A DUP special adviser at the centre of a Stormont inquiry into claims of political interference in the Housing Executive will continue to work for the first minister.
Stephen Brimstone, who had been a special adviser (Spad) to former first minister Peter Robinson, will remain in the post for Arlene Foster.
His role was among a host of special adviser appointments confirmed on Tuesday, featuring both new and returning faces.
Mr Brimstone was embroiled in political controversy in 2013 when ex-DUP councillor Jenny Palmer claimed he had bullied her in a phone call about a Housing Executive meeting.
He was a Spad to the social development minister at the time but was later promoted to the first minister’s office. He denied any wrongdoing.
Only one of the nine new executive departments yesterday confirmed the pay of their special advisers.
Spads can earn annual salaries stretching to more than £90,000.
Politically appointed but paid from the public purse like civil servants, Spads have been a source of controversy over the years over wages and accountability.
In October the DUP and Sinn Féin were criticised for blocking an assembly bid to curb Spad spending.
The justice department, led by independent MLA Claire Sugden, said her Spad has not yet been appointed.
The Sinn Féin-led departments of health and infrastructure were also unable to confirm their Spad appointees on Tuesday.
The Department of Finance confirmed that the new special adviser for Sinn Féin’s Máirtín Ó Muilleoir is Eoin Rooney.
Special advisers appointed so far for Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are Mark Mullan and Dara O’Hagan.
Grainne Maskey is the special adviser for junior minister Megan Fearon.
Along with Mr Brimstone, accountant Timothy Johnston and barrister Richard Bullick also remain as DUP advisers in the Executive Office.
They will be joined by Philip Weir, who was previously a Department of Health Spad.
John Robinson (32), the DUP’s director of communications, is moving to become special adviser to economy minister Simon Hamilton.
David Graham, head of history at the Royal School Armagh, is also leaving his job to become a Spad to the DUP’s Peter Weir in the education department.
Andrew Crawford will move to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to act as a Spad for the DUP’s Michelle McIlveen.
A former adviser to Arlene Foster in her previous departmental roles, he also previously worked with the Ulster Farmers’ Union and was an adviser to Jim Allister when he was a DUP MEP.
And Andrew Gowan, a former policy adviser to MEP Diane Dodds, is to be Paul Givan’s new Spad in the Department for Communities.
