Minister appoints interim Non-Executive Directors to Board of NI Water (NIW)

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy today announced the appointment of four new interim non-executive Directors to the Board of NI Water (NIW).

Those appointed will replace the Board members dismissed in light of the findings of the Review of Procurement Governance in NIW. It is intended that the appointments will be for an initial period of up to 9 months, until a permanent appointment process is conducted and while all future long-term governance arrangements of water and sewerage services are re-examined.

The four newly appointed interim non-executive directors are: Peter Bunting, Lawson McDonald, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Kevin Steele. They join Don Price, who remained on the Board of NIW following the Independent Review.

The Minister said: “I have stated from the outset since taking office as the Minister responsible for water and sewerage services that I am determined to bring about the required change necessary to deliver the best public services for citizens.”

“I welcome these new interim members to the Board of NIW to help manage this transition going forward. Over the next while, I will re-examine the current governance arrangements of NIW and decide how best to manage these vital public services in the long-term future and within full public ownership.

“Between them, the new interim Board members have a great depth and breadth of experience which will enable them to meet the challenge of their future roles. Following the publication of the Independent Review Team’s Report it is important to restore the public’s confidence in NIW and I believe that these appointments represent a significant step in that direction.”

Collectively the non-executives bring an extensive range of experience from a wide variety of backgrounds in the commercial and public sectors. The new members will take up their appointments immediately. The Minister will also be appointing a chairman, someone who has the right skills and experience to fulfil this important role in the interim period.

·Peter Bunting is the Assistant General Secretary for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, responsible for co-ordinating and developing the Trade Union movement throughout the North. He is also involved in several organisations including: the Management Committee of TradeMark, the Management Committee of Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, Belfast City Council Good Relations Committee and the Economic Development Forum. He has also served on the NITHC Board, the Labour Relations Commission and Concordia (Social Partnership Alliance).

·Lawson McDonald retired from the NICS in July 2003 after 42 years service in a variety of areas including Local Government Audit, The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Department and the Local Government Ombudsman’s office. Formerly Deputy Chief Executive at the Industrial Development Board he was responsible for the Home Industry Group encouraging the growth of manufacturing and tradeable service companies in all sectors and the development and promotion of export business internationally. Since his retirement he has held a number of company secretary/director roles in the private sector including part time in Adria Ltd, a hosiery company employing over 800 people in Strabane; Global Armour UK Ltd a manufacturing (body armour) company based in Lisburn; and Amicus Capital Partners Ltd. He was appointed one of four Education Commissioners to the Department of Education in July 2006.

·Máirtín Ó Muilleoir is a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast and, from 1987-1997, a Sinn Féin councillor. He is the CEO of the Belfast Media Group in Belfast and the Publisher of the Irish Echo in New York. Since becoming a partner in the Andersonstown News in 1997, he has grown the business into a multi-media publisher. He developed the Aisling Business Park in West Belfast and invested in several businesses including the Gazette Group of newspapers in Dublin, subsequently selling his shareholding to the Irish Times. He has served on the West Belfast Task Forces, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, and the West Belfast and Shankill Enterprise Council. He is a strong Irish language advocate and the author of several works in Irish and English. Among his awards are a Commendation from New York City Council and this year an Ullans Academy Award.

·Kevin Steele is an Independent Board Member with the Department of Education and chairs the Department’s Audit and Risk Management Committee. He has some 40 years of experience working across a variety of sectors including the public sector. His experience includes setting strategic commercial priorities, monitoring and challenging business management performance, undertaking efficiency and effectiveness reviews and implementing good governance, risk management and financial control procedures. He trained and qualified as a management accountant with Harland and Wolff Ltd and Short Bros and was Company Secretary and Financial Controller at Northern Ireland Airports Ltd as well as Head of Investment at the Northern Ireland Development Agency. As a Partner with Deloitte he served as Director of Finance at Northern Ireland Electricity and was also lead consultant for a number of assignments on behalf of the Isle of Man government including Treasury.

Notes to editors:

1. NIW (formerly Water Service) is the sole provider of water and sewerage services, with more than 800,000 domestic, agricultural, commercial and business customers.
2. The non-executive directors have been appointed by the Minister by an emergency process. Although the Department discussed the process with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland (CPANI) it is classified as an exception to the Code of Practice.
3. This will mean that there will be a total of five non-executive Directors on the NIW Board.
4. Each non-executive Director will be paid £18,000 per annum on the basis of 2 days attendance per month. An additional per diem allowance may be payable subject to an overall maximum of £21,000 per annum.
5. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the political activity of appointees to be published.
6. Three of the Non-Executives have declared that they have not engaged in any political activity for the past five years. Máirtín Ó Muilleoir declared that he canvassed for Sinn Fein in Belfast constituencies, most recently for Gerry Adams in the May 2010 Westminster election.
7. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Regional Development Press Office on 028 9054 0817. Out of office please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned