DUP SPAD gets sevrence pay despite promotion to MLA.

Thats the most acronyms i've put in a title.

 It's not often this Blog ventures into the field complex of Northern Ireland Politics but there a story that may be of interest to watchers of our own Assembly.

The DUP have confirmed their new South Belfast MLA is to receive a severance payment from her previous job as a special advisor.

The Irish News reported that Emma Pengelly, who was co-opted into the assembly seat, was to receive the payment.

She used to work in the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers.

Special advisors are civil servants that are appointed by ministers to work on party political matters.

A DUP spokesperson said: "Emma Pengelly receives a severance payment in accordance with the terms and conditions of her contract of employment.
"Mrs Pengelly will receive her severance payment from her former employer in due course as it is a contractual obligation to resign upon having become identified as an election candidate." 

The new MLA will contest the Stormont election scheduled for next May. 

Of course if she were to loose in May she would be out of a Job  . 

Such is the current dominance of the DUP among Unionist Parties they would easily hold the post of First Minister and  she probably would have been more likely to have kept her SPAD position

While the exact amount has not been published, special advisors who have been in the job at least four years and leave the post under these circumstances are entitled to a severance payment of six months' salary.

What perhaps is the most interesting part of the story is that Ms Pengally is actually facing a potential pay cut   

Mrs Pengelly's annual salary was just under £92,000. As an backbench MLA she will earn £48,000 a year. 

I wonder if this reflected in the Office of our owb First Minister. are the specials advisors to Carwyn Jones payed  nearly twice that of an ordinary AM?

No wonder they may be tempted to squeeze as much out of their expenses  allowance as possible.