FIRST Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster plans to appoint a new special adviser.
Her party confirmed the move after it emerged Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has recruited a fourth Sinn Féin special adviser (Spad) to her office.
The DUP has had two Spads in the First Minister's office since May, when one of their three party aides left.
Up to eight Spads can be appointed to the Executive Office – four on Mrs Foster's side of the joint department and four with Ms O'Neill.
Both parties had voluntarily appointed just three each when devolved government was restored earlier this year.
A DUP spokesman said: "The First Minister is working to fill the recent special adviser vacancy in her office."
The Irish News revealed earlier this week that a PR professional has been hired as a new Spad in Ms O'Neill's office.
Michelle Canning is the former head of communications in the Housing Executive and co-founder of 'Women in PR'.
The former journalist has previously worked in newspapers and in BBC Radio Foyle.
The executive currently has a total of 14 Spads, who are political appointees paid from the public purse to advise ministers.
Stormont has pledged greater scrutiny of the influential roles after accountability concerns were raised in the RHI inquiry.
A revised code of conduct was announced and their salaries were capped to a maximum of £85,000 per year.
Among the current Spads are former DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly and former Sinn Féin MLA Dara O'Hagan, who was previously an adviser to the late Martin McGuinness.
