Head of the Civil Service Jayne Brady declined to confirm or deny to Belfast Live whether an HR investigation had taken place
Education Minister Paul Givan has rejected allegations of bullying, stating he has never been the subject of any formal investigation, following renewed questions around the circumstances surrounding a senior civil servant’s departure from the Department of Education.
The issue resurfaced during Topical Questions in the Assembly earlier this week, when Sinn Féin MLAs pressed the minister on whether he had faced an investigation into claims of bullying within his department. The intervention follows long-running speculation about the senior civil servant’s departure from the department.
Last year, the Head of the Civil Service, Jayne Brady, declined to confirm or deny to Belfast Live whether an HR investigation had taken place, amid claims that the senior official involved had raised concerns about alleged ministerial conduct.
In a formal Written Ministerial Statement issued to the Speaker of the Assembly on Friday for inclusion in the Official Report of the Assembly, Mr Givan said: “In the House on 23 March during Topical Questions, I was asked by a number of Sinn Féin MLAs whether I had ever been subject to an Investigation in relation to allegations of bullying within the Department of Education. Given the repetition of such innuendo outside the House, I want to restate unequivocally that I have never been the subject of any such Investigation.”
He added that the line of questioning in the Assembly appeared to be based on “a false premise”, and said he had not been provided with any specific allegations when he sought clarification from those raising the issue.
“When I sought clarification from the MLAs about the basis for their questions, no details or specific allegations were provided. On further reflection, it is possible they were alluding to a confidential NICS HR Review into the conduct and performance of a civil servant. However, because the questions were based on a false premise, I cannot be certain that this was, in fact, what was being referred to.”
The minister said it was possible that MLAs were referring to a confidential Northern Ireland Civil Service HR review, but stressed that the process related solely to the conduct and performance of a civil servant and not to any ministerial role.
“The Head of the Civil Service has confirmed that the matter referenced was led by her, in her capacity as Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, and it concerned internal management/HR matters.
“It was neither a disciplinary determination nor a legal process. She further confirmed that the issues being progressed are management, organisational and NICS policy matters, and do not relate to any individual Minister.”
Mr Givan said he had participated in that review only as a witness and insisted he was not under investigation at any stage. He also addressed claims made by the civil servant after they had left his department.
“The civil servant concerned, at a time when they were no longer working with or to me, in fact some nine months later, made assertions that my concerns, raised by me with the Head of the Civil Service, about their conduct and performance, constituted bullying.
“These assertions were never part of the Review’s Terms of Reference, which were settled in December 2024, and in any event, I understand that the reviewer rejected these assertions.”
He concluded by saying he would welcome the publication of all material relating to the HR review, adding that he wanted “to set the record straight” on the matter.
Commenting on the statement, FDA National Officer for Northern Ireland Robert Murtagh said: “This is a confidential matter in which the civil servant involved is not in a position to respond publicly due to their professional obligations. The Civil Service Code restricts civil servants’ ability to speak publicly on any issue.
“Where one party is able to comment openly in those circumstances, it creates a clear and unacceptable imbalance and risks undermining confidence in how such situations are handled.
“Any public account given on that basis cannot be fully tested or treated as complete, particularly when others are effectively prevented from offering their perspective.
“Those in positions of authority have a responsibility to respect both the letter and the spirit of confidentiality, especially where their words carry significant weight and cannot be answered, this is affirmed in the Ministerial Code.
“Likewise, there is a clear responsibility under the Ministerial Code and accompanying guidance on ministers to uphold the political impartiality of the civil service. This includes treating civil servants with consideration and respect and not commenting publicly on individual staffing matters.
“Failing to uphold these principles risks damaging confidence not only in this case, but in the wider protections staff rely on. Government can only work effectively if there is trust between ministers and civil servants. That trust includes recognition of the restrictions on civil servants to defend themselves publicly and the obligation that places on ministers to deal with issues confidentially.”
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