The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly has said it is “out of order” for MLAs to claim he and others in the chair make political decisions.
Edwin Poots emphasised that when he, or any of the Deputy Speakers, are in the chair, they leave their politics behind and act with “impartiality”.
He delivered the rebuke to MLAs at the start of Monday’s plenary session.
It comes shortly after the one-year anniversary of the resumption of fully functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland.
Edwin Poots talked with concern about respect for the authority of the Speaker, including Principal Deputy Speaker Caral Ni Chuilin, pictured, and Deputy Speakers John Blair and Steve Aiken (Niall Carson/PA)
Mr Poots also reminded MLAs to stick to the topic of debates, saying he and Deputy Speakers “have had to intervene a number of times to ask members to bring their remarks back to scope of debate”.
“If the chair interrupts the member and asks them to come back, it should be gently taken as a helpful intervention to avoid the scenario that a member would be asked to take their seat. However, the chair’s decision, there’s no debate to be had with the chair on this matter and I’ll not go back to revisit decisions made by the chair of the day during a debate at a particular time,” he told MLAs.
Mr Poots went on to talk with concern about respect for the authority of the Speaker, including Principal Deputy Speaker Caral Ni Chuilin (Sinn Fein), and Deputy Speakers John Blair (Alliance) and Steve Aiken (UUP).
“Members should focus on the fact that they’re addressing the chair, they’re addressing the office of the Speaker, not a particular political personality,” he said.
“We, as Speaker and Deputy Speakers, have to set those things aside when we occupy this chair. Whether it is the Principal Deputy Speaker, Deputy Speaker or myself, members should recognise that we are dealing with matters from a procedural perspective not the political perspective we might have if we were participating on the floor.
“I make that point in particular because I note that on some occasions, a number of members, even ministers, both in the chamber and in media or social media have sought to play politics in reference to myself, the Principal Deputy Speaker or Deputy Speakers and the decisions we have made in the chair.
“I want to be very clear that this is out of order and is a challenge to the authority of the chair. I note that when we’re in the chair, we do not have a right to reply. I am permanently in the chair so I have never a right to reply.
“So on those occasions where members and ministers have sought in debate or social media to involve me on current issues in front of the Assembly on the basis of my previous role, that is entirely out of order.
Speaker Edwin Poots delivered the rebuke to MLAs at the start of Monday’s plenary session (NI Assembly/PA)
“It is not just the responsibility for me, the Principal Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Speakers to uphold the impartiality of the office of the Speaker when we’re in the chair, it is also your responsibility as members of this Assembly and will only work whenever you work with us on those matters.
“No matter which of us are in the chair, we should all be treated with the same respect which is expected to be shown to the office of Speaker. If members cannot do that within or without the chamber, then we’ll take that into account when calling people to speak.”
It comes just weeks after the Speaker reminded MLAs of the dress code and urged them to “dress smartly” in the chamber.
Last month, he said some members of the Assembly had “a very loose interpretation of smart”, and also issued a reminder to MLAs to acknowledge the Speaker as they arrived and left the chamber, and not to bring cups of coffee and drinks cans into the chamber.