Concern Stormont MLAs delivering pre-scripted remarks for social media clips
Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots issued a reminder to MLAs around standards of debate on Tuesday.
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.”
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.”