Speaker tells minister to offer ‘facts not opinions’ when addressing Assembly

By David Young, PA

Stormont’s speaker has cautioned a Sinn Féin minister against voicing policy opinions that contradict the official stance of her department.

Edwin Poots accused Economy minister Caoimhe Archibald of making inappropriate comments in the chamber after she told MLAs she was supportive of the underground routing of cables required for the planned electricity interconnector linking the power grids in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

SDLP leader of the opposition, Matthew O’Toole, challenged the minister on her comments, highlighting that planning approval for the Northern Ireland section of the interconnector was granted on the basis of the cables being routed on overhead pylons.

He said the Department for the Economy was a “key delivery partner” for the project in its current form.

“Are you saying one thing while your department is delivering another?” he asked.

Ms Archibald earlier told MLAs that she voiced support for undergrounding the cables during a meeting with her counterpart in the Irish government, Transport, Climate, Environment and Energy minister Darragh O’Brien.

Responding to Mr O’Toole, Ms Archibald added: “I don’t agree with the member in respect of my comments, because I think I’ve been consistent in respect of my party’s position, and the party has been consistent in respect of that position (undergrounding of cables), which would help secure community buy-in.

“And I think in respect of the planning permission (that) was granted by the previous Infrastructure minister (Nichola Mallon) who was your party colleague, and, as ministers in the Executive, we are obliged to fulfil the commitments in respect of that planning consent.”

After Assembly question time concluded, Mr O’Toole raised Ms Archibald’s comments with the Speaker.

Responding, Mr Poots said it was important for ministers to deal with “facts, not opinions”.

“A minister may have an opinion, and if they think that opinion is important enough and they run the department, then it is up to them to change the position on the department,” he said.

“But it is a minister’s task to come to the floor of the chamber and to represent the department’s policies as they exist, and that’s why I did indicate that we’re here to hear facts, not to hear opinions.

“And if the minister wishes to change the position that the Department for the Economy has on whether the interconnector is underground or overground, then that’s a matter for the minister.

“But she shouldn’t be coming to the chamber and saying this is the department’s position, this is my position. I don’t think that that’s appropriate.”