21 September 2026

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has challenged the repeated curtailment of Opposition questions in the Assembly, after timing contributions during Ministerial Statements and Question Time showed Opposition members being cut short while Executive parties were given greater leeway.

Mr O’Toole raised a Point of Order in the Assembly highlighting concerns about the consistency with which speaking time is being managed.

Matthew O’Toole MLA said:

“The role of an Opposition is to scrutinise the Executive, challenge Ministers and ask the questions that those sitting around the Executive table often will not. 

“We have been concerned for some time that Opposition members are being pressed to conclude or interrupted more quickly than members of Executive parties. So we started timing contributions. The results have reinforced our concern that Opposition members are being given less latitude to put questions to Ministers.

“The four largest parties in the Assembly are all represented in the Executive and we frequently see members of Executive parties questioning their own Ministers or those they govern alongside. That is not a substitute for robust Opposition scrutiny. 

“Too much of our politics is already dominated by the adversarial battle between the two largest Executive parties. Assembly proceedings should not reinforce that dynamic at the expense of a proper Opposition holding the whole Executive to account.

“The Assembly established an Official Opposition for a reason. We have raised this directly in the Chamber and have called for it to be addressed. We will continue to do our job - scrutinising Ministers, challenging decisions and holding the Executive to account.”