Civil service pay bonus examined

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Bonuses paid to senior Northern Ireland civil servants are to be investigated by the Assembly's Finance Committee.

Committee chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said they had been "alarmed" to learn more than £1m in bonuses had been paid to 75% of 200 senior civil servants.

He said the "unease" was heightened by how finances and sickness were managed.

"Our unease over these bonuses is heightened by our concerns with the performance of the senior civil service in certain key areas," he said.

He said this included in "financial management, (especially in view of high levels of departmental underspend), sick absence management and in achieving business targets generally".

Mr McLaughlin said they would take evidence on the issue "as a matter of urgency", and have asked for updated information from the Department of Finance and Personnel by 21 November.