Stormont civil servants who retire will escape discipline over RHI

Two months ago, when Sir Patrick Coghlin published his long-awaited RHI Inquiry report, Mr Murphy said that he would be creating “an external independent panel to identify any potential misconduct by civil servants”.

Some of the most pointed criticisms within Sir Patrick’s report were of civil servants and the civil service as an institution.

However, in the wake of the RHI scheme falling apart amid serious allegations, the civil service had initially been slow to instigate disciplinary proceedings – and then, almost a year later, when the public inquiry was set up it parked the question of discipline until the inquiry’s conclusion.

Several of the civil servants who played key roles in the scheme have since been promoted and most of them remain within Stormont.

In a written Assembly question, the TUV leader, Jim Allister, asked Mr Murphy “how relevant civil servants, who retire over the coming months, will be made amenable in respect of any disciplinary matters arising from the RHI report”.

Mr Murphy responded: “No civil servant can be disciplined after they cease to be an NI Civil Service employee therefore no disciplinary action can be completed in respect of any civil servant after their retirement date.”

The News Letter asked Stormont’s Department of Finance – which has responsibility for civil service personnel matters – whether any decisions had yet been taken as to whether civil servants involved in RHI will be disciplined, when such decisions would be taken and whether those decisions about individual civil servants will be communicated publicly and transparently by the Executive.

In response, Mr Murphy’s department said in a statement: “The department established an independent external panel to consider the RHI Inquiry report and make recommendations about any potential disciplinary charges relating to civil servants.

“Any matters relating to staff at Grade 3 and below will be dealt with by the NICS. Matters relating to staff at permanent secretary level and above will be for the Cabinet Secretary to consider.

“The department will update the Assembly on the outcome of the disciplinary process as soon as it is completed.

“This disciplinary process is under way and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.”