‘Absentee’ DUP man’s Loughs Agency pay queried
JIM Allister has urged the Agriculture Minister to recover thousands of pounds from a former DUP MLA who has been getting paid as a member of a North-south body despite not attending a board meeting in two years.
Ian Mccrea was a DUP MLA for Mid Ulster until he lost his seat in 2016, and failed in his bid to get elected as a DUP councillor for Mid Ulster last year.
Within months of leaving the Assembly he had been appointed to the Loughs Agency, but has failed to attend one of the 10 meetings held since his appointment in 2016.
Mr Mccrea’s five-year appointment will be up for renewal in December 2021.
In response to a written Assembly question from TUV leader Mr Allister, DUP minister Edwin Poots confirmed that Mr Mccrea has been paid more than £9,000 by for his role on the board.
“Two weeks ago I raised the issue of Ian Mccrea’s non-attendance at meetings of the Loughs Agency since October 2018, something which I established from the minutes of the board, during questions on a ministerial statement by Edwin Poots,” Mr Allister said.
“The Agriculture Minister dodged the matter but I followed up with a number of written questions.
“By doing so I established that in spite of not attending a single meeting, Mr Mccrea has been paid a total of £9,161.25 over the past two years for his membership of the agency.
“Furthermore, while there is no obligation on members to attend meetings, the North-south Ministerial Council can dismiss members.
“In light of the fact that Mr McCrea has not attended a single meeting in two years, I think it is reasonable not only to ask why he has not been dismissed from the board, but also to enquire as to whether the money which has been paid to him over the past two years will be recovered to the public purse.
“I have tabled questions to Minister Poots on both these points and await his response with interest.”
Mr Allister said the situation was “extraordinary” and added: “It is indefensible to be paid over £9,000 of public money for a role which he seems to have devoted little if any time.”
Agriculture Minister Mr Poots did say that the NorthSouth Ministerial Council had the power to dismiss a person if “he or she fails without reasonable excuse to discharge his or her functions for a continuous period of three months”.
Mr Allister said that he has now asked Mr Poots if he will ask that body — made up of Stormont and Oireachtas ministers
— to dismiss Mr Mccrea from the board.
Of the 11 current board members, 10 have attended at least six of the 10 board meetings held over the past two years.
All, apart from the vice-chairman, who receives a higher sum, have been paid the same amount.
There is currently no board chairman, the position having been vacant for over two-and-ahalf years.
The agency has also been operating without a chief executive for over three-and-a-half years.
The Loughs Agency was set up as one of the cross-border bodies under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
It is responsible for the conservation, management, promotion and development of the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.
The Belfast Telegraph has attempted to contact Mr Mccrea for a response.