Gordon Lyons blasts ‘dysfunctional’ committee amid accusations of showboating

Stormont’s Communities Minister has described his scrutiny body as “dysfunctional” as deputy chairwoman of the Committee Cathy Mason accused him of “showboating” and “playing theatrics”.

Gordon Lyons said the Sinn Fein MLA Ms Mason “throws mud” and “doesn’t really have any sensible questions” in a continuation of heated exchanges between the minister and the Committee for Communities.

The parties came to blows last month when Sinn Fein MLA and chairman of the group, Colm Gildernew, said the minister has tried to “deflect and distract” from criticism of his performance”, with Mr Lyons claiming the body are not “a proper scrutiny committee”.

In the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday Mr Lyons was asked by DUP colleague David Brooks for his assessment of the communities committee.The Communities Minister replied: “I’ve been a member of this House for more than a decade, and if I’m answering the question directly and fairly, I don’t think I’ve seen a more dysfunctional committee in all of my time.“We have a chairman that cannot read letters, so brilliantly exposed by Pam Cameron (DUP member of Communities Committee).

“A deputy chairperson who thinks that money going to Ulster Scots is sectarian.

“Another committee member (Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong) who thinks she’s a legislative geek, yet caused the committee to require a full U-turn on her daft proposal after they received legal advice, and as I mentioned before, in one meeting, they mentioned 35 times a business case that doesn’t exist.”

He added: “So that’s my analysis, but I’ll let the public make up their own mind.”

Earlier in the session Ms Mason asked why there was “so much confusion” from the department in relation to the implementation of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

Mr Lyons said he would make sure the service was given “additional resource” and would endeavour to “help prevent any further confusion”.

Ms Mason then said: “You can’t explain then why there was so much confusion.

“You’re very, very fond of getting up and showboating and playing your theatrics and attacking and trying to belittle other people who try to scrutinise you.

“Minister, you have nothing to fear from a little bit of scrutiny, maybe you should realise that.

“When are you going to step up and when are you actually going to protect these people?”

Mr Lyons replied: “I’ve said I’m happy to provide additional information to the House, and she rolls her eyes and she shakes her head, but I have said that.

“That is a direct answer to the question. I will provide the additional information.

“She does not need to act like a child when it comes to this issue, because I have been very clear in saying to her that I will provide the additional information that is required.

“We will get to the bottom of that. We will provide that.

“But yes, I do have a problem with her so-called scrutiny, because she throws mud and she doesn’t really have any sensible questions that she can ask.

“It always is just attack, attack, attack. It’s attack, attack, attack from the member all the time. This is a serious issue.”