THE UK Unionist leader, Mr Bob McCartney MP, has expressed concern that Northern Ireland Office civil servants gave 25 briefings to the Anglo Irish Secretariat at Maryfield last year.
Public order dominated the sessions, with five summer briefings between June and September, as well as four meetings entitled - "relations between the security forces and the community".
Other issues covered included the make up of public bodies, cultural matters, housing, health services and public expenditure. Mr McCartney said he was concerned at the frequency of these consultations and about the increasing breadth of the topics involved.
"I am shocked to discover that Dublin now has an input into public expenditure and can, in effect, dictate to London as to what money should be spent and where it should come from," he said. "My fear is that the Northern Ireland civil service is being politicised."
Mr McCartney said he had been informed that local MPs would not be allowed briefings on the same basis as that available to Dublin. "...Ulster MPs are placed in a subordinate role to Irish civil servants," he added.