Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Finance whether his Department has been consulted on the Terms of Reference for the inquiry into the circumstances which led to the findings of the Industrial Tribunal between the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Dr Tamara Bronckaers.
Minister of Finance: Jayne Brady, the Head of the Civil Service (HOCS) wrote to Executive Ministers on 29th April 2022 in relation to the Civil Service and whistleblowing concerns.
HOCS and the Permanent Secretaries of both the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department of Finance (DoF), are in the process of commissioning an External Independent Review of how the Departments dealt with the concerns raised in this case and of the decision-making throughout this process.
As part of this process the DoF Permanent Secretary, Neil Gibson and senior officials with procurement and legal expertise within my Department were consulted in relation to the Terms of Reference.
ENDS
Your MLA 