts that he cannot be across all the correspondence coming in …

NI Water: “Recent revelations left us questioning whether we had been misled”

Mick Fealty on September 1, 2010, 11:22 pm

| Readers 43

That quotation is from a rather more bullish statement from the NI Consumer Council CEO Antoinette McKeown than we have been accustomed to hearing as of late. The whole statement is posted below (courtesy of Nevin who chased them up on this), but several other things stand out. They pick out the Stakeholder Unit for special attention. This was the lynchpin for the relationship between the Department and NI Water, but given the immense degree to which people at Board …