Poots scolds MLAs for 'extremely discourteous' behaviour

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly has followed up last week's dressing down over MLAs' clothes with another salvo about their behaviour.

Edwin Poots told them it was "extremely discourteous" not to be in the chamber to ask a listed question.

And in a letter to all 90 assembly members he said some were "undermining the concept of debate" by turning up just before they are due to speak and then leaving again immediately afterwards.

Last week he reminded them that the dress code was "smart" adding "some of you have a very loose interpretation of smart".

In his latest missive Mr Poots said next week would mark the first anniversary of the return of devolution.

"The development of, and maintenance of, the parliamentary culture around how we do our business has undoubtedly been affected by the fact that the assembly has not been operating consistently over the past 27 years," he said.

"However, upholding a parliamentary culture around the serious business we have to do, has a major part to play in restoring and increasing confidence in the assembly."

He said as speaker, he could not control the business that ministers and members bring forward, or the level of scrutiny which members want to apply.

"However, it is my role, and that of officials, to seek to create the conditions for our business to be done properly and for effective scrutiny to be conducted."

Mr Poots said he realised that how MLAs dress may appear trivial to some, but it underlined some significant principles.

He told MLAs that "sittings of the assembly are not just another engagement in Members' diaries" and the chamber was "not just another meeting room".

"At any one time there are only 90 people who have the immense privilege of participating in this chamber and they are given that privilege by the people.

"As an institution, this assembly is the prime source of authority for devolved matters.

"With the privilege given to us to be here, comes the responsibility to exercise that authority by representing our constituents, holding ministers to account and taking decisions to change policy, and the law, to address the issues impacting our whole community."

Mr Poots said these were "not casual matters".

"They require a level of formality to ensure that these responsibilities are discharged properly and with fairness to all members," he said.

"Therefore, issues like how we present ourselves and avoiding clutter in the chamber are purely small symbols of protecting the dignity of the chamber.

"Respecting our courtesies and procedures is about respecting the serious business we have to do and respecting the people who put us here to do it.

The speaker added he would have more to say in future about "our standards of debate".