{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/65670352d7b5d40012be7324/69fc83222ba0ef2cca6c2616?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Sam McBride’s hunt for Stormont’s secret civil servant on a vast salary ","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/65670352d7b5d40012be7324/1778156092328-35440d50-509b-40bd-815c-076e0f3b6ea0.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>There is a very senior, well-paid civil servant, working in the&nbsp;higher echelons of the&nbsp;Northern Ireland Civil Service.&nbsp;</p><p>Only a handful of officials work at that level&nbsp;and with every one of these individuals&nbsp;we are entitled to know who they are, what they do and what they are paid –&nbsp;but not when it comes to one man. </p><p><br></p><p>Or is it a woman? We&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;know.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland Editor Sam McBride has discovered a top-mandarin that we know nothing about -&nbsp;a secret civil servant.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The&nbsp;taxpayer&nbsp;is not&nbsp;allowed to know what they do, not&nbsp;allowed to know how much they are&nbsp;paid&nbsp;and not&nbsp;even&nbsp;allowed to know what their name is.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Sam McBride joins Ciarán Dunbar on the&nbsp;BelTel&nbsp;to explain this bizarre&nbsp;story.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>","author_name":"Belfast Telegraph"}