Contracts handed out by the board of NI Water were discussed this week as the future of further board members was brought sharply into focus.

Conor Murphy, Minister for Regional Development has met with the Regional Development Committee on the Independent Review Team's Report on procurement governance failures in NI Water.

Speaking after the meeting on Monday, the Minister said: "Today's meeting was constructive and the Committee offered support for the action taken.

"It provided a useful opportunity to discuss the findings of the Independent Review Team into procurement governance issues within NI Water.

"The breakdown in the application of the governance and control framework is a serious matter for those responsible and accountable, primarily the Board of NIW and the executives responsible for ensuring compliance," he said.

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"Following consideration of the full range of evidence relevant to the issues in question, I reached a final decision to remove each of the four non-executive directors from the Board with effect from 11 March.

"In the case of the two executive directors who are Board members, I wrote to inform them that I would consider their positions as Board members following the outcome of a further investigation to be undertaken by the Chief Executive of NIW, to determine which executives within the company should be held responsible for the failures in procurement governance and control.

"I have asked for this further work to be completed as quickly as possible," the Sinn Fein Minister continued.

"The Department will now take action to appoint a number of new non-executive directors to the Board of NIW on an interim basis, pending the outcome of a full public appointments process.

"The Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of NI Water has already prepared an action plan to take forward those recommendations in the report which fall to him. The Department will work with and support the Chief Executive in implementing the action plan," he continued.

"I believe that the firm action which I have taken to implement the recommendations in the report will provide a strong basis for the company to establish appropriate governance arrangements, and to move forward with the confidence of the whole community."

(BMcC/GK)