Motion or amendment: Breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct
Motion or amendment by Mr Matthew O'Toole on .
- MLA
- Mr Matthew O'Toole
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 27 January 2026
- Type
- Motion or amendment
- Business
- Motion · Private Members' Motion
- Heading
- Breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct
- Assembly identifier
- Document 468136
Read the official Assembly record Open Data source
Text
Breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct
That this Assembly notes that the recent investigation report by the Assembly Commissioner for Standards found that the Minister for Communities breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct; acknowledges that this is the second occasion on which the Minister has been found to be in breach of the Ministerial Code; believes that, as a result of this repeated failure to uphold the standards expected of public office holders, the Minister no longer commands the confidence of this Assembly; agrees that his refusal to accept responsibility for his actions represents a wider crisis of accountability in the Executive and a deeper cultural problem in our politics; recognises that the current arrangements for ministerial accountability, standards enforcement and institutional safeguards are inadequate and in need of reform; endorses a programme of institutional reform, co-facilitated by the UK and Irish Governments, to strengthen stability, improve accountability and restore public confidence in the institutions; and further agrees that this Assembly will write to the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Tánaiste outlining this position.
179 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Divisions on this item
- 10 February 2026: Breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct – The Motion Was Carried
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