Former Stormont minister Peter Weir is to join the board of the Education Authority.
Lord Weir held the executive education portfolio from 2016 to 2017 and 2020 to 2021.
A DUP nomination, the vacancy on the EA board was created after his party colleague Mervyn Storey was appointed chairman.
There were calls last month for DUP education minister Paul Givan to explain the appointment of Mr Storey.
Nick Mathison, chair of Stormont’s education committee, had said at the time that the appointment “certainly raises the potential for a conflict of interest”.
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said it would cause “further damage to the public perception about the approach to senior appointments within our public sector”.
In a statement on Friday, the Department of Education confirmed Lord Weir’s appointment.
“Lord Weir has been nominated by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in place of Mr Mervyn Storey, who took up the position of EA Chairperson on 1 January 2025.
“Political members are not ministerial appointments and are nominated by their respective political parties.
“He has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken political activity on behalf of the DUP.
“He is a member of the House of Lords for which he receives an attendance allowance when participating in proceedings.”
