‘I will not be cancelled’, said the Minister before the movement of confidence

Education Minister Paul Givan defended using departmental resources to share photos of his visit to a school in Jerusalem, describing the engagement as “non-political”.

Givan added that he was ‘not going to be cancelled’ and insisted that he was “all ministers”.

It comes as a move of confidence in his role as the Minister is expected to be sent to Stormont after a six-day trip to Israel.

The motion was submitted by Gerry Carroll from People Before Profit (PBP) and is supported by Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) and Unity.

The proposal is expected to receive the 30 signatures needed to reach the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly and attract a vote.

It will be next week, initially, but the movement is destined to fail as it needs public support from parents and nations.

Education Minister Paul Givan said his trip to Israel had given him a “Clean Bill of Health” in a review by senior Stomptont officials.

He said the press release about the school visit to Jerusalem issued by the Ministry of Education contained “no political content” and was “approved” by its permanent secretary.

The Dup minister added that support from his department to help organize the trip involved “less than one hour of civil service time”.

Givan was answering questions in Northern Ireland following criticism from other parties.

There was a heated exchange in the storm room as he defended his involvement in the tour.

Givan said that permanent secretary Ronnie weapons and other senior officials “got to review my involvement in this visit”.

The minister said “they concluded that the review and gave a clean bill of health, not just to me as the Minister but to all the government people in their department that their actions are justified”.

Givan said his private office is also familiar with the organizers of the trip to confirm things.

“This support was small, administrative in nature, and has been estimated to be less than one hour of federal funds,” he said.

The minister added: “My permanent secretary reviewed the press release issued by the Ministry regarding the school visit, and concluded that it has no political content, so it is related to my request.”

What did Givan do in Israel?

Speaking on the BBC’s The Nolan Show on Monday, Givan said the trip was “at no cost to the taxpayer, absolutely”.

The Dup Minister was among a number of domestic political outfit experts who participated in the six-day trip organized by the Israeli government.

Others include DUP MP Sammy Wilson, Steve Aiken from the UUP and Tuv Councilor Ron McDowell.

During the trip, they received a short briefing on Israel’s foreign ministry; visited the Holocaust memorial; he met with Hamas victims and visited the OkeK school in Jerusalem.

On October 7, 2023, approximately 1,200 people were killed and another 251 were captured during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

Israel then launched a military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 68,500 people, according to Hamas’ health run.

In September, the world’s leading scholarly organization announced that the massacre was taking place in Gaza, but Israel continues to reject that claim.

What is the response from teachers?

After images of the school visit were shared by the Department of Education, the Northern Ireland Council of Teachers said the department “should be politically neutral” and asked that promotion of the visit be removed from its sites.

“I would challenge anyone to point out within the statement that was released through my department, any comment of a political nature regarding Israel,” Givan said.

“It was completely political in terms of the politics of this type of trip, obviously, since Paul Givan, the minister of education, visited this school and it seems appropriate that that will be highlighted by the Ministry,” he said.

“I did not use the Ministry to highlight any other aspect of this visit because I was there as a broad symbol, but it obviously includes something related to my academic remit.”

He added: “I will not be silent, I will not be canceled.”

Rally outside Belfast City Hall

On Saturday, PBP held a rally against the Minister outside Belfast City Hall.

It was attended by teachers, supporters of Solidarity Gaza, civil society groups and other politicians.

On Monday, PBP assembly member Gerry Carroll told the BBC’s The Nolan Show that the Education Minister’s credibility had been “completely shot” by the visit to Israel.

“What I would say to the Minister is, do you understand how appropriate it is to go to Israel and show him the cover?

“I am full of hundreds of my districts.

“I’m sure it’s the same in other MLAS, the teachers’ unions are surprised by your actions.”

‘Givan is not a victim’

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Paul Givan was not a victim in this situation”.

He said the unconfirmed move was “simply an expression of public disbelief and anger” at the Dup Minister’s visit to Israel.

McDonald said Givan “shouldn’t try and portray himself as a victim because he is being held to account”.

Speaking to reporters at Stormont, he explained that Israel is collapsing in Gaza like yesterday’s regime.

“Minister Givan is not a victim in this situation,” he added.

“The victims here are tens of thousands of innocent children and women and men who have been slaughtered in more than two years.”

Minister ‘going nowhere’ – DUP

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the military United Union Party (TUV) have said they plan to join the GIVAN REMENCTIORION PART (DUP) in voting against it.

Even if it were to pass, the movement does not have the power to remove the Dup minister from office without the support of its leader, Gavin Robinson, who said “.

On Monday, Robinson described the criticism from his party colleagues as “Pantomime Politics”.

Speaking to reporters at Stormont, he said the Education Minister had “my full confidence”.

“Sadly, Sinn Féin has been led by Gerry Carroll’s nose. Now they are involved in a debate that cannot be based on anything other than a tweet.”

In a Facebook post at the weekend, the Minister said he was “tired of those who have sought to impugn my character and commitment to the people of Northern Ireland”.

He added: “Sinn Féin, people before profit, the SDLP and the Alliance are fooling nobody. We can all see right through this smoking time.”

Givan is likely to face questions in Israel’s chamber as other groups plan to ask for an urgent oral question to be added to the order paper.

It is ‘absolutely appropriate’ to hold givan to account

Speaking to reporters at Stormont on Monday, Alliance Deputy Leader Embin Tennyson confirmed that his party would support the self-confidence movement.

He said the visit “at a sensitive political time is nothing more than a provocative dress”.

“The minister needs to answer his judgment as to why he was part of the Israeli government’s propaganda work.”

Earlier, SDLP leader Claire Hanna said it was “appropriate” that members of the assembly have the opportunity to hold the Education Minister to account and express their “”deep concern”.

He said that several teachers who have contacted him “struggled to trust someone who freely promotes a system that has destroyed the educational system and the opportunity to teach the Palestinian generation”.

For example, “For example, there is no Steve Aiken or Ron McDowell, because we choose to pass and be able to match Israel,” he told the BBC’s the Bhow show.

“Therefore I think it is appropriate that MLAs A are allowed to use the time of Parliament to hold him and show deep concern.”

Analysis: Set to fail but still hurt

It is a big step to raise and support the stormo minister’s self-confidence movement, although it is destined to fail.

Unlike many other government institutions, clergy do not need the support of the majority of Northern Ireland members to remain in office.

All they need is their team to stand by.

But such a push for confidence is likely to damage relationships and can hinder progress around the big table at a time when there are too many decisions to be made.

Don’t be surprised to see more grandfather shows in the coming months as we get closer to the next general election.

Because, honestly, they play the right political bases well.