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| Special adviser bill passed after marathon Stormont debate | Special adviser bill passed after marathon Stormont debate |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Northern Ireland Assembly has voted to bar anyone with a serious conviction from being a special political adviser (SPAD) at Stormont. | |
| The Civil Service (special advisers) bill was passed after a marathon debate in the assembly. | The Civil Service (special advisers) bill was passed after a marathon debate in the assembly. |
| The vote was 56 for, 28 against. | The vote was 56 for, 28 against. |
| The bill was put forward by Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party, after Sinn Fein appointed former IRA prisoner Mary McArdle as a special adviser. | The bill was put forward by Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party, after Sinn Fein appointed former IRA prisoner Mary McArdle as a special adviser. |
| Ms McArdle was convicted for her part in the murder of judge's daughter Mary Travers, whose sister, Ann, launched a campaign that inspired the bill. | Ms McArdle was convicted for her part in the murder of judge's daughter Mary Travers, whose sister, Ann, launched a campaign that inspired the bill. |
| Ms McArdle was later moved from her post as an adviser to Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín. | Ms McArdle was later moved from her post as an adviser to Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín. |
| Mr Allister said the bill was about "righting a great wrong". | Mr Allister said the bill was about "righting a great wrong". |
| He denied that the bill was vindictive. | He denied that the bill was vindictive. |
| "It is not vindictive to say that serious criminals should not be employed out of the public purse in such pivotal, central roles. It would be unconscionable to say that they should be," he said. | "It is not vindictive to say that serious criminals should not be employed out of the public purse in such pivotal, central roles. It would be unconscionable to say that they should be," he said. |
| Under the legislation, special advisers who have been sentenced to more than five years in prison will be granted an appeal process. | Under the legislation, special advisers who have been sentenced to more than five years in prison will be granted an appeal process. |
| This process would give victims a say and would require the former prisoner to show contrition and assist police in solving their crime. | This process would give victims a say and would require the former prisoner to show contrition and assist police in solving their crime. |