First Minister Michelle O’Neill asked for a copy of the legal advice at a meeting on Wednesday morning with the chair of a committee the tasked with scrutinising her work.
Details of the meeting emerged ahead of Ms O’Neill appearing alone before the Executive Committee, chaired by Paula Bradshaw.
Following the first minister’s request for the legal advice delivered to the committee, Strangford MLA Ms Bradshaw sent an email to other members asking whether this should be done. They replied in the negative, in line with the decision by the committee on Tuesday.
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston opened the meeting in the absence Ms O’Neill by calling on Ms Bradshaw to recuse herself from the chair. He csaid other members of the committee were not informed of the meeting, to which Ms Bradshaw replied she does not need permission, that it was a standard and it was in the presence of the clerk and the permanent secretary of the Executive Office.
In the run up to the meeting, it was flagged the first minister would be asked questions in relation to safeguarding issues, and that the controversies around Niall Ó Donnghaile and Michael McMonagle would be raised.
But the committee members can only ask questions in relation to Ms O’Neill’s work as first minister and should not stray into party politics.
There were also issues around Ms O’Neill appearing before the committee without Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Ms O’Neill said she agreed to appear without Ms Little-Pengelly.
The deputy first minister was criticised by members of the committee for failing to attend yet making public remarks about what should be raised on Tuesday afternoon.
