Northern Ireland

Finance minister Ó Muilleoir returns to business role two weeks after resigning

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, right, at Belfast Media Group headquarters with Hawaii's Irish Consul General Noel Trainor
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, right, at Belfast Media Group headquarters with Hawaii's Irish Consul General Noel Trainor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, right, at Belfast Media Group headquarters with Hawaii's Irish Consul General Noel Trainor

THE finance minister has been reappointed as director of a Belfast newspaper business only a fortnight after resigning to focus on his new Stormont role.

For more than a decade Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir was a director of Belfast Media Group, which runs titles including Andersonstown News and South Belfast News.

Announcing his decision to resign in May, he wrote on Twitter: "Stepped down from Belfast Media Group director's chair today to focus on ministerial job.

"Wishing new team every success #KnockItOutOfThePark."

However, just over two weeks later the South Belfast MLA was reappointed as director of the firm.

It happened on June 15 and was later recorded in the assembly register of interests.

Stormont opposition parties last night expressed concern over the move and warned of the need to "delineate" public and private roles.

However, Mr Ó Muilleoir defended his position, saying he is "fully compliant" with the ministerial code.

Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson said: "It is vital personal business interests and executive roles do not cross over but rather remain separate.

"This reappointment certainly raises concerns over the influence an executive minister can have, particularly in terms of influencing the media.

"I would ask the minister to explain immediately why he was reappointed just over a fortnight after making it public he had stepped down from his role, and ask if he feels the need to continue to double-job like this."

SDLP South Down MLA Sinead Bradley, the party's economy spokesperson, also said the minister "needs to explain why circumstances have changed".

"There is a clear need to delineate work undertaken as an executive minister promoting the interests of Northern Ireland from his growing personal business interests," she said.

In the assembly register Mr Ó Muilleoir said he had worked two hours per week on average at Belfast Media Group, receiving up to £500 per week.

He said he received remuneration including pension worth £16,000 for his role at the company from February 2015 to April 2016, and estimates this will amount to £10,000 for 2016-17.

Mr Ó Muilleoir was also listed a director of Belfast company Aisling Events and New York-based newspaper Irish Echo until resigning from both in May this year.

In the last financial year he received share dividends from Aisling Events but no remuneration from his Irish Echo role.

Earlier this week Mr Ó Muilleoir emerged as an investor in the group that has bought New York-based website Irish Central.

He is among the new shareholders in the business led by Liam Lynch, a New York venture capitalist and investor in digital companies who purchased the website in May for $3 million (£2.3 million).

The latest assembly register now lists 'Irish Studio LLC (Publishing Company)' among his shareholdings, which Sinn Féin said relates to Irish Central.

His other shareholding is for the 'Nuacht (Holding Company)', a 100 per cent shareholder of Belfast Media Group.

A Sinn Féin spokesman said: "This is a departmental matter."

In a statement last night through the finance department, Mr Ó Muilleoir did not explain why he had returned to his newspaper business directorship.

But he said: "In terms of transparency regarding public and private roles, the Ministerial Code of Conduct places clear requirements on ministers to make sure that their positions are not used for personal gain.

"All my relevant interests are declared, and rules regarding gifts and hospitality are adhered to.

"I am satisfied that I am fully compliant with the code."