NIHE – Slugger O'Toole

Four Lagan Valley MLAs refrain from publicly supporting Cllr Jenny Palmer in Social Dev debate and two vote against report

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 13, 2015, 11:08 am

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On Tuesday the NI Assembly debated a motion about the Committee for Social Development’s Inquiry into allegations, arising from a BBC NI Spotlight programme aired on 3 July 2013, of impropriety or irregularity relating to NIHE managed contracts and consideration of any resulting actions. Locally within Lagan Valley DUP circles, there has been strong personal support for Councillor Jenny Palmer who appeared on a BBC Spotlight programme as a whistleblower. She alleged that the Social Development minister’s special advisor had …

Focus on the problem of corruption more useful than a political duel over housing models.

Mick Fealty on August 23, 2013, 10:57 am

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So, one of the stories during the week worth noting is the controversy that St Matthews’ Housing Association got itself embroiled in. At the centre of the controversy was the prioritisation of transfers over people on the wider waiting list. Former Belfast City Councillor, Joe O’Donnell in the thick of it (erm, again). The parallels drawn by Turgon earlier in the week were not lost on Sinn Fein’s FST MP Michelle Gildernew, who made a statement critical of her party [or …

G4S: Government’s ideological commitment to using the private sector not matched by proper resources

Mick Fealty on July 12, 2013, 4:42 pm

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Well, first of all Northern Ireland Water have a problem tracking contracts with the private sector. Then the Housing Executive. In the midst of all the rest Northern Irish Primary schools have been let off compulsory testing because a £3 million contract failed to deliver a functionable product. Now it turns out that the UK Department of Justice has been massively overcharged for the services of G4S… Chris Grayling has brought the Serious Fraud Office in to investigate (which is …

The optics are poor and it looks like “the party comes first” (updated with TUV+DUP amendments & results)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 7, 2013, 9:47 pm

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On Thursday morning the Social Development committee agreed to hold an inquiry into the issues raised in BBC NI’s Spotlight programme. The recalled Assembly will sit in plenary on Monday at noon. After prayers the Private Members’ Business brought by Mr R Swann (UUP), Ms C Ruane (SF), Mr S Dickson (Alliance), Mrs K McKevitt (SDLP) will be the only business before adjournment. Call for an Inquiry into Allegations of Wrongful Political Interference in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Potential …

Housing Executive: there was “a considerable degree of challenge” by management to the findings of inquiries

Mick Fealty on July 5, 2013, 2:56 pm

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So to borrow the latest loan word to German (if it is good enough for Angela its good enough for me) as one shitschturm fades leaving virtually no trace of ever having existed, another one is blown up to take its place. The rule in any public scandal, is follow the money. Today, a report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office firmly points the finger at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive: Auditor General Kieran Donnelly said estimated overpayments of £18m to …

What happens next? Where will the Spotlight now shine?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 4, 2013, 7:11 pm

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With only thirty signatures needing to be submitted to the Speaker, the Assembly is very likely to be recalled early next week to allow a piece of predictable political theatre to be rehearsed in the chamber. Party leaders will compete for sound bites; DUP back and front benchers will interject and vigorously support their embattled minister, and there will be more heat than light. The Social Development Committee will hold an inquiry with invitations extended to Mandy McAuley and the …

Red Sky on Spotlight, minister’s sleepless night?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 4, 2013, 12:22 am

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The first half of tonight’s BBC NI Spotlight investigation (now available on iPlayer) looked at the history of Red Sky losing its contract with the NI Housing Executive. Examples of poor workmanship; charging for work not done, sometimes in buildings that no longer existed; and claims of the Red Sky contract being targeted for sectarian rather than business reasons. Mandy McAuley’s investigation then looked at the attempts to get the NI Housing Executive to extend Red Sky’s contract. It was …

25% increase in homelessness as a result of intimidation (just one OFMdFM’s real problems)

Mick Fealty on May 16, 2013, 12:24 pm

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Courtesy of Mark Devenport tweeted directly from Stormont… Jennifer Hawthorne told Social Development Committee figure stood at around 580 cases, 387 of which were due to paramilitary intimidation — Mark Devenport (@markdevenport) May 16, 2013 Some things won’t just go away by chiding the media for being too pessimistic… This is one of the hidden costs in collapsing into a separate but equal approach to the future… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the …

Housing Executive: Chair jumps before ministerial statement tomorrow…

Mick Fealty on July 2, 2012, 1:49 pm

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Brian Rowntree, chair of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive resigned on Friday, although the news was only released today. It’s thought to be related to a Ministerial statement that ought to make tomorrow’s Assembly session rather more interesting than normal. It comes on foot of the first of several forensic examinations of the Executive’s books (the Audit Office is due to report later in the year).. For the BBC, Julian O’Neil references an independent report on contracts carried out by …