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Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has voted to write to Education Minister Paul Givan and the Head of the Civil Service to raise concerns over the DUP MLA’s recent visit to Israel.
The move followed comments from SDLP councillor Adam Gannon, who said the trip “raises a number of questions,” describing it as “a propaganda visit by a Minister of State to an apartheid state where we have people segregated in education.”
Cllr Gannon proposed that the council formally write to Mr Givan to express its concerns about the nature of the visit and “the use of departmental resources for this.”
He also called for a letter to be sent to the Head of the Civil Service seeking guidance on UK legislation relating to ministerial visits to occupied Palestinian territory.
Mr Givan was among a number of unionist politicians who took part in the six-day trip, which was organised by the Israeli government. Others included DUP MP Sammy Wilson, UUP MLA Steve Aiken, and TUV councillor Ron McDowell.
During the visit, the delegation received a briefing from Israel’s foreign ministry, visited a Holocaust memorial, met victims of Hamas, and toured Ofek School in Jerusalem.
The Education Minister is due to face a vote of no confidence at the Assembly on Monday, after a motion tabled by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll received the required number of signatures.
Several councils, including Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council, have already voted in favour of similar no-confidence motions.
The proposal at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s November meeting was carried by 19 votes to eight.
