The scrutinising of the Stormont Education Minister’s departmental social media post from his trip to Israel is a “matter for the head of the civil service”, the Assembly has heard.
Paul Givan told MLAs on Monday that the permanent secretary from his department reviewed the matter and gave him a “clean bill of health”.
It came after criticism of Mr Givan following his trip to Israel last week, as part of a delegation of MLAs, during which he asked his department for a social media post around his visit to a school in Jerusalem.
A no-confidence motion backed by People Before Profit, Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance and independent MLA Claire Sugden is to be debated by the Assembly next Monday.
Mr Givan told MLAs the social media post was “strictly non-political and focused solely on the educational aspects of the visit”.
He said his visit during the trip to a school in Jerusalem was “directly relevant” to his ministerial portfolio and “provided valuable insights”.
He said his permanent secretary and senior officials carried out a review of his engagements on the visit and said they concluded a “clean bill of health” to him as minister and all civil servants that their actions were appropriate.
Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole asked Finance Minister John O’Dowd whether he believed Mr Givan “has plunged the Northern Ireland Civil Service in disrepute by his use of official resources to promote a visit to occupied territory”.
Mr O’Toole also asked Mr O’Dowd during questions for his department whether he had asked for an assessment of whether it violated a code of ethics for civil servants.
Mr O’Dowd said he believes it would be a matter for the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, to look at.
“I think all ministers need to be extremely careful as to how they use the resources of the Civil Service which are there to primarily deliver front line public services and support the delivery of front line public services.
“They should not be used in a party political way.
“I heard the minister of education’s comments in the chamber yesterday in relation to his engagement with his permanent secretary in regard to that matter.
“My understanding of this matter is that it would be for the head of the civil service to further develop any inquiries into that case.”
Mr O’Toole said he had written to Ms Brady in this regard, and also asked that Mr O’Dowd, as the lead minister responsible for civil service propriety, commission an “urgent review into broader issues around ministers giving inappropriate instructions to civil servants”.
However, Mr O’Dowd said he believes it would be best to await the independent inquiries of the head of the civil service.
Earlier, the Assembly confirmed that it had received the 30 signatures required for a proposed no-confidence motion in Mr Givan.
The motion was proposed by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, and was backed by Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance.
Mr Givan’s DUP party, and the UUP are opposing it.
The motion requires cross-community support from both those designated as unionists and nationalists to be passed.
Last week, the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council claimed the Department of Education’s promotion of the school visit was an “overtly political and divisive act”, and called for the post to be deleted.
Rival politicians have also questioned whether it was appropriate to visit Israel at a time when the country is facing international criticism over its military offensive in Gaza.
Demonstrations took place at Belfast City Hall on Saturday and outside Parliament Buildings on Monday calling for Mr Givan to resign, while an online petition has been signed by more than 13,000 people.
Mr Carroll said he brought the motion to “build a strong, united challenge against a minister who believes it’s appropriate to align himself with a state that’s responsible for the murder of 20,000 children”.
“Despite the minister’s attempts to sectarianise this issue, pressure is clearly mounting on him from all quarters,” he said.
“Paul Givan’s position is becoming more untenable by the hour.”
Mr Givan was part of a delegation of unionist MLAs from Northern Ireland who took part in the fact-finding trip last week at the invitation of the Israeli government.
He also insisted he is a minister for all, adding he will not be silenced, cancelled or distracted from his work as Education Minister.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson said on Monday that Mr Givan has his full confidence.
But Mr Carroll added: “The minister played the victim and declared that he won’t be cancelled, but the voices of thousands of educators, pupils, families, trade unionists and right-thinking people calling for his resignation can’t and won’t be ignored.
“It’s time for Givan to go.”
A spokesperson for the Assembly confirmed the no-confidence motion will be prioritised for debate next Monday.
“The Speaker informed the Assembly Business Committee today that a competent motion under Section 30 of the Northern Ireland Act to exclude the Minister of Education from holding office for a period of 12 months has been signed by at least 30 members,” they said.
“As it is a statutory motion which has legal effect should it be passed with cross-community support, the Business Committee agreed to follow precedent that the motion would be prioritised for debate on Monday November 10 2025.”
Ms Sugden said she is backing the motion over the departmental social media post.
She said she has no issue with Mr Givan visiting Israel as a private citizen or as a public representative, but said the lines were “blurred” by the departmental social media post.
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