Concerns are mounting after the latest government body stonewalled questions around the controversial PSNI move to write off a bill of £437,610 for the provision of explosives escorts to a mining company.

The matter has been widely discussed at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, where demands for accountability around the switch in position continue to meet dead ends.

It has also split the Chamber between those opposed to this use of public money, and others believing it’s justified.

Numerous government departments and authorities have been asked if they had a role in the decision, and none appear to have any knowledge of the move.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is now added to that list, although their response differed slightly as they refused to answer questions, directing them instead to the PSNI.

The Secretary of State’s position in such matters was contained within a response from Minister for Justice Naomi Long, which was discussed at the latest Policy and Resources Committee meeting.

Having already stated her department does not hold any information on explosives escorting costs, she added: “The supervision of civil explosives is an operational matter for the PSNI.”

She drew attention to the internal strategic PSNI review on this issue which her Department will consider.

Her letter went on to state: “The security of explosives is a reserved matter under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and any change in legislation would be a matter for the Secretary of State.”

Indication

Councillor Emmet McAleer, Independent, welcomed this indication “which we hadn’t previously been made aware of”.

He continued: “But I query what has been done, to date. I understood the review was to be with us in April, but hasn’t appeared.”

He proposed asking the Minister if she has established who made the decision to change the position on billing mining companies and what consultation took place, given the “huge financial implications for her budget”.

Councillor McAleer also proposed contacting the Secretary of State detailing how “the corporate organisations who are intent on ripping up our resources should be forced to pay, not the public purse”.

Seconding, Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh, Independent, described the information supplied as “contradictory”.

He said: “This states the supervision of civil explosives is a PSNI operation matter, and at the same time, the security of explosives is a matter for the Secretary of State.”

Ulster Unionist Councillor John McClaughry felt before making further enquiries: “I’d be keen to request a timeline on the review.”

Proposing contacting the PSNI, he agreed the review was due in April, adding: “We’ve been quietly sitting, waiting.

“It’s now two months later and I suppose by the time we get a reply, it will be three months. The retrospective stuff is gone.

“We’ve been told why the PSNI changed their mind, and they were given legal advice to do so. We can’t challenge that unless we see that legal advice, which I don’t think we’ll ever see.”

All proposals passed without dissent.

Meanwhile, the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the NIO when the Secretary of State was notified of the PSNI decision not to pursue costs and if he had any role in this move.

Also, when did he become aware the PSNI never had an explosives escorts policy, and should the completed review recommend the current position, will costs be met within existing budgets or from separate funding streams?

A spokesperson replied: “This is a matter for the PSNI, rather than the NIO.”

No reply

When advised it was the Minister of Justice who pointed to the Secretary of State, and the PSNI have already responded, there was no reply, which remains the position at the time of publishing.

Last month, the PSNI confirmed the strategic review was “completed and submitted to senior management on May 13, 2022” and is under consideration.

When the PSNI previously confirmed the write-off of costs, Councillor McClaughry assured members: “The policy change is publicly known and occurred following legal advice.”

A Freedom of Information request however established no such policy ever existed.

The Policing Board would later confirm that while having an oversight role and review of policy around charging for services, it held “no information in relation to costs for escorting explosives”.

Criticising the decision not to seek payment of the original invoice, the Chief Executive of The Taxpayers Alliance, John O’Connell, said people “will be furious that these funds were written off”.

He continued: “To make matters worse, there seems to be a complete lack of transparency, which is only muddying the waters. Those responsible must open themselves up to public accountability.”