Statement by TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston:
“Today’s comments by Nuala McAllister where she sought to justify the shielding of Sinn Fein over the child abuse issue by her party colleague and Executive Committee chair Paula Bradshaw by saying I am “difficult” was a telling insight into Alliance’s attitude to scrutiny of the Executive and particularly Sinn Fein.
“I make no apology for asking the “difficult” questions which Alliance would rather were ignored or avoided and I will continue to ensure the TUV voice in Stormont is heard whether Alliance like it or not and I reserve the right to formally complain about the conduct of the chair to the Speaker unless her obvious bias changes.
“Furthermore, it is no defence to say I got a similar number of questions to other members of the committee. The issue is time and the shielding from vital questions. Frankly, many of the members on the committee use it as a forum to make speeches rather than question witnesses. The issue is a fair division of time – something the chair denied me on Wednesday and on other occasions.
“As it is now acknowledged that the committee was not permitted to do its job properly, the Ministers need to be brought back to the committee and examined properly. I trust this will be allowed to happen.”