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McDevitt: Focus now on credibility of water report

SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt, who sits on the Assembly Regional Development Committee, said it will investigate the circumstances around an independent report into events at NI Water.

Fri 20th August

Speaking after a special closed session of the committee, he said: “Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy fired four members of the board of NI Water on the basis of a report from the Independent Review Team he had appointed. Given the events of the last few days and weeks, and particularly those which led to the suspension of departmental Permanent Secretary Paul Priestly early, there are grounds to question whether that inquiry process was truly independent. That will be the main focus of the committee inquiry.

“At the time the committee accepted and endorsed the report of the Independent Review Team in good faith on the recommendation of Minister Murphy. The Minister will meet us on 1^st September and we will be asking him to update us on specific events since he last came before us on 15^th March. We will be asking him – and others –whether the report still stands and whether the very serious decisions taken on the basis of it, including the appointment of interim directors outside the normal process for public appointments, can stand.

“The SDLP believes that the Minister must account for recent events Specifically, given that he expressed his fullest confidence in Mr Priestly late last week, what exactly happened that led Conor Murphy to say his position was untenable early this week? What led him to change his mind so abruptly, when and how did he find it out and why did he not find it out earlier?

“More generally we will be seeking assurances that his department is being run in a defensible manner. NI Water not only provides a vital public service, it is also a major employer with nearly 1400 staff.”