Last week, the SDLP’s Mark H Durkan referred to the Education Minister as a “weirdo” in the chamber
Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots has reprimanded MLAs over what he described as a series of “personal attacks” on other MLAs in the Assembly chamber.
Mr Poots was speaking after a Point of Order from the SDLP’s Mark H Durkan, who retracted a comment he made last week, which was directed at Education Minister Paul Givan after he received correspondence this morning from the Speaker regarding his conduct for referring to the Education Minister as a “weirdo”.
Speaking after Mr Durkan retracted his comments, the Speaker said that while he encourages “robust debate and challenge”, MLAs should “focus on challenging issues” rather than individuals.
“We’re here to challenge people on the issues that they represent, not the individuals,” Mr Poots said.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve had to deal with a number of issues, whether in the chamber or in writing, reminding members that it’s not in order to accuse another member of being anti-Semitic or homophobic.
“I pointed out to a minister that they should not accuse a member of asking a stupid question, making it clear to a member that they should not tell another member to wind their neck in.
“And last week during the debate between the Minister, Mr Durkan and Cara Hunter, you did make the remark that he is more interested in the toileting of my female colleague. What a weirdo.”
Mr Poots described the comments as “really not on” and a “crude personal attack”.
“It was without an evidence base in terms of the comments that you made,” the Speaker continued.
“Furthermore, on the issues of members, particularly women, being subject to abuse, and unwanted attention is such a serious one. To make a comment to another member was in poor taste, so irrespective of who else was involved in that, that is an issue to reflect on.
“So, I have written to you; you know where we stand on it. There’s been a number of examples in the past. To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to be dealing with these issues, I don’t want to be commenting on these issues.
“We should be capable of engaging in vigorous debate without playing the man, and stick to playing the b, in this issue, in this instance, I probably should say playing the man or playing the woman, but, we’ll certainly stick to playing the ball and we’ll all get on, a lot better, so I thank the member for his apology, but it is important that we clarify these matters.”
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