MLAs query victims commissioner

Bertha McDougall was appointed interim victims commissioner

The committee scutinising the first and deputy first ministers' office is to seek clarification over the appointment of a victims' commissioner.

It had been told by the department that the appointment would be made before the July recess.

Deputy chair Naomi Long said she did not want the work of the person eventually appointed to be overshadowed by "rumour and speculation".

"This must be a merit based appointment not a political appointment," she said.

"If the processes are flawed then we need to start again."

The East Belfast Alliance assembly member said she believed the "debacle" over the appointment of interim Victims Commissioner Bertha McDougall had overshadowed the good work she had done.

"We don't want to see the victims commissioner who is appointed at the end of the process under a similar shadow or cloud and their work overshadowed," she said.