Timothy Gaston urges transparency on cost to taxpayer for Stormont's leaking roof - but Assembly says deal is 'confidential'

Stormont officials were responding to demands for transparency from the TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, who said it is a “ridiculous situation” that the public aren’t being told how much of their money has been spent.

But Assembly officials have warned MLAs to “respect the legal process” – arguing that a “breach of confidentiality, or of any other term within the settlement, would undoubtedly expose the Commission to the risk of legal proceedings”.

A dispute between the Assembly Commission, which runs the Stormont estate, and a contractor has been settled – but the terms of the agreement, including how much of the final bill will be picked up by the taxpayer, remain secret.

TUV MLA Mr Gaston said: “We are talking about public money here - potentially a huge sum - yet the public, whose money after all it is, is not permitted to know how much if any is involved in this settlement.

“The most basic duty of any public representative is the prudent use of public money. Yet here we have a situation where the Assembly Commission - on which Sinn Fein, the DUP, Alliance, UUP and SDLP all sit - has reached a backroom court settlement which the public are not permitted to know about.

“It is an outrageous and intolerable state of affairs which involves all the Executive parties and also those who laughably call themselves the ‘constructive’ opposition.

“Stormont never had any shine since its restoration as far as unionists were concerned given that it only came back because of broken promises. However, I detect a growing sense across people from all political backgrounds and none that the Stormont establishment is a racket which while shouting about an alleged lack of funds from Westminster waste vast amounts of money within its power.

“Stormont has a moral duty to tell the people of Northern Ireland the detail about this case. The public deserves nothing less”.

However, a spokesperson for the Assembly rejected Mr Gaston’s assertion that the public have a right to know how much Stormont will pay out.

​They said: “The stewardship of public money is a role the Assembly Commission takes very seriously. A commitment to safeguarding the public purse was the driving factor in pursuing legal action regarding defects in repairs to the roof of Parliament Buildings, even though it involved a lengthy legal process”.

The spokesperson said the Assembly Commission is pleased with the outcome reached in January 2025, following a judge-led mediation. They said the settlement was “entirely consistent” with the Assembly’s obligations to manage public money prudently and effectively - and details have been disclosed to the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

They added that confidentiality was an “express term of the settlement” and urged MLAs “to respect the legal process, and particularly the role of the High Court”.

Officials said a breach of confidentiality would expose the Commission to the risk of legal proceedings, including liability for costs and damages, and “be an irresponsible course of action”.