Recruiting for a new Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner is to begin, as Northern Ireland minister Fleur Anderson announced the position will be publicly advertised this week.
UUP MP for South Antrim Robin Swann called for the role to be “fully independent” after stating former veterans commissioner Danny Kinahan resigned due to a lack of operational independence from the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).
Mr Kinahan, a former Ulster Unionist MP and a veteran himself, resigned in early September after four years following an “open and frank conversation” with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.
During a Westminster hall debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Swann told MPs that Mr Kinahan had faced “considerable limitations”, making the role “largely symbolic”.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Danny Kinahan (PA)
He said: “In meeting Mr Kinahan and in summing up some of his points was that the most significant issue facing the Veterans Commissioner is actually that lack of operational independence.
“The Commissioner is restricted to a part time status limiting the ability to fulfil the broad responsibilities of the role.
“The two staff members are assigned to the office by the Northern Ireland Office, selected without input from the Commissioner and these staff members report directly to the NIO, not the Commissioner thereby, he felt, undermining the Commissioners authority to lead and manage the office.
“The Commissioner also faced considerable limitations on staffing decisions, even for example office staff are empowered to propose bonus awards for themselves and not actually initiated by himself as the Commissioner.”
He added: “The structural limitations imposed have transformed the role, in his feeling, to the role whereas the Commissioner is now that of a figurehead.
“While the Commissioner is the public face of veteran advocacy in Northern Ireland, actually decision making, he felt, was dominated by the Northern Ireland Office rendering the Commissioners role largely symbolic.”
UUP MP for South Antrim Robin Swann called for the role to be ‘fully independent’ (PA)
Mr Swann said Mr Kinahan had repeatedly raised the need for a door-to-door leafleting campaign to inform veterans about support services available to them, but this did not go ahead due to the “refusal to allocate resources to key initiatives”.
The former Stormont health minister also shared a call from TUV MP Jim Allister for the role to be given statutory backing.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson said veterans from Northern Ireland had a “feeling that they are not treated just the same as their counterparts across the UK” as he said advertising to appoint a new Veterans Commissioner is “the most important initial step” the Government could take.
Ms Anderson said the Government had “moved very quickly” and confirmed that the position will be advertised this week.
She said: “I am delighted that we worked immediately to continue with the reappointment of the Veterans Commissioner and that will be happening I hope tomorrow but maybe later just this very week.
“The appointment of the NI Veterans Commissioner will be made on merit by the Secretary of State following an open and transparent process and that includes public advertising and independent assessment.”
In his time as Commissioner, Mr Kinahan gave a “guarded welcome” to the Conservatives’ controversial Act to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles because of the “lopsided” number of prosecutions against former members of the armed forces.
Since Labour came to power it has committed to repealing and replacing the laws.