Paul Kennedy: New standards commissioner set to be appointed

Paul Kennedy has been a solicitor for 37 years and is said to have "extensive investigative experience"

A new Standards Commissioner for NI assembly members could be appointed on 21 July, it has emerged.

BBC News NI has seen a letter from the speaker to all MLAs stating that the assembly commission intends to nominate Paul Kennedy for the role.

The position has been vacant since Douglas Bain's term of office ended in 2017.

Mr Kennedy has been a solicitor for 37 years and is said to have "extensive investigative experience".

The letter, sent to all MLAs on Tuesday, states that the assembly commission has asked the business committee to schedule a motion for debate on 21 July, and will require MLAs to approve the formal appointment.

If MLAs support the motion, Mr Kennedy's appointment will be "effective immediately," the letter adds.

The role of the commissioner is to act independently to investigate formal complaints against MLAs for alleged breaches of the code of conduct.

But the post has been empty since Douglas Bain stood down from the role in 2017 after his five-year term ended.

The position could not be filled at that time because the power-sharing executive had collapsed and since then, complaints have continued to be made but there has been no-one to investigate them.

The role has come back into the spotlight following complaints by some MLAs about Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill's attendance at the funeral of senior IRA figure Bobby Storey.

Last week, Mr Bain said it was "frankly ridiculous" that the public could make a complaint about Ms O'Neill or any other MLA, but nothing could happen as the post remained unfilled.

It is understood the standards commissioner will be able to retrospectively investigate any complaints made against MLAs before his term begins, so long as they were submitted within six months of the alleged breach of the code.

Who is Paul Kennedy?

Mr Kennedy has been a qualified solicitor for 37 years, engaged in private practice for 32 of those years and 28 as principal of his own firm.

The letter from the assembly commission to MLAs says Mr Kennedy has "extensive investigative experience in a wide variety of roles and in a wide variety of sectors".

The commission is "confident" that his experience leaves him well-equipped to perform the role, the letter adds.

Since retiring from general practice, Mr Kennedy has taken on other roles, including membership of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee for Northern Ireland.