Statement by North Antrim MLA Jim Allister:

“The findings of the Industrial Tribunal against Sinn Fein/IRA’s Conor Murphy when DRD Minister has exposed Republican talk about “building an Ireland of equals” for so much bluster. Murphy has been exposed as a brazen practitioner of sectarian discrimination and Sinn Fein once again have been shown to be unfit for government.

“This issue cannot be allowed to die. Rather, the conduct of ALL Sinn Fein/IRA Ministers when it comes to Ministerial appointments needs to be exposed to rigorous scrutiny. To that end, I have tabled a motion noting concern the findings of religious discrimination by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD; the material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background while Mr Murphy was minister; the inaction of the then Permanent Secretary, and calling on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to report to the Assembly on steps being taken to address the issues identified.

“Additionally I have tabled the following series of written and oral questions:

To ask the First and deputy First Minister in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD what steps will be taken against the Head of the Civil Service in consequence of the finding that while Permanent Secretary at DRD there was a material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

To ask the First and deputy First Minister in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD what steps will be taken to ensure that in the various departments of the executive there is not a material bias against the appointment of applicants on the basis of community background.

To ask the Minister for Regional Development, in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD, what steps have been taken to review appointments made at a time when there was a material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

To ask the Minister for Regional Development what is the estimate of the cost to the public purse of defending the Industrial Tribunal proceedings in Lennon-v-DRD and what steps will be taken to recover these costs from the culpable minister, Mr Murphy.

To ask the First and deputy First Minister what steps are being taken in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD of religious discrimination and material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

To ask the First and deputy First Minister what are the implications for the effectiveness of the ministerial code of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD of religious discrimination by a minister and of a material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

To ask the First and deputy First Minister in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD, will the practice of ministers being able to make appointments from an unranked list of candidates be reviewed.

To ask the First and deputy First Minister in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD will the Code of Practice for ministerial appointments and the Procedures for Handling Public Appointments be reviewed.

To ask the Minister for Regional Development, in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD, what steps have been taken to ensure that there is no longer a material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

 To ask the Minister for Regional Development what steps are being taken in light of the findings by the Industrial Tribunal in Lennon-v-DRD of religious discrimination and material bias against the appointment of applicants from a Protestant background.

To ask the Minister for Regional Development in respect of ministerial appointments made by the Minister since coming into office what is the respective success rate of Protestant applicants and Catholic applicants.