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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Conall McDevitt from SDLP quits politics over payment | Conall McDevitt from SDLP quits politics over payment |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| The SDLP South Belfast MLA Conall McDevitt has announced that he is to quit politics with immediate effect. | The SDLP South Belfast MLA Conall McDevitt has announced that he is to quit politics with immediate effect. |
| Mr McDevitt says he failed to declare more than £6,000 earned from a public relations company shortly after he was appointed as an MLA. | Mr McDevitt says he failed to declare more than £6,000 earned from a public relations company shortly after he was appointed as an MLA. |
| He said he failed in his duty to uphold the standards expected of an MLA. | He said he failed in his duty to uphold the standards expected of an MLA. |
| The money was paid by his former company, Weber Shandwick, for Mr McDevitt to mentor the company team that replaced him after his election. | |
| In a interview with BBC Northern Ireland political editor, Mark Devenport, Mr McDevitt said: "I'll be resigning my seat as an MLA today with immediate effect, I'll be notifying the speaker of my intention to do that. | In a interview with BBC Northern Ireland political editor, Mark Devenport, Mr McDevitt said: "I'll be resigning my seat as an MLA today with immediate effect, I'll be notifying the speaker of my intention to do that. |
| 'Deeply sorry' | 'Deeply sorry' |
| "In early 2010 I received payment from my former employers. I'd been managing director of a company and I received payment in order to help the new management team bed in. | "In early 2010 I received payment from my former employers. I'd been managing director of a company and I received payment in order to help the new management team bed in. |
| "That should have been declared and it wasn't. That's a serious breach, in my opinion, of the code. | "That should have been declared and it wasn't. That's a serious breach, in my opinion, of the code. |
| "I have rectified it today, but I entered politics to try and bring about change and positive change, and I feel I have fallen below the standards expected of someone in public life. | "I have rectified it today, but I entered politics to try and bring about change and positive change, and I feel I have fallen below the standards expected of someone in public life. |
| "Therefore I think there's a duty on me to resign my position in public life in order to protect the integrity of the institution and to acknowledge the error that I have made, for which I am obviously deeply sorry." | "Therefore I think there's a duty on me to resign my position in public life in order to protect the integrity of the institution and to acknowledge the error that I have made, for which I am obviously deeply sorry." |
| In a separate statement, Mr McDevitt said: "Between March 2010 and August 2010 I received a total of £6750 from my former employers, Weber Shandwick. | In a separate statement, Mr McDevitt said: "Between March 2010 and August 2010 I received a total of £6750 from my former employers, Weber Shandwick. |
| "I resigned as managing director of the Belfast office in December 2009 and I provided support and mentoring to the new management team following my departure from the company. I was never asked to nor did I ever represent any of the company's clients whilst an MLA. | "I resigned as managing director of the Belfast office in December 2009 and I provided support and mentoring to the new management team following my departure from the company. I was never asked to nor did I ever represent any of the company's clients whilst an MLA. |
| "These payments were made through JM Consulting, a consultancy which my wife has an interest in. These are registerable interests under the Assembly rules. I have now registered these earnings on my register." | "These payments were made through JM Consulting, a consultancy which my wife has an interest in. These are registerable interests under the Assembly rules. I have now registered these earnings on my register." |
| Mr McDevitt has represented the South Belfast constituency at the Northern Ireland assembly since January 2010. | Mr McDevitt has represented the South Belfast constituency at the Northern Ireland assembly since January 2010. |
| 'Failure' | 'Failure' |
| He was co-opted to the position, replacing the SDLP MLA Carmel Hanna, and retained the South Belfast seat in the 2011 assembly elections. | He was co-opted to the position, replacing the SDLP MLA Carmel Hanna, and retained the South Belfast seat in the 2011 assembly elections. |
| In a statement, SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said: "Conall McDevitt has done the right thing by resigning after admitting his failure to register funds received by him during his time as MLA in accordance with assembly rules. | In a statement, SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said: "Conall McDevitt has done the right thing by resigning after admitting his failure to register funds received by him during his time as MLA in accordance with assembly rules. |
| "I welcome Conall's speedy and definitive response in this regard and accept his resignation." | "I welcome Conall's speedy and definitive response in this regard and accept his resignation." |
| Dr McDonnell said the South Belfast MLA "made a very positive contribution not only the constituency but also to the wider SDLP party where he showed energy, enthusiasm and drive". | Dr McDonnell said the South Belfast MLA "made a very positive contribution not only the constituency but also to the wider SDLP party where he showed energy, enthusiasm and drive". |
| "Conall will be a loss to the assembly party and to South Belfast and I would like to wish him and his family all the best for the future," the SDLP leader added. | "Conall will be a loss to the assembly party and to South Belfast and I would like to wish him and his family all the best for the future," the SDLP leader added. |
| On Tuesday, Mr McDevitt confirmed that his wife, Joanne Murphy, received £30,000 in public funds in the last two years, carrying out research for him in his role as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. | On Tuesday, Mr McDevitt confirmed that his wife, Joanne Murphy, received £30,000 in public funds in the last two years, carrying out research for him in his role as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. |
| Last month, it was revealed that more than £14,000 from Mr McDevitt's assembly office cost allowance was paid to researchers through his wife's firm, JM Consulting. | Last month, it was revealed that more than £14,000 from Mr McDevitt's assembly office cost allowance was paid to researchers through his wife's firm, JM Consulting. |
| Sums of £8,000, £4,900, £800 and £600 were paid through JM Consulting to four researchers between 2010 and 2011. | Sums of £8,000, £4,900, £800 and £600 were paid through JM Consulting to four researchers between 2010 and 2011. |
| Mr McDevitt said that money was paid to the researchers and his wife did not benefit from the arrangement. | Mr McDevitt said that money was paid to the researchers and his wife did not benefit from the arrangement. |
| The 41-year-old outgoing MLA is a former director of communications for the SDLP. | The 41-year-old outgoing MLA is a former director of communications for the SDLP. |
| He held the post from 1996 to 1999, a period that included the political negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement. | He held the post from 1996 to 1999, a period that included the political negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement. |
| He is also a past chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in Northern Ireland. | He is also a past chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in Northern Ireland. |
| Mr McDevitt was born in Dublin in 1972 and grew up in Malaga, Spain. | Mr McDevitt was born in Dublin in 1972 and grew up in Malaga, Spain. |