'Putting the Public into Public Accountability'

For the most part the Forum considers public accountability and governance from a mainly parliamentary perspective while separately helping senior officials develop skills they need when giving interviews or otherwise appearing in the news media.

As it is politicians who vote taxpayers' money - the money that public agencies spend in carrying out their statutory functions - it is then elected politicians who have a direct interest in what public agencies do or not do, and in what they deliver or don't deliver with the money voted to them.

Public bodies are thus directly accountable to elected politicians for how they spend taxpayers' money and, more generally, their actions and performance. But in a society that values open government the media too have a role in reporting and questioning the actions of government and its agencies - in informing the public and when reporting a story which, by definition is deemed to be public interest or concern, in inviting government to account for its actions.

While previous briefings presented by the Forum have dealt with public accountability and dealing with the media separately, on this occasion both were looked at side by side during a discussion that reflected on the different and mutually re-inforcing ways each interprets and gives effect to the public interest dimension that is always inherent in what government and its agencies do.

The discussion was chaired by John Hunter CB, Chair of the Forum and a former permanent secretary at the Department of Personnel and Finance and before that at the Department for Social Development. The discussion included contributions from:

• Kieran Donnelly, the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland;
• Mike Philpott who has extensive knowledge and experience in the newspaper, radio and television media, locally, nationally and internationally; and
• Brian Whalley, an independent consultant and acknowledged expert in the public accountability and governance field.

Drawing on examples of how both parliament and the media have dealt with several different issues that came to their notice and attracted comment, Brian Whalley discussed the context within public accountability issues are identified and addressed within the parliamentary system; Kieran Donnelly explained the role and function of the Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee; and Mike Philpott reflected on media interest and on the role and purpose of reportage and investigative journalism.

For more information on this briefing please contact Kim McKnight, (T) 02890 347400.