TUV leader Jim Allister has today written to Mr Trevor Reaney, the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly, following last night’s Spotlight programme:
Dear Mr Reaney,
Re Internal investigation into Research Services Ireland
I write following the exposé of the abuse of expenses by MLAs on last night’s edition of Spotlight and specifically the almost £700,000 of public money paid to Research Services Ireland from Assembly allowances.
In the course of the programme it was revealed that in December 2009 police met with you and Brian Mooreland, Stormont’s internal auditor. This was to discuss suspicions that RSI was a bogus company.
Spotlight claims that you assured police that you had conducted your own internal investigation and had concluded that there was no evidence of criminality. It is alleged by Spotlight that this verdict was reached on the basis of audits in which the integrity of MLAs was not questioned and they were simply taken at their word.
The BBC have exposed that Research Services Ireland was run by Sinn Fein’s finance managers.
I am appalled that the Assembly expenses system seems to have been subject to systematic fraud by Sinn Fein. I am equally alarmed that when these matters were brought to the attention of the PSNI it appears that you were quite prepared to simply take MLAs at their word without any serious investigation.
No one seems to be able to see any of the work allegedly carried out by RSI. Surely, however, it is not unreasonable to ask that you produce the evidence of your own investigation into this matter in 2009 which led you to conclude that nothing untoward was taking place.
I would be obliged if you could furnish me with the same.
Furthermore, I request that this matter is revisited in light of the revelations broadcast by the BBC and that any monies found to have been claimed fraudulently be recovered by Stormont.
Moreover, in light of the revelations, will you now call in the police to investigate. I believe you ought to.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Allister