Latest news with #EdwinPoots
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Stormont's end of term report card - could do better?
This week, with no fanfare, the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly wrote to members informing them things were about to move up a Poots said a number of Executive Bills had been introduced over the past few weeks, which would change the focus of business in the second half of 2025 and reduce the time for Private Members' other words, Stormont would cease to be the meaningless talking shop many say it has become and look more like the legislative assembly it is supposed to be."About time", some critics will say. "Too little too late", others will chime. When Stormont reached the first anniversary of its return following the two-year hiatus of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) boycott there was a little self-congratulation, but also the realisation that mere survival would no longer cut short, the honeymoon was over. Almost immediately there was a marked rise in sharp exchanges across the chamber over issues like Casement Park and stasis is still the pervading feeling. Stormont's inability to get the big things done is embodied by a lack of movement over things like Casement Park (not entirely Stormont's fault, but undoubtedly now its problem) and the upgrading of the A5 - a major infrastructure project -hamstrung because it fell foul of Stormont's own climate change could not make it even when the four-party executive manages to achieve what predecessors have failed to achieve it is seen by critics to fall first Programme for Government agreed in more than a decade was said to lack finally produced an Anti-Poverty strategy, albeit nearly 20 years instead of winning praise, a group of local charities say it was so flawed it was worse than no strategy at all. What has the executive achieved in its 500+ days back? Apart from still being no particular order:A total of £688m allocated for public sector payAn extra £1.3 billion secured through successful negotiations with the TreasuryA £25m plan for a new Childcare Subsidy SchemeA strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and GirlsBut still, Stormont's capacity to achieve defeat from the jaws of victory was encapsulated by the gleaming new edifice known as Belfast's Grand Central Station - all £340m of sooner were the parties basking in the reflected glory than the DUP and Sinn Féin were at each other's throats over a plan by the Sinn Fein Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins to introduce Irish language signage. This week at her final first minister's questions of this term Michelle O'Neill and the Social Democratic and Labour Party's leader of the opposition Matthew O'Toole clashed over what had - and had not - been achieved.O'Toole told her: "With respect, first minister, staged photo ops and platitudes are not enough anymore. You are, with respect, an elected leader, not a royal. "You are blaming others when your ministers have failed to do the basics. "If the government in Dublin had the delivery record of the government that you lead here, your party would have, rightly, roasted them."She countered: "I have heard the member at this all day. He talks flippantly about an end-of-term report. "Well, let me tell you about your end-of-term report. "I have heard three things from the now funded and resourced opposition. I repeat: the funded and resourced opposition. "The three things that I have heard are negativity, negativity and negativity." When the former DUP First Minister Peter Robinson returned recently to unveil his portrait in the Great Hall he gave a more optimistic prognosis from the outside."It almost seems normal around here," he said."Obviously more can be done and as a small country you should be able to turn things around more quickly."The fact that you have roughly the same composition of government means you should be able to have more long term planning because you're not moving from one government to a different government."At least it's a variation on the "what can you do in a four-party coalition comprised of parties with competing agendas?" as Speaker Poots reminded MLAs this week, when they return from summer recess there will be little more than 18 months before the Assembly dissolves for the next you know what elections can mean for inter-party relations.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Mid and East Antrim Council: Two prosecutions over deleted emails
Two people are to be prosecuted following a police investigation into Mid and East Antrim Public Prosecution Service (PPS) says it's linked to the alleged deletion of e-mails related to a Freedom of Information person is being prosecuted for three offences under section 77 of the Freedom of Information other is facing one charge under the same act. A total of four people were reported on a police file submitted to the PPS for a statement the PPS said that the available evidence in relation to the other two people being investigated is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not twice searched the council offices in October 2021 and then the following BBC Spotlight programme previously reported it was connected to alleged attempts to delete correspondence relating to the decision to withdraw council staff operating under the post-Brexit trade conditions known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. The staff, who were carrying out checks on goods arriving from Great Britain, were removed because of apparent threats from loyalist later emerged the then council chief executive Anne Donaghy had written to the UK Cabinet Office before the decision to remove staff was told the UK government that graffiti had been directly targeting council staff working on then Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots subsequently withdrew inspectors performing the checks at ports in Northern shortly after, all staff had returned to duties with the PSNI issuing a written threat assessment stating it had no information to support claims of loyalist paramilitaries threatening staff safety.
Glasgow Times
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
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. 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. '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.' Leader of the Opposition at Stormont Matthew O'Toole. Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole backed the comments from the Speaker. 'The comments from the Speaker today echo concerns the SDLP Opposition has raised for some time,' he said. 'Repeatedly we've seen Executive parties and their MLAs treat the Assembly Chamber as an inconvenience, rather than a core part of their role. 'Since the return of devolution, we've seen too much time wasted on meaningless motions, ministers avoiding scrutiny, and MLAs using debates to drive their social media channels instead of focusing on the job of governing. 'Even at today's Opposition Day, Sinn Fein failed to vote and other parties failed to show up. In contrast, the SDLP continues to ask tough questions and push for higher standards in debate and democratic scrutiny because we believe the current Executive performance is not good enough and hasn't delivered for people in Northern Ireland.' He added: 'The Speaker's intervention underlines the importance of a constructive Opposition to hold the Executive accountable and ensure Assembly time is treated with the seriousness it deserves.'
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
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. '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.' Leader of the Opposition at Stormont Matthew O'Toole. Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole backed the comments from the Speaker. 'The comments from the Speaker today echo concerns the SDLP Opposition has raised for some time,' he said. 'Repeatedly we've seen Executive parties and their MLAs treat the Assembly Chamber as an inconvenience, rather than a core part of their role. 'Since the return of devolution, we've seen too much time wasted on meaningless motions, ministers avoiding scrutiny, and MLAs using debates to drive their social media channels instead of focusing on the job of governing. 'Even at today's Opposition Day, Sinn Fein failed to vote and other parties failed to show up. In contrast, the SDLP continues to ask tough questions and push for higher standards in debate and democratic scrutiny because we believe the current Executive performance is not good enough and hasn't delivered for people in Northern Ireland.' He added: 'The Speaker's intervention underlines the importance of a constructive Opposition to hold the Executive accountable and ensure Assembly time is treated with the seriousness it deserves.'
The Independent
17-06-2025
- 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.'
