'A challenging job', says outgoing Stormont standards commissioner

Dr Melissa McCullough is due to step down this week after serving five years as the Assembly's commissioner for standards

Stormont's outgoing standards commissioner has said she was left "frustrated" by some elements of the accountability process at the Assembly.

Dr Melissa McCullough admitted there were a "few times" when she wasn't able to do her job because the rules didn't allow it.

The commissioner has also spoken for the first time about her investigation which found that First Minister Michelle O'Neill did not see a former Sinn Féin press officer who was facing sex charges, when they stood just metres apart at an event in Stormont.

Dr McCullough is due to step down this week after serving five years as the Assembly's commissioner for standards.

She will be replaced by former Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Mark McEwan.

'Challenging job'

During her time in office she received dozens of complaints against MLAs and ministers.

In her only interview before leaving the post, Dr McCullough said it was a "challenging job" as she had to deal with complaints during the Covid-19 pandemic and the two years when the Stormont Assembly was collapsed.

There was also a three year backlog of complaints which were unresolved before she took office in 2020.

While she insists she has no regrets, she has raised concerns about limitations when it comes to investigating complaints against MLAs.

The rules only allow for MLAs to be investigated when they are acting in their capacity as assembly members.

Dr McCullough said while politicians don't expect to be under scrutiny 24 hours a day the commissioner should always be free to investigate complaints in which MLAs are accused of bringing the assembly into disrepute, regardless of whether they are acting in a public or private capacity.

"The commissioner must never feel that their hands are tied behind their backs," she said.

She admitted there have been times when the rules prevented her from doing her job.

Michelle O'Neill and Michael McMonagle investigation

This picture of Michael McMonagle (highlighted far left) attending the same event as Michelle O'Neill (in pink jacket with her back to the camera), was at the centre of one of the investigations headed by Dr McCullough

Dr McCullough also spoke for the first time about her investigation into First Minister Michelle O'Neill after she was accused of misleading a Stormont committee.

O'Neill had told the committee she had not known about the whereabouts of convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle after he left Sinn Féin, despite being pictured at the same event at Stormont.

After interviewing both the first minister and McMonagle the commissioner said the "facts" were clear and she dismissed the complaint.

"I had to make a decision on the balance of probabilities - was it more likely than not that they saw each other and there was no evidence to suggest they had, except for the picture.

She added: "The great hall was busy that day and it doesn't show that in the picture."