Diane Dodds on Scrutiny, System Shortfalls, and the Struggle for Clarity through Stormont’s Institutions

In the final episode of the first series of the Slugger Cato Project, we sat down with DUP MLA and former Minister Diane Dodds. For those new to the series, this project is a shared inquiry into the mechanics of government—specifically those corners of the Northern Ireland Assembly that often remain hidden from public view.

Before diving into Diane’s insights, it is worth reflecting on the feedback from last week’s conversation with Sinn Féin’s Pat Sheehan. The response from our community highlights a growing appetite for a more functional, transparent style of politics.

Humanising the Hill One of the most poignant reflections came from a listener, Mancunian Deb, who reminded us that “if you take away the politics, politicians are human beings underneath.” This is a core mission of the project: to strip away the tribal labels and look at the “mere mortals” tasked with running our country. When we see the person behind the party line, we can begin to have more honest conversations about why our systems are failing.

The Struggle for Scrutiny The feedback also touched on the systemic hurdles facing our MLAs. For instance, the revelation that committee members often get only five to eight minutes to question officials is a stark reminder of why progress is so slow. Establishing basic, accurate information shouldn’t take three separate meetings, yet that is the reality of our current oversight process. As one contributor noted, seeing cross-party cooperation on specific issues is a positive sign, but the “systemic issues” regarding how we extract information remain a major bottleneck.

A Call for Political Rebellion The Slugger Cato Project is not just about observation; it is about provocation. We want to inspire—and frankly, demand—a new spirit among our backbenchers. We aren’t looking for “rebellion” for the sake of chaos, but as an essential tool for good governance.

We need MLAs (or councillors, and maybe even journalists) who possess independence, honesty, and the courage to challenge a floundering government system. We need representatives who view their role not just as party loyalists, but as rigorous investigators of the executive.

Have Your Say As we wrap up this series, our search for these “rebel” voices continues. If you know of an MLA or Councillor who demonstrates the courage to fix the system from within, we want to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

The first series may be ending, but the work of fixing our democracy is only just beginning…

Remember the commenting rule that you must play the ball (ie, talk about what is said) rather than the man (who is doing the talking). I’m asking the moderator group to be ultra stringent on these threads to encourage the sharing of actionable insights.

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty