Northern Ireland

Absence of human rights adviser to Policing Board raised with Irish government

Former Policing Board Human Rights Advisor Alyson Kilpatrick pictured with PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton
Former Policing Board Human Rights Advisor Alyson Kilpatrick pictured with PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton Former Policing Board Human Rights Advisor Alyson Kilpatrick pictured with PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton

CONCERNS that a key adviser to the Policing Board has not had her contract renewed have been raised directly with the Irish government.

The body admitted to The Irish News last week that it can no longer fulfil statutory obligations since human rights adviser Alyson Kilpatrick left her post last month.

Former board member Dolores Kelly said she raised the matter with the Irish government during a meeting this week.

Human rights oversight is viewed as one of the most important functions of the Board.

Since her appointment in 2012, Ms Kilpatrick regularly provided expert legal opinion and helped produce an annual human rights report.

However, following the collapse of Stormont earlier this year, no political members have been nominated to the 19-strong board.

The Policing Board has said that because it has not been fully constituted, it was "not possible to extend the appointment period of the human rights advisor as there was no authority to do so".

"The appointment process to fill the human rights advisor role cannot be initiated until the Board is again fully constituted.”

Ms Kelly said she intends to write to the permanent secretary at the Department of Justice asking for any correspondence between his department and the Policing Board concerning the post.

The SDLP assembly member said her party also wants to meet senior Policing Board officials where concerns will be “put directly to the chair and chief executive”.

It has emerged that the Board is currently recruiting other staff including a Deputy Principal, which is a management role, and Selected Medical Practitioners, who will carry out medical assessments.

A spokeswoman last night said those positions do not require Board authorisation or approval.