Page 4050 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 22 October 1991
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That is certainly not correct. The statement could well be taken to be misleading, though unintentionally in my estimation. I think the difficulty is that there has not been an open look and a genuine answer to the concerns of some members of this Assembly about what exactly Mr Connolly meant at the time. I think there has been an attempt to suggest something other than what happened.
As for the general way in which questions were answered in the budget Estimates Committee, I think some valid points have been made. I think it is unfortunate that these things degenerate into political actions, if you like, rather than just an attempt to get at the truth of the matter. Regardless of any goading that may incite someone to take other action, one does not have to be goaded in answering questions. Mr Berry has a rather wry look on his face. It has got a little bit more wry. I am trying to determine exactly what it means. Could you quickly interject, Mr Berry?
Mr Berry: No, no, I would not interject.
MR STEVENSON: So, I think there is a major problem. I do not think the censure motion is on the right question. One could well suggest that there could be a censure motion against people in this Assembly, Ministers, for not answering questions correctly, for not answering them fully, in fact for not answering them at all in some cases. I think that is an important point that should be raised in this Assembly.
I think that the level of debate that this Assembly often degenerates to is appalling, and is considered so by members of the public who attend from time to time. I speak to any number of people who come along on different issues and, without asking them what they think of the standard of debate, they tell me that they are appalled; they did not know that that is what happens in here. I do not see any sense whatsoever in calling people names. I think we accept statements from people in this house that we would not accept from our children. I think it would behove all of us to improve our game. That is what the people clearly want.
Mr Berry: Now I am really amused. Dennis rising above all of this.
MR STEVENSON: Mr Berry laughs and says something about Dennis rising above this. I have never resorted in this Assembly, or anywhere else, to name calling. I prefer to spend the time I have on addressing the issue. If one had nothing to say, one might spend time calling people names. Children call others names simply because they cannot effectively debate an issue and that is the best they can do. The people really do not expect that in this Assembly.
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