Who pays Stephen Farry (Alliance-Rowntree), Minister for Employment and Learning?

Well obviously we do. And Rowntree played a part too.

I am intrigued that Mr Farry is Guest of Honour at a Belfast Chamber of Commerce “dinner” on 7th March. I learned about this via the Stratagem web site…….have I ever mentioned that Rowntree is a client of Stratagem and Alliance is sponsored by Rowntree to the tune of £98,000 over the past few years. You might have read about this on Slugger O’Toole, partner of Stratagem…….but you probably wont.

In fairness these dinners…..described as briefings……are regular occurences involving a lot of politicians. The thing that I find odd is that it costs £35 to hear Mr Farry’s briefing and is confined to members of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce.

Nothing wrong in that. But oddly this briefing is “in camera” and people attending may not report on what Mr Farry says.

Now I do not think for one minute that Stephen Farry would say anything at a Chamber of Commerce dinner that he would not say to the Assembly….or the Assembly Committee on Employment and Learning….or indeed journalists…….or his Alliance Conference in April or even the next branch meeting of the Alliance Party in North Down.

So I cannot think that Mr Farry will be any more interesting on 7th March than he normally is.

So why would canny astute business people pay £35 to hear Mr Farry? And why are we not going to be informed what is going on?

Clearly a case for Freedom of Information enquiry. Slugger (partner of Stratagem) loves that kinda thing. Maybe a member of the Chamber of Commerce member will spill the beans and write a blog on Slugger O’Toole. Slugger loves whistle blowers. Stratagem would surely be pleased.

Coincidently, the Assembly Committee (Chair Basil McCrea of the UUP) has met today. Due to receive briefings on Strategy, European and Employment Relations Division and a briefing on blacklisting trade unionists. The minutes of this committee meeting will soon appear on its website.

I hope that the Chamber of Commerce will appreciate that I am saving their members £35 ..they now have no need to go to Farry’s dinner next week.