Part of Executive Committee Business – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 6:00 pm on 8 March 2011.
It is at times such as this that we miss our old friend Bob McCartney. Perhaps he could have explained how the word “shall” does not leave a lot of flexibility. If the word “may” had been used, the Member would have had a case, but the word “shall” seems pretty clear to me. I suspect that Mr McCartney, were he here, would agree with me on this issue.