FOI 24-26: A request for information on the cost of moving the DUP offices in Richhill
Information Standards Freedom of Information Response
Our ref: 24-26
19 May 2026
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 1 May 2026 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). In your request, you asked:
‘I would like to request a breakdown of the costs moving the DUP office in Richhill from 18 Main Street to 16 Main Street.
I would like to see what the increase in costs would be and the reasoning for the office move.
Please also include the finances that were made available to accommodate this move and what resources were used.
Was this covered by tax payers money?’
Our response
The Assembly Commission holds some information in relation to your request.
Members of the Assembly (Members) may recover costs for constituency offices in accordance with the Assembly Members (Office and Staffing Costs and Allowances) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2025 (the 2025 Determination).
No office move took place in this case. While the request refers to a ‘DUP office’, each address is a separate constituency office established by a different Member. The office at 18 Main Street, Richhill was the constituency office of the former Member Mr William Irwin MLA. Mr Irwin resigned his seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 1 January 2026. Upon doing so, Mr Irwin entered a winding-up period of three months, with the lease for his constituency office ending on 31 March 2026. The office at 16 Main Street, Richhill is the constituency office of Mr Gareth Wilson MLA, who was co-opted into the seat on 5 January 2026. Following co-option, Mr Wilson entered into a lease for 16 Main Street, Richhill for his own constituency office.
The setting up, running and location of constituency offices are matters for individual Members. The 2025 Determination provides separately for the recovery of costs associated with an outgoing Member’s winding-up arrangements and an incoming Member’s office establishment and running costs. Further detail on the operation of those arrangements may be found in the Administration Guide – Financial Support for Members.
Further Information
You have the right to request an internal review of this decision by the Assembly Commission. If you wish to request such a review, please write to me at the above address. If, after that review, you are dissatisfied with the way in which the Assembly Commission has handled your request for information, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Your request for information and our response may be published in the disclosure log maintained by the Assembly Commission under a publication scheme agreed with the ICO. The request and our response will be anonymised.
Yours sincerely
INFORMATION STANDARDS
