First Minister Michelle O'Neill has been sent a number of detailed questions ahead of committee grilling
The First Minister’s office was sent a number of specific questions in advance of her attendance at Stormont’s Executive Office committee, on the series of scandals besetting Sinn Fein.
On Wednesday morning a committee member told the BBC Nolan Show that the First Minister “hasn’t been told the specific questions” – but the News Letter has seen some of the questions that have been submitted to her office.
After receiving legal advice, the committee had decided that questions need to relate to a function of the Executive Office, which Ms O’Neill jointly leads with the DUP’s Emma Little Pengelly.
The rationale MLAs gave Ms O’Neill about the line of questioning is that they relate to safeguarding principles for the public sector, the integrity of the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister and Executive strategies.
However, the First Minister’s office had also been sent specific questions about her actions, about previous evidence she gave to the committee, about the actions she took around Niall O Donnghaile and the party’s handling of the Michael McMonagle affair.
An opportunity which MLAs hoped to use to ask follow-up questions was largely irrelevant in the end as the First Minister refused to answer any she deemed “party political”.
On Wednesday morning’s BBC Nolan Show, DUP MLA Brian Kingston said the First Minister “has been told the themes. That it’s relating to the safeguarding matters, relating to in particular McMonagle and O Donnghaile – and that will come as no surprise to the First Minister. But the committee is very protective of its important role to be independent of the department and the ministers – and to provide that scrutiny role on behalf of the Assembly.
“So she hasn’t been told the specific questions, but I’m sure she will have a good idea of what is likely to come up”.
One question said “do you believe the statement issued by Sinn Fein about Mr O’Donnghaile’s resignation from his position in the Seanad and from Sinn Fein lived up to the principle of ensuring truth, both for the general public and for someone who was the victim of Mr O’Donnghaile’s inappropriate behaviour?”
The specific questions were sent on Friday.