Eniola Amadu
The Education Minister of Northern Ireland, Paul Givan, will face a vote of no confidence at the Stormont in relation to his recent visit to Israel.
The motion was initiated by People Before Profit member – Gerry Carroll, and is backed by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) member, Alliance and Sinn Féin.
Despite this, the motion is expected to fail as a result of its requirements which cuts across support from the unionists and nationalists in the assembly.
Speaking on their position, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Ulster Unionist Party (UPP) and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) have branded the move as “performative” and stated that they will not back the motion.
Parties endorsing the motion argued that the minister ought not to have used department resources to publicise photos from his trip to a school in Jerusalem.
Teaching unions also condemned the action and urged that the press release on the matter be taken down from the department’s website.
The motion to remove him which requires the endorsement backing of assembly members mentions that the “minister of education no longer enjoys the confidence of the assembly, because of his failure to observe… the Pledge of Office, relating to his duty to uphold and support the rule of law; and his failure to observe paragraph (g) relating to his duty to comply with the Ministerial Code of Conduct; and that he should be excluded from holding office as a minister or junior minister for a period of 12 months”.
Independent unionist Claire Sugden only has given her confirmation in support of the motion.
Meanwhile, Assembly member of Sinn Féin and the deputy chair of the education committee, Pat Sheehan have condemned the actions of Israel in Gaza. They also called for the resignation of the education minister.
Stormont’s education committee has been investigating the matter and has summoned the department’s permanent secretary to present evidence.
