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00:00We're not going to agree on the conduct of the First Minister across all parties at the
00:06last meeting, and so be it.
00:10I stand by the view that it was relevant to ask questions about the safeguarding practice
00:16in this building by the First Minister's party, because there are huge parallels with
00:23what we're dealing with under historical institutional abuse.
00:27People being moved around, people in positions of leadership pretending not to know what
00:31was happening, all the blame being put on junior people who are then dismissed, and
00:38a story that quite frankly doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
00:41We have a responsibility to ask questions, to probe the account that we're being given.
00:46We might have reached a point where no more is going to be said, but let it be seen who
00:52was evasive.
00:54We have to do our duty as a committee, on behalf of the Assembly, on behalf of the public,
01:00and be seen to at least have tried.
01:03So I do think, Chair, you were put in the position where the First Minister was expecting
01:08you to police the questions, and I do think that was unfair on you.
01:13I understand about the legal advice, but the whole thing was very unedifying for this committee
01:18and the Assembly.
01:19It's not how we want to conduct our business.
01:21We're in a competitive process in politics, but you also have to cooperate with each other.
01:26We have to work together for the public good as well.
01:30So we can turn every meeting into a dogfight, but is that in the interest of the people
01:36of Northern Ireland?
01:37We have to also find ways.
01:38So the competitive side is one part of it, but cooperating for the public good and at
01:44least respecting each other's mandate is also part of it.
01:49So we don't expect to agree on everything, but we do have to be prepared to at least
01:55work in the same space and at times cooperate for the public good.