‘Untouchables’ to police Irish contracts
12:13 28 Apr 2004
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A team of US-style "Untouch-ables" is planned to police construction contracts in Northern Ireland (NI). The aim is to stamp out racketeering by paramilitary groups using the industry as a source of funds.
The introduction of Independent Private Sector Inspector Generals (IPSIGs) is being discussed by the Northern Ireland Office and leaders of the NI Construction Employers Federation.
Jeff Ray, at the NI Department of Finance and Personnel, said it planned initially to test the concept with a short-term pilot on five or six public sector contracts, worth between £1m and £16m. He hopes to recruit three or four inspector generals to carry out the pilot.
The employment of independent inspectors was pioneered in New York in the early 1990s.
Ray said it is intended that the inspectors will supervise public sector contracts in the first instance, although the idea might later be extended on a voluntary basis to private sector work if contractors so desire.
"Basically, the inspectors will work in partnership with the contractor," Ray said.
"They will check that security systems are sufficiently robust, will monitor the contract and report anything improper that they discover to the police or to the audit office."