There is no indication of when Northern Ireland’s Police Ombudsman will return to work, Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long has said.
Marie Anderson has been absent due to illness since June.
Her office deals with complaints about the conduct of police officers in Northern Ireland, including cases from the region’s troubled past. Ms Anderson’s functions are being carried out by senior staff from the office.
Last year it emerged that West Midlands Police had been asked to investigate an incident at the home of the ombudsman in September.
In August, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the investigation has proved “significantly more complex” than first expected.
Ms Long was asked whether there had been any conversations around the ombudsman returning to work during questions for the Justice Minister in the Assembly on Tuesday.
“The Police Ombudsman has not returned to work at this point,” Ms Long told MLAs.
“The department has ongoing conversations with the ombudsman’s office to ensure that they have the requisite authorities to be able to continue with their work.
“We have no indication at this point in time as to a date of return for the ombudsman.”
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee asked if the minister had any contact with the ombudsman’s office (PA)
Asking the question, DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee followed up by asking if the minister had had any contact with the ombudsman’s office around the release of a report into the Kingsmill atrocity.
It follows the conclusion of a long-running inquest into the killing of 10 Protestant workmen at Kingsmill in Co Armagh in 1976.
Ms Long said the authority is there for reports to be released.
“In respect to release of reports, the authority is already there for the chief executive and the chief investigator. They have already received the delegated authority which would allow them to release those reports,” she said.
“The absence of the ombudsman is not a barrier to the release of those reports.”