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Civil servant Paul Priestly challenged his demotion | Civil servant Paul Priestly challenged his demotion |
(about 21 hours later) | |
It has emerged senior civil servant Paul Priestly unsuccessfully appealed against his demotion from permanent secretary to deputy secretary. | It has emerged senior civil servant Paul Priestly unsuccessfully appealed against his demotion from permanent secretary to deputy secretary. |
On Wednesday the BBC obtained a letter in which the head of the civil service Sir Bruce Robinson said it was his decision to demote Mr Priestly. | On Wednesday the BBC obtained a letter in which the head of the civil service Sir Bruce Robinson said it was his decision to demote Mr Priestly. |
Mr Priestly was suspended from the Regional Development department last August. | Mr Priestly was suspended from the Regional Development department last August. |
His role in the civil service was downgraded to principal secretary. | His role in the civil service was downgraded to principal secretary. |
It came after it emerged Mr Priestly had helped draft a letter of complaint to the Stormont Public Accounts committee which was probing the department's handling of Northern Ireland Water. | It came after it emerged Mr Priestly had helped draft a letter of complaint to the Stormont Public Accounts committee which was probing the department's handling of Northern Ireland Water. |
On Thursday Sir Bruce defended his decision not to answer detailed questions about Mr Priestly's case. | |
He said he acknowledged that civil servants were accountable to ministers and the assembly for the performance of their duties. | He said he acknowledged that civil servants were accountable to ministers and the assembly for the performance of their duties. |
Sir Bruce said that when the civil service acts as an employer, its policies and procedures must follow the law which protects employees' right to confidentiality. |
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