VIDEO: Northern Ireland Assembly speaker examining Alliance MLA's remarks after he says DUP 'courting far right' and spreading 'hate and prejudice'

It took place during a debate on “relationships and sexuality education” (formerly known as “sex education”) in the NI Assembly.

Alliance had brought forward a motion about standardising RSE across Northern Ireland, taking what is taught out of the hands of school governors and instead presenting all pupils with a mandatory syllabus.

At the centre of this syllabus would be the teaching of “consent”, telling children what constitutes a “healthy relationship”, and advising them how to be on the look out for “abuse” and “coercive control”.

Among the claims made by advocates of this position (meaning mainly nationalists and the Alliance Party) is that by teaching such things to pupils, it will reduce the number of physical attacks on women.

They also want pupils to be involved in the drawing up of their own curriculum.

• Mess with children's education at your peril: DUP issues stern warning to Alliance ahead of sex education debate

Alliance’s Kate Nicholl at one point lamented that the current model “allows parents to exclude their children from crucial lessons on a range of subjects, including LGBTQ topics, sexual health, pregnancy prevention and access to abortion, thereby diluting the education received by our young people”.

The DUP’s Jonathan Buckley said: “The word ‘compulsory’ means that this will be forced on every school, even if it is against its will and ethos. It means that parents will have no say in what their children are taught. It means that there will be a limitation of choice.

"With one word, Alliance has transformed itself from a supposedly progressive liberal party to a regressive authoritarian party.”

He also took issue with a remark made on social media by another Alliance MLA, Eoin Tennyson, in which Mr Tennyson said the DUP was trying to appeal to “the far right” on the issue.

"I find that hugely insulting,” said Mr Buckley, who angrily asked Mr Tennyson to retract it.

Alliance’s Nuala McAllister told Mr Buckley to “control himself”.

DUP MLA Diane Dodds then went on to say Alliance “should remember that 13,500 people responded to the recent consultation on RSE; they were certainly not from the far right”.

Mr Tennyson (who described himself as “LGBT”) said: “I want to return to my comments about a dog whistle to the far right. I think that we heard a very strong dog whistle to the far right from Mr Buckley here today. I therefore stand by my remarks…

"The DUP chooses to capitalise on that fear, to spread misinformation and to contribute nothing more to this debate than fear, prejudice and hate.”

The DUP’s Trevor Clarke then said: “On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Will you, Mr Speaker, examine what the Member has just said to back up his claims on social media and describe a member of my party as ‘the far right’?”

The speaker, Edwin Poots, then replied: “I will look at that, yes.”

Mr Poots is a longstanding DUP member and a former leader of the party, but in his capacity as speaker he must act in a neutral fashion.

He has yet to hand down a decision on Mr Tennyson’s comments.