Timothy Gaston said:
“Earlier this week I exposed the fact that the Department of Finance’s so-called “media monitoring unit” — a unit that operates in the shadows and which the public didn’t know about, is diverting civil servants away from actual governance to the task of transcribing opposition voices on radio shows. That operation already stinks of political paranoia and waste.
“But now, we learn that the Assembly Commission is putting out a tender — at a cost to the taxpayer of £35,000 — for yet another media monitoring contract, on top of the existing Executive-wide service provided by the Department of Finance.
“ Not one, but two layers of taxpayer-funded media monitoring operating from Stormont. This latest contract, funded by the public through the Assembly Commission, would have to have been agreed by the parties which sit on the commission – Sinn Fein, the DUP, Alliance, the UUP and the SDLP. Not only has the Commission not explained why it needs this service but without the Belfast Telegraph uncovering the tender we wouldn’t even know about it.
Have none of the establishment parties any regard for the public purse?
We are facing crises in our health service, our education system is under pressure, and public services are being stretched to breaking point. But the Assembly Commission — charged with the stewardship of Stormont — can find £35,000 of public money to transcribe criticism of the Assembly on the media. It’s outrageous.
“If £35,000 can be casually spent duplicating media monitoring then the public is entitled to ask whether this place is truly serving them, or simply serving itself.
“This is not about good governance. It is about control. It is about shielding those in power from scrutiny by keeping tabs on those who dare to question them. The use of public funds for political surveillance under the guise of “monitoring” is not merely wasteful — it is profoundly dangerous.
“The TUV will not be cowed. We will continue to speak out, even if every word is being logged, filed, and whispered about in backrooms. But let us be absolutely clear: this is an abuse of public money, a duplication of resources, and a betrayal of the public trust.
“It is time for the Assembly Commission to explain itself — or pull the tender.”
Note to editors
You can find details of the tender online here.