By Julie Waters
STRANGFORD MLA Michelle McIlveen has topped the poll for penning the most written questions to Stormont Ministers for the third consecutive year.
The DUP deputy leader submitted a total of 996 Assembly questions with neighbouring North Down Assemblyman and DAERA Minister Andrew Muir’s department receiving the highest number of 223 questions.
Miss McIlveen also sent 177 written questions to Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons receiving 144 questions while Health Minister Mike Nesbitt was asked 110 questions. Coming a close second to Ms McIlveen was Assemblyman Gerry Carroll from People Before Profit who submitted 948 questions and the SDLP’s Justin McNulty who asked 941 questions.
Ms McIlveen said Assembly written questions are of ‘vital importance’ as an ‘essential mechanism for ensuring transparency, accountability and effective scrutiny at the Northern Ireland Assembly’.
“One of the most important roles carried out by MLAs is the responsibility to scrutinise government, challenge Ministers and ensure that public bodies are delivering for the people they serve. Assembly questions are one of the most effective tools available to MLAs in fulfilling that responsibility,” said Miss McIlveen.
“When I am submitting questions, it is not about chasing statistics or headlines. It reflects my commitment to ensuring that issues raised by constituents are pursued thoroughly and that Ministers are required to provide answers on matters affecting communities across Northern Ireland.”
The Strangford Assemblywoman said: “I submit questions across all departments regardless of the party that Minister is in but understandably the key departments for many of my constituents will be Health, Agriculture, Communities and Infrastructure.
“Every Assembly question represents an opportunity to obtain information that may otherwise remain unavailable, to expose delays or shortcomings in public services, and to press for action where improvements are needed.
“They provide an important public record of ministerial decisions and departmental performance. They also operate as a means to alert Ministers to what is or is not happening in his or her department.
“Whether the issue relates to health, education, infrastructure, agriculture or local concerns, constituents rightly expect their representatives to ask difficult questions and seek meaningful answers. That is a responsibility I take seriously.”
