Defiant First Minister refuses to answer questions on SF scandals from a divided and bumbling committee of MLAs

Michelle O’Neill held tight to a position that various matters weren’t within the remit of the Executive Office committee, or her office.

However, she appeared to be aware of the advice that had been given to the committee, despite the chair making clear it hadn’t been discussed in a private meeting between the pair, and officials, yesterday morning.

“I have endeavoured, however, and have very much blurred the lines in terms of trying to answer some of those questions in the spirit of openness and transparency. I have tried to be crystal clear because I, like you, absolutely want our safeguarding policies that we have right across society here to be absolutely a1, a star, first class,” Ms O’Neill told MLAs.

The first minister then went on to cite legal advice to avoid answering questions on any of Sinn Fein's recent scandals.

She asked the committee chair Paula Bradshaw: “With all due respect, you have taken legal advice. Can I ask you? Are you confident that you’re following your own legal advice?”

The Alliance MLA said she was of the opinion that the committee members have a right to ask questions, but struggled to articulate the legal position.

At the start of the meeting, Ms Bradshaw asked the first minister about recent media reports on the IRA Army Council, and asked whether it had any impact in “determining the priorities or actions of the Executive Office”?

Ms O’Neill said “party political issues are not for this committee. I think you just made a party political statement”.

Some MLAs didn't even attempt to frame questions in relation to her office – despite having weeks of discussions about what they could ask the Sinn Fein leader – giving Ms O'Neill an out.

DUP MLA Harry Harvey asked about a Sinn Fein member who smashed a portrait of a former DUP lord mayor in Belfast City Hall.

The chair intervened to explain to him that the question had to be in relation to the work of the Executive Office, saying “Can you couch your question in relation to [that]?”.

Mr Harvey said junior minister Reilly was present at the event. The first minister batted his question away saying it was “straying into party politicking as opposed to being genuinely about safeguarding”.

She added: “Some of this stuff is just straying completely beyond your own legal advice, I’m quite sure.”

Alliance MLA Connie Egan then read from the legal advice the committee had received, saying: “The legal advice said that witnesses could not be compelled to answer if it was felt it was not within the vires of the committee – not that the chair had to rule it out”.

Mr Harvey was asked if he had any questions relating to the work of the first minister. He said: “It’s just basically, is there anyone trying to stop the, incident, no, was my question.”

Asked if he had any other questions to ask, the Strangford MLA said no.

At one point, the first minister attempted to shift the primary responsibility for child safeguarding issues onto another department. She said: “Not to be too technical about it, but safeguarding sits under the Department of Health”, before then acknowledging that her office has a role as well.

The first minister, with the support of Ms Bradshaw, said a question about how many days per week Michael McMonagle worked in her office was not relevant to the committee, and refused to answer.

The question was asked by the TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, who had clearly framed it in terms of the ministerial code.

Ms Bradshaw intervened immediately, saying: “That’s an employment contract.” Asked if the committee was saying the code didn’t apply to the first minister, the chairperson said “It doesn’t apply to the Executive Office”.

Ms O’Neill also refused to answer a question from Timothy Gaston about why the IRA were conducting meetings in a Sinn Fein office. He was referencing a claim in Mairia Cahill's book about how she was treated by republicans when they were ‘investigating’ sexual abuse.

l Morning View, page 14