DUP's Joanne Bunting questions who will foot the bill for Police Ombudsman's appeal on collusion ruling
The DUP has queried who will foot the bill for the Police Ombudsman's appeal of the High Court ruling that she exceeded her legal powers in making findings of ‘collusive behaviour’ against police officers.
Marie Anderson’s office announced this week that she was doing so to seek “clarity as to the scope of her powers”. The judgement came as a result of a legal challenge by retired police officers.
DUP justice spokesperson Joanne Bunting said the Police Ombudsman’s decision to appeal the ruling “will dismay many people, not least because it is not the first time the Courts have delivered a judgement in relation to the PONI’s approach to legacy cases”.
The justice committee chair said: “The question now arises as to where the funding will come from for this appeal. The only options for this would appear to be from within the Ombudsman’s own budget or from the Department for Justice. We already know of the significant financial pressure facing the Department, with real potential for services to be cut in an attempt to meet the shortfall. On the other hand, if it comes from the Ombudsman’s office then this will impact on the office's ability to deal with cases.
“There have already been significant concerns raised about the operation of the Ombudsman’s office and I know of cases where they will not even acknowledge receipt of a case 4 months after it was passed on. In neither scenario is the funding of an appeal a good use of time and scarce financial resources.
“All this is taking place against a backdrop of abdication by the Justice Minister as she continues to take a ‘nothing to do with me’ attitude, despite the Ombudsman being ultimately accountable to her, and we cannot even get an answer as to whether the Minister continues to have confidence in the Ombudsman or not.”
The justice minister Naomi Long told the Assembly on Monday that the ruling was “something that we will have to reflect on”. She said the ombudsman is a “corporation sole”, appointed by the Executive Office, and that her department of justice “has no power to remove or dislodge” Mrs Anderson.