£100k lawyer will draft laws

Stormont’s First Legislative Counsel has been appointed to substantially improve the local Assembly’s sluggish legislative output. The lawyer could potentially have been paid £205k.

SDLP MLA John Dallat asked the Ministers whether they approved the potential salary of £205,000 for the position of First Legislative Counsel.

In a joint reply they stated: “The post of First Legislative Counsel is a key position and was advertised at the existing salary range £98,059 – £205,000.

“An appointment has now been made and salary is confirmed at the minimum of the scale, that is £98,059.”