A former Stormont minister has urged his erstwhile Executive colleagues to embrace greater openness and to engage more thoroughly with the media.
David Ford’s remarks come after the Executive Office told The Irish News that it “will not be providing a running commentary” on the schedule for executive meetings over the summer months.
The refusal to inform the media when ministers come together for key meetings is out of step with agreed practice for the administrations in London, Dublin, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Last Thursday’s Executive meeting at Stormont Castle, which saw ministers agree an emergency plan for Lough Neagh, included no media facility.
At the same meeting, ministers failed to agree a long-waited programme for government and it is understood no paper on the policy plan was presented.
When asked what the schedule for Executive meetings over the coming weeks was, a statement from the Executive Office said: “”As all aspects of Executive business are regarded as confidential, we will not be providing a running commentary on the schedule for future Executive meetings.”
The response has been described as ”bizarre” and has also prompted calls from the former justice minister for “greater operational transparency”.
Mr Ford, who served in the executive from 2010– 2016, said transparency around operational matters had a positive impact.
“In the early years as a of my time in the Executive, when relations between the DUP and Sinn Féin were relatively good, there was a greater openness about meetings,” he said.
“I think that was good for government in NI and good for relationships.”
The former Alliance leader said he believed “there is a case for greater operational transparency”.
“It may be easier for a single minister in a single department to answer questions about specific issues but nonetheless it would be a sign of progress if ministers, including the first and deputy first ministers, were more open to scrutiny, especially on difficult issues,” he said.
Mr Ford said the media played an important role in informing the public and holding politicians to account.
“Particularly after the stop-start nature of devolution in recent years, ministers need to build confidence and be open with the public about what they can and cannot do,” he said.
“The media have a role in providing scrutiny on behalf of the public – serious scrutiny, not sensationalism.”
Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole said the Executive Office’s response was “bizarre”.
“Even if firm dates are not pinned down the public will expect the Executive to be meeting over the summer given the state of public services and the urgency of delivering a costed programme for government with clear targets,” he said.
“If they aren’t planning to meet, we should be told why.”
