Latest news with #MLAs
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
NI Politics: Watchdog complaints double since Stormont restored
Complaints to the Northern Ireland Assembly's standards watchdog have more than doubled in the year since Stormont was 150 complaints were made to the Assembly Commissioner for Standards in 2024-25, compared to 65 lodged in the previous 12-month Ireland's devolved government returned in 2024 following a two-year hiatus due to a political row over post-Brexit trade commissioner investigates complaints against members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) and ministers in Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive. A total of 149 complaints were made in 2024-25, including 123 against MLAs and 26 relating to these, 16 were assessed as admissible and proceeded to formal investigation, while 129 were deemed the 2024-25 figure is an increase compared to the previous year, it is similar to other recent highest figure in the 13 years since the commissioner role was created was 164 in complaints in 2024-25 related to alleged conflicts of was followed by complaints of "excessive and unreasonable personal attack" including concerns related to the use of social media. 'More could have been achieved' The details were contained in the latest annual report by the standards commissioner Dr Melissa is her last annual report before her five-year term as commissioner ends in commissioner said the "exceptional circumstances" of the Covid-19 pandemic and a two-year Stormont hiatus "made for an unusual five-year term".She added that "while I am very proud of what has been accomplished, I believe that in different conditions more could have been achieved".In her "final reflections" in the report, she said the ministerial code of conduct should be "updated, as it has not been revised since 1998"."This remains an urgent and unresolved matter," she McCullough said the commissioner's office needed more staffing resources "to do the work effectively"."Unfortunately, despite formal requests for such dedicated support, none has been provided," she McCullough also said the terms of the commissioner's employment should be reviewed, as benefits such as holiday pay and sick pay are currently not said it "risks sending the wrong message" and could "deter experienced and capable individuals from putting themselves forward".
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
Concern has been expressed that Stormont MLAs are delivering pre-scripted text in the Assembly for a clip on social media. Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots said he was also concerned that Points of Order are being raised about 'the normal cut and thrust of debate'. Almost a year and a half since the Northern Ireland Assembly was restored, Mr Poots has written to MLAs about the standards of debate in the chamber. He also made his points at the start of the plenary session on Tuesday. Mr Poots, who has been elected to the Assembly for almost three decades, said he has witnessed 'political giants who passionately articulated their own case', but also engaged in debate and 'realised that they had to give as good as they could take'. 'Our standards of debate are often referred to in the context of the first element – the standard of remarks made about other members. However, there has been a decreased focus on the second element – the concept of debate,' he said. 'If the Assembly is to be serious about its scrutiny role, having a strong culture of parliamentary debate is vital.' Mr Poots said requiring MLAs to take care in their language and have civility in exchanges 'is not intended to, and should not, prevent passionate and robust debate'. 'In my time in the Assembly since 1998, I have been privileged to witness political giants, who passionately articulated their own case, engaging in debate,' he said. 'However, they also realised that they had to give as good as they could take. 'The freedom to challenge and to express different views in debate are core to this Assembly's core functions of exercising scrutiny, holding ministers to account and representing our constituents. 'Proper debate is about both having the opportunity to state your own views and listening, responding to and challenging the views of others. 'Some members increasingly concentrate only on stating their own opinions. ' Technology has created a temptation for members to deliver a pre-scripted text in the Chamber, shortly after which they leave to issue a clip of their speech on social media. 'If debate was only about a series of members reading out pre-scripted thoughts on an issue, without interaction, there would be no need for an Assembly Chamber – we could do it by email.' He added: 'I am also concerned about the tendency to raise Points of Order with the chair about the normal cut and thrust of debate, rather than challenge those points themselves.' He went on to say he is expanding the Ten Practical Principles of Debate circulated in 2021 to 'ensure they focus not only on interactions between members, but also on having a strong culture of debate and challenge'. 'When the Assembly has responsibility for making legislation which impacts on people's lives, it is vital that members are able to probe all the arguments before the Assembly takes a decision,' he said. 'It is my role to encourage the conditions for members to be able to exercise effective scrutiny and accountability in the Chamber. 'I therefore ask all members to take the time to reflect on the principles I have set out in the attachment and to adhere to them in debate.'
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
Concern has been expressed that Stormont MLAs are delivering pre-scripted text in the Assembly for a clip on social media. Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots said he was also concerned that Points of Order are being raised about 'the normal cut and thrust of debate'. Advertisement Almost a year and a half since the Northern Ireland Assembly was restored, Mr Poots has written to MLAs about the standards of debate in the chamber. Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots (Liam McBurney/PA) He also made his points at the start of the plenary session on Tuesday. Mr Poots, who has been elected to the Assembly for almost three decades, said he has witnessed 'political giants who passionately articulated their own case', but also engaged in debate and 'realised that they had to give as good as they could take'. 'Our standards of debate are often referred to in the context of the first element – the standard of remarks made about other members. However, there has been a decreased focus on the second element – the concept of debate,' he said. Advertisement 'If the Assembly is to be serious about its scrutiny role, having a strong culture of parliamentary debate is vital.' Mr Poots said requiring MLAs to take care in their language and have civility in exchanges 'is not intended to, and should not, prevent passionate and robust debate'. 'In my time in the Assembly since 1998, I have been privileged to witness political giants, who passionately articulated their own case, engaging in debate,' he said. 'However, they also realised that they had to give as good as they could take. Advertisement 'The freedom to challenge and to express different views in debate are core to this Assembly's core functions of exercising scrutiny, holding ministers to account and representing our constituents. 'Proper debate is about both having the opportunity to state your own views and listening, responding to and challenging the views of others. 'Some members increasingly concentrate only on stating their own opinions. 'Technology has created a temptation for members to deliver a pre-scripted text in the Chamber, shortly after which they leave to issue a clip of their speech on social media. Advertisement 'If debate was only about a series of members reading out pre-scripted thoughts on an issue, without interaction, there would be no need for an Assembly Chamber – we could do it by email.' He added: 'I am also concerned about the tendency to raise Points of Order with the chair about the normal cut and thrust of debate, rather than challenge those points themselves.' He went on to say he is expanding the Ten Practical Principles of Debate circulated in 2021 to 'ensure they focus not only on interactions between members, but also on having a strong culture of debate and challenge'. 'When the Assembly has responsibility for making legislation which impacts on people's lives, it is vital that members are able to probe all the arguments before the Assembly takes a decision,' he said. Advertisement 'It is my role to encourage the conditions for members to be able to exercise effective scrutiny and accountability in the Chamber. 'I therefore ask all members to take the time to reflect on the principles I have set out in the attachment and to adhere to them in debate.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Edwin Poots: 'We could do it by email' says Assembly speaker
The standards of debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly mean "we could do it by email", the Stormont speaker has Poots said technology had created the temptation for MLAs to deliver a "pre-scripted text" which they can immediately release through a clip on social a letter to all Stormont MLAs entitled Standards of Debate in the Assembly, he said "having a strong culture of parliamentary debate is vital".Poots said the existing standards of good temper, contest, moderation and respect towards other members would be expected in any legislature. 'Political giants' He said: "Members know that my general approach is that regardless of my own opinion on the views expressed by a member, it is my role to protect their right to say it."Requiring members to exercise care in their language and have civility in our exchanges is not intended to, and should not, prevent passionate and robust debate."While there has to be some level of procedure to ensure our business runs smoothly, effective members will be able to find ways to make the points they want to make in the appropriate way, at the appropriate time."Poots said that in his time at Stormont he had been privileged to witness "political giants" who passionately articulated their own case. However, he said they also realised that they had to "give as good as they could take"."Proper debate is about both having the opportunity to state your own views and listening, responding to and challenging the views of others. "Some members increasingly concentrate only on stating their own opinions."He added: "If debate was only about a series of members reading out pre-scripted thoughts on an issue, without interaction, there would be no need for an assembly chamber – we could do it by email." In 2021 the previous Speaker Alex Maskey issued MLAs with a document called Ten Practical Principles of successor has now expanded those principles to ensure they focus not only on interactions between members, but also on "having a strong culture of debate and challenge".Last year, Poots was criticised for saying he would have the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister's "clock cleaned".Allister said the remark had "the colloquial and indisputable meaning of indulging in physical violence".But Poots said Mr Allister was "being a little sensitive".
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
‘I do not believe I have done anything worthy of an apology'
The Stormont Communities Minister has insisted he does not believe he has done anything worthy of apologising for following criticism over a social media post. Gordon Lyons was accused of 'poor judgment' following the post, sent hours before a crowd gathered outside Larne Leisure Centre and it was set alight, causing significant damage. Advertisement His post detailed that some individuals had been temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre in the early hours of the morning following disturbances in Ballymena, adding that as an MLA for the area, neither he nor his DUP council colleagues were made aware of that until that afternoon. A police officer outside Larne Leisure Centre following an attack on the facility. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. He went on to say that the individuals had since been moved out of Larne, adding that while protesting is a legitimate right, violence is not, and urged everyone to remain peaceful. Mr Lyons faced a grilling by MLAs over the post at the Assembly on Monday. He insisted that police had encouraged him and other elected representatives to share the message that those who had fled disorder in Ballymena, and had been accommodated at Larne Leisure Centre, were no longer there. Advertisement Mr Lyons pointed out that the location had already been publicised by others, and that his post pointed out that no one was sheltering at the leisure centre. He also accused those criticising him as 'attempting to score political points'. Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole put to Mr Lyons that his instinct appears to be to 'double down' and to be 'pugilistic rather than empathise with people who have been put out of their homes'. He asked Mr Lyons to express 'some measure of regret and responsibility taking, for what was said on that post and the fact that it put vulnerable people in real fear.' Advertisement Mr Lyons said he rejected that characterisation. 'I took the decision to put a post up later on that afternoon because of the rumours that were circulating, because at lunchtime, a post had gone up on another page saying that there was going to be a protest at the leisure centre that evening,' he told MLAs. 'I was making it clear that there was nobody at the leisure centre anymore, which was the reason for the protest in the first place. 'That's the clarification that I was providing, that the council had already provided, as well, that the news outlets were reporting as well. So I was trying to temper the situation, to try and stop it getting out of hand.' Advertisement Mr Lyons also said it was 'absolutely outrageous' that people have tried to get 'political capital out of the horrendous events that have taken place'. 'I think that it is absolutely outrageous, I think violence is wrong, I thought that we saw absolutely despicable scenes and we should be united together as a House in condemning the violence,' he said. 'We should be united in support of victims, we should be united in support of police, we should be united in listening to the communities that have been affected and yes, those who are affected by some of the immigration policies that we have in place as well. 'He's asking me to say sorry for my role in this, and I simply do not believe that I have done anything that is worthy of an apology.' Advertisement Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn had said Gordon Lyons should reconsider his words after the social media post Photo: Ben Whitley/PA. Ireland Facebook being used to coordinate racist attacks i... Read More First Minister Michelle O'Neill called for Mr Lyons to resign last week, while Secretary of State Hilary Benn said he should reconsider his words. Mr Lyons said he had had a private conversation with Mr Benn since then. He also cautioned that some comments made about him by 'a number of individuals that were not just wrong but offensive'.
