- Speaker needs to reflect
- Reputation drops from gutter to sewer
The day that was supposed to see the Northern Ireland Assembly start the long and difficult journey of restoring public confidence turned to farce as the Speaker Robin Newton MLA was unable to inform the House under which Standing Order today’s special sitting was being held.
Mike Nesbitt MLA said:
“The Speaker wrote to MLAs on Friday saying he had received valid notice from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that they wished to make a statement on the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal. But on Sunday deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, made clear Mrs foster would not be speaking with his authority, this invalided Standing Order 11.
“When I challenged the Speaker repeatedly he was unable to name a Standing Order eventually pointing the House to Standing Order 18. But this refers to ministerial statements and the whole point is that this is a personal and not ministerial statement by Mrs Foster.
“Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the reputation of devolution has plummeted from the gutter to the sewer.
“I urge the Speaker to reflect over Christmas as to whether he is the man to lead the Assembly in 2017.”