The DUP MP Gregory Campbell has been barred from speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly for Tuesday as punishment for his remarks yesterday during a debate on the Irish language.
Campbell said ““Curry my yoghurt can coca colayer,” seemingly in mocking imitation of “Go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle”, the traditional response in the Irish language to the speaker. Nationalist MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly chamber respond to the speaker in this manner.
Campbell’s actions attracted an angry response and Sinn Féin’s Culture Minister in Northern Ireland, Carál Ní Chuilín, responding to Campbell in the Assembly yesterday, described his actions as “pure ignorance”.
The Speaker, Mitchel McLaughlin, said of Campbell’s words:
"The spirit of mockery was blatant and reflects badly upon this House and the deputy Speakers.
"I am not prepared to allow such a breach of standards to pass without consequence.
"Be in no doubt, if humour was in the Member's intention, it failed miserably."
Mr Campbell has refused to apologise for his actions, telling BBC Radio Ulster:
"I have nothing to apologise for and I won't be apologising."
Campbell said he will continue to act as he had done as long as Sinn Féin continue to use Irish in the Assembly.
"Why do they feel on every occasion, on every topic, that they have to start in Irish. Why?" he asked.
"I exposed the fallacy and the nonsense of people who insist on using Irish to begin every single contribution, no matter what the topic is, when most people don't understand what they're saying."
"That's why I did what I did."
