Red Sky

Jenny Palmer: Betrayed by the DUP

The Firemen on May 20, 2015, 10:00 am

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Yesterday was not a good day for the DUP. First was the verdict on the Ashers ‘gay cake’ case – an issue that seems to have become inextricably linked to the DUP thanks to the support from figures within the party. Paul Givan appeared on television shortly afterwards to give his ‘verdict‘ on the actual verdict. Mr. Givan also committed to pursue his doomed conscience clause. Then came last night’s compelling BBC NI Spotlight programme on Jenny Palmer; the ‘whistleblower’ who …

Cllrs Jenny and John Palmer quit the DUP

David McCann on May 19, 2015, 5:08 pm

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The Councillor at the centre of the Red Sky debacle had announced that she will leave the DUP along with her husband, John, who is also a Councillor in Lisburn. The news was broken by BBC Spotlight who will be airing an interview with Cllr Palmer tonight on BBC One at 10:45pm. Here is some of the back story from the BBC; In July 2013, Mrs Palmer told Spotlight that she had been ordered by a DUP special adviser, Stephen …

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 …

Brimstone evasive in face of DSD questions re Red Sky and Palmer

The Firemen on January 15, 2015, 3:08 pm

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UPDATED – Now with video DUP SPAD Stephen Brimstone had a stock answer (“I’m not prepared to answer questions in relation to internal party matters) for most questions put to him by the DSD Committee Hearing today in light of allegations made in BBCNI’s Spotlight programme into Red Sky, Nelson Mc Causland and Cllr Jenny Palmer. Ably put on the hook by the TUV’s Jim Allister, Brimstone looked more than evasive as he paused …

Jenny Palmer explicit in restating Spotlight claims

The Firemen on January 8, 2015, 4:01 pm

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DUP Councillor Jenny Palmer appeared at today’s Committee for Social Development ‘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’. Under oath Councillor Palmer restated her claim that Stephen Brimstone had telephoned her in an attempt to bully her to change her vote at a Housing Executive board meeting, considering the termination of a maintenance contract by the firm, …

Nelson McCausland misled Assembly over a meeting which had no apparent or measurable effect…

Mick Fealty on July 24, 2014, 12:37 pm

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Getting accused of ‘misleading the Assembly’ is problematic for any minister. So it is for Nelson McCausland in the majority report of his department’s oversight committee. The minority report (composed entirely of MLAs of his own party) takes his view that he had merely ‘inadvertently misinformed’ them. The committee chair, Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey laid out the case in the majority report… “Nelson McCausland claimed in a letter to MLAs on the committee that he has met representatives of the …

DUP makes a quiet apology to its own councillor…

Mick Fealty on August 21, 2013, 1:52 pm

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Aha, he hasn’t gone away you know. Eamonn Mallie picks up a nicely telling little detail on the Red Sky story: It has been confirmed that the DUP Special Advisor to DSD Minister Nelson McCausland, Stephen Brimstone, has apologised to Lisburn Councillor Jenny Palmer over a Housing Executive vote. Ms Palmer who is a member of the Housing Executive Board alleged in a BBC Spotlight programme that Mr Brimstone called her and allegedly put pressure on her regarding a Housing …

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 …

Nelson McCausland gives his reaction to Spotlight at Social Development Committee (updated with audio)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 4, 2013, 10:41 am

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After an exchange of late night/early morning text messages between the Social Development committee chair Alex Maskey and DSD Minister Nelson McCausland, the minister appeared before the commttee at 11am this morning. The committee’s current membership is: Alliance- Judith Cochrane DUP Paula Bradley, Sammy Douglas, Gregory Campbell, Pam Brown Independent – David McClarty SF – Alex Maskey (chair), Mickey Brady (deputy chair), Fra McCann SDLP – Mark H Durkan UUP – Michael Copeland Background – I talked to the committee’s …

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 …

Housing Executive out of control according to Stormont’s PAC…

Mick Fealty on March 20, 2013, 3:27 pm

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This is interesting, not least in the light of the Red Sky controversy and the DUP Minister’s subsequent decision to stripe the Housing Executive of its powers… It found that there was a culture within the Housing Executive that discouraged staff from raising concerns, including the use of IT to attempt to identify an anonymous whistle-blower. Ms Boyle said: “The practices we found give the impression that staff who raise concerns in the course of their work or in a …

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 …

Stand-off between Housing Minister and Housing Executive?

Pete Baker on July 6, 2011, 8:29 pm

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The BBC are pointing to a potential stand-off between the Northern Ireland Social Development Minister, the DUP’s Nelson McCausland, and the NI Housing Executive over the use of Red Sky building maintenance company. From the BBC report The housing minister had asked the executive to extend the contract with the Belfast maintenance company. The housing body announced in April that the contract would end on 14 July due to allegations of overcharging. Earlier, Mr McCausland denied Red Sky received preferential treatment …