Ms Bradshaw said: "It is welcome that the post of Public Appointments Commissioner has finally been advertised, but remains a mystery as to why it has taken so long. We are well over a year into the post-restoration period and there remains no evident reason that this post could not have been advertised a year ago.
"It is also curious, that it appears alongside the advertisement for the recruitment of the Commissioners arising from the Identity and Language Act, but also that those Commissioner appointments are, for some reason, unregulated. We need an urgent explanation from the First and deputy First Minister as to why they have agreed that such appointments should not be overseen by the Public Appointments Commissioner.
"This evident lack of transparency around these posts is even more noteworthy given that one clear purpose, stated in the advertisement, is that the Public Appointments Commissioner's role is in large part to shape confidence in the process of public appointments. That only leaves us even more bewildered as to why posts such as the Irish Language Commissioner and Ulster British Commissioner would be kept outside the Public Appointments Commissioner’s remit.
"I would urge an immediate change by the First and deputy First Minister to ensure that all public appointments, including those arising from the Identity and Language Act, take place purely on merit and are subject to independent regulation by the Public Appointments Commissioner."
Mr Dickson added: “I have continuously questioned during committee why it has taken so long for the First and deputy First Ministers to elect a Pubic Appointments Commissioner, and whilst it is a step forward the role is now being advertised, we are still unaware of why this couldn’t have happened sooner.
“This post is essential to ensure public confidence in all public appointments across our departments, and has been left vacant since 2021. I would like to see a timeline in place for the Executive Office to have this role filled, to ensure all public posts are fair and regulated independently.”
"It is also curious, that it appears alongside the advertisement for the recruitment of the Commissioners arising from the Identity and Language Act, but also that those Commissioner appointments are, for some reason, unregulated. We need an urgent explanation from the First and deputy First Minister as to why they have agreed that such appointments should not be overseen by the Public Appointments Commissioner.
"This evident lack of transparency around these posts is even more noteworthy given that one clear purpose, stated in the advertisement, is that the Public Appointments Commissioner's role is in large part to shape confidence in the process of public appointments. That only leaves us even more bewildered as to why posts such as the Irish Language Commissioner and Ulster British Commissioner would be kept outside the Public Appointments Commissioner’s remit.
"I would urge an immediate change by the First and deputy First Minister to ensure that all public appointments, including those arising from the Identity and Language Act, take place purely on merit and are subject to independent regulation by the Public Appointments Commissioner."
Mr Dickson added: “I have continuously questioned during committee why it has taken so long for the First and deputy First Ministers to elect a Pubic Appointments Commissioner, and whilst it is a step forward the role is now being advertised, we are still unaware of why this couldn’t have happened sooner.
“This post is essential to ensure public confidence in all public appointments across our departments, and has been left vacant since 2021. I would like to see a timeline in place for the Executive Office to have this role filled, to ensure all public posts are fair and regulated independently.”