The Assembly’s Business Committee has confirmed that the motion of no confidence in Education Minister Paul Givan will be debated on Monday, 10 November.
A spokesperson said: “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.
“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 10 November 2025.”
It will be the first motion on Monday and is scheduled to last 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The motion requires cross-community support from both unionists and nationalists to go through – with all the unionist parties not supporting the motion, it won’t get passed. Givan can only be removed by his party leader, who has already said “he isn’t going anywhere.”
Submitted by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, the motion received 30 signatures as it was supported by Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance, and independent unionist Claire Sugden.
Posting on X, Carroll said: “I’m pleased that my motion has received the 30 signatures necessary to proceed. It will be discussed at today’s meeting of the Business Committee in Stormont, and hopefully scheduled for debate early next week.”
“This is a testament to the Palestine solidarity movement, education workers, pupils, families and trade unionists who have vocally called out the Minister for his whitewashing trip to Israel.”
“Grateful for the support of Sinn Féin, SDLP & Alliance in building a united challenge. Despite the Minister’s attempts to sectarianise the issue, pressure is mounting from all sides. The Minister’s position is growing more untenable by the hour. It’s time for Givan to go,” he added.
Paul Givan has again defended himself in the Assembly today, saying the post on the Department of Education’s social media was “strictly non-political and focused solely on the educational aspects of the visit”
He asked the Permanent Secretary to carry out a review of his engagements during the visit, in which he was given “a clean bill of health.”
